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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

President Trump: ‘We love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them.’

Click here to watch the video. Transcript of President Donald J. Trump's address to the American public, June 21, 2025, regarding U.S. military strikes against Iran's nuclear bomb making capabilities. WASHINGTON -- Thank you very much. A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive, precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier. For 40 years, Iran has been saying, "Death to America, death to Israel." They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs, with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over 1,000 people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East … [Read more...]

FIRST PERSON: As goes the family, so goes the culture

By Gene Mills, Louisiana Family Forum president BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Public policy matters, especially regarding the health and growth of families, the basic building block of any flourishing society. As we have seen throughout history, as goes the family, so goes the culture. Unfortunately, for too long this fundamental principle has been more of a talking point than a driving force when it came to tax policy in Washington. However, as recently as 2017 the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), was enacted, making sweeping changes to tax policy. But it was the re-prioritization of the family in it that was the most significant accomplishment. Two provisions made an immediate impact on working families—a doubling of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) from $1,000 per child to $2,000 and an Employer Tax Credit (ETC) for businesses which offer Employee Paid Family Leave (45S). Further, both provisions are prime examples that it is possible—even essential—to promote strong family policy through reasonable tax policy. Both the CTC and the ETC are overwhelmingly supported by voters on both sides of the aisle, and both have proven to be essential support for families during the unpredictable inflation during 2017-present. Now Congress … [Read more...]

PREVIEW: SBC 2025

By staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- The Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting (June 10–11), will be hosted in Dallas, Texas, under the theme, “Hold Fast: Confession and Cooperation,” inspired by Hebrews 10:23–24, with 10,000 messengers and guests expected to visit the city for the business meetings and related events. ELECTIONS President Clint Presley, pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, will be nominated for a second term as SBC president by Michael Criner, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Rockwall, Texas.  First VP Daniel Ritchie, an author and evangelist from North Carolina, will be nominated for first vice president by Matt Capps, lead pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, North Carolina.  Second VP Craig Carlisle, current Alabama Baptist State Convention president and director of missions for Etowah Baptist Convention, will be nominated by Jared Cornutt, pastor of North Shelby Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Tommy Mann, pastor of Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville, Texas, will be nominated for SBC second vice president by Jim Gatliff, associational missionary for Hunt Baptist Association. Registration Secretary Don Currence, current SBC … [Read more...]

Foundation Executive Director
Jeffrey Steed to retire

By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- On Wednesday, Jeffrey Steed announced he will retire on May 31 as executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation, having served in this leadership role since April 1, 2020. According to an LBF press release, Steed plans to travel with his wife, Shana, and they will be spending time with family in Texas. The LBF Board of Trustees met April 23 and named Director of Planned Giving Jared Price to serve as interim executive director, starting June 1. Price has served in his present post since October 2022. During Steed’s tenure, more than $70 million has been achieved toward the Foundation’s Vision200 strategic plan (impacting the Kingdom with $200 million or more in 20 or fewer years), and the Foundation has reached its highest short-term fund rate in more than 16 years. Following Steed’s announcement, LBF trustees released a statement expressing appreciation to him and reaffirming their commitment to the stewardship ministry they provide Louisiana Baptists. “The Board and Staff of the Foundation are grateful to Steed for his five years of faithful service as Executive Director and are excited to embrace Price in his new role,” they wrote. “The Foundation … [Read more...]

Speaker Johnson to Calvary students:

Live to make an ‘impact’

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor SHREVEPORT, La. (LBM) – During a Calvary Baptist Academy assembly, April 22, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a member of Cypress Baptist Church, Benton, explained what made America a great country in the past, took a phone call from President Donald J. Trump, and shared the biblical concept of what makes an individual great in urging students to “live to make an impact.” The school is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport, and Johnson is a former member. GREAT NATION Johnson compared the historical model of European monarchies, in which rights passed from God through the king to the people, to the American form of government “of the people, by the people, for the people,” with citizens’ rights coming directly from God. “We are the first country in the history of the world that set ourselves up with a statement of faith that is listed with theological clarity in our birth certificate, the Declaration of Independence,” Johnson said, noting that many of our founding fathers were seminarians who understood that “we are all made in God’s image,” meaning “every single person has inestimable dignity and value.” In contrast, Johnson pointed to the antitheses of a … [Read more...]