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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Attack on Bible curriculum thrown out of court

By Lacey McNeil, First Liberty communications PRINCETON, WV— A federal district court dismissed a challenge to the Bible curriculum offered in Mercer County Schools.  First Liberty Institute, the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers LLP, and Brewster, Morhous, Cameron, Caruth, Moore, Kersey & Stafford, PLLC, represent Mercer County Schools.  The following may be attributed to Hiram Sasser, General Counsel of First Liberty Institute: Mercer County Schools is grateful to have this unfortunate lawsuit dismissed and remains committed to following the law as it provides diverse educational opportunities to its students.  The Court rightly rejected the notion that teaching students about the Bible is always unconstitutional. To read the court’s entire opinion, click here.  To learn more about the case, visit FirstLiberty.org/MercerCounty. … [Read more...]

Grandfather prohibited from reading the Bible out loud on public sidewalk

By First Liberty communications SWEETWATER, Tenn. — First Liberty and the Center for Religious Expression has sent a demand letter to the City of Sweetwater, Tennessee on behalf of their client, Paul Johnson. The letter asks the city to stop using a twenty-five year old city ordinance to prohibit Johnson from reading the Bible on a public sidewalk without a permit. “Every American has the right to share earnestly-held views in public,” said CRE Chief Counsel Nate Kellum.  “No one should need government permission to preach.” “Mr. Johnson does not need permission from the government to express his faith in public,” said Chelsey Youman, Counsel for First Liberty. “The First Amendment is permission enough for any citizen in any city in America to peacefully read the Bible out loud on a public sidewalk. The Sweetwater ordinance is overbroad, unconstitutional, and must be immediately changed or eliminated.” In August, police officers in Sweetwater told Mr. Johnson that reading the Bible out loud on a public sidewalk fell within the definition of a “demonstration” pursuant to an outdated city ordinance. As such, Mr. Johnson would need a permit from the city to read the Bible on a public sidewalk. But, when Mr. Johnson … [Read more...]

Page, Luter encourage pastors to pause at Pastors’ Conference

BATON ROUGE – The opening session of the 2017 Pastors’ Conference encouraged ministers and lay people alike to pause and be still before God Sunday, Nov. 12, at Istrouma Baptist Church. North Monroe Baptist Church’s praise team led times of worship with a mix of classic songs such as “I Stand Amazed” with new tunes including “Come Alive.” Meanwhile, Frank Page, CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, and Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, delivered inspiring messages that centered around the conference theme “Pause,” based on Psalm 46:10. Page challenged ministers to stay true to God’s call on their lives, even in the most difficult circumstances. “God wants us to realize He has a work He wants to do in our lives,” Page said. “And He is not done with us, even when we think we are done.” Luter closed out the evening with his high-energy style of delivery while sharing about the will of God. “The safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God,” Luter said. “But you’ve got to know for sure the Savior, the Spirit and the scriptures. Then you will know the will of God.” The Pastors’ Conference continues Monday, Nov. 13, with the second day kicking … [Read more...]

Louisiana’s Johnson supports bill to spur economic investment, growth in Gulf region

By Ainsley Holyfield, Office of U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Nov. 8, the House Natural Resources Committee passed H.R. 4239, the SECURE American Energy Act, to provide regulatory certainty and reliability to expand access to oil, gas and wind development in America’s outer continental shelf lands. Included in this legislation was Rep. Mike Johnson’s (LA-04) SEA Act, H.R. 3133, which reduces excessive government regulations developed under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and streamlines the lengthy permit approval processes that have caused setbacks and delays for those working to preserve America's rapidly deteriorating coastline, interrupted U.S. Naval operations and deterred offshore oil and gas exploration in the Gulf. Johnson also successfully amended this legislation to reduce bureaucratic barriers in how the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) regulations are implemented. The amendment clarifies that the Department of Interior has the sole authority for all marine mammals when the incidental take is from activities associated with operation authorized under OCSLA. Both of Johnson’s provisions will help spur economic investment in federal lands, expand domestic energy production, … [Read more...]