By Message Staff BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Senate Judiciary B Committee presented a hostile response to a bill that would have provided a simple protection for pastors -- prevent the state from forcing religious leaders to participate in same-sex wedding ceremonies. Sponsored by state Rep. Mike Johnson, HB597, the Pastor Protection Act, narrowly focused on shielding pastors from the fallout of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, in which five justices overturned voter–approved marriage laws in 31 states, which had defined marriage as between one man and one woman. It did not contain any provisions relating to people of faith in business or government, just those who serve in official roles with a church in context of wedding ceremonies. The Louisiana House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed this bill by an 80-18 vote April 19, but the measure failed 3-2 with the Judiciary B Committee, meaning the full Senate will not have a chance to consider the proposed legislation. Voting against the bill were Senators J.P. Morrell and Karen Carter Peterson, both from New Orleans, as well as Eric LaFleur of Ville Platte. All three are Democrats, and Peterson is chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – In a day when reports of demise for news media are common place, the Baptist Message is bucking the trend, according to Editor Will Hall. “We have good news about your Louisiana Baptist Message,” Hall told board members during their recent spring meeting. “About what we’ve been able to do the last six months, what we are looking to do the next six months, and beyond that.” Hall said the Message dedicated a good part of the year, so far, documenting recovery efforts after the record rainfall which devastated many parts of the state. “Early in the season, our focus was on the flooding across the state and Louisiana Baptists’ response to the tragedy through our comprehensive disaster relief efforts,” Hall said. “More than 18,000 homes were affected, according to FEMA. Importantly, most of these were in the north where most of our churches are located and most of our DR volunteers. So we emphasized the valiant work of our DR teams.” Hall reviewed several of the compelling stories published on the Message’s website and promoted through social media streams, and described how these articles translated into growth in online presence. The website and Facebook platforms now … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer DEVILLE – Six young children from Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville made a declaration that was simple, yet life-changing, after an Awana meeting on a Wednesday evening in March. The fifth and sixth graders approached Children’s Ministry Director Tracy Orr and called out in unison, “We want to get saved.” “All of you?” Orr responded, who was overjoyed by furiously yes-nodding heads and lots of excited laughter. Each of them prayed to ask for forgiveness of their sins and to commit their lives to Jesus within a week, and they were baptized. Orr saw them smiling with excitement prior to their baptisms and was reminded of the miracle of salvation. “Watching them, all in their white robes, they almost seemed to sparkle and shine with the new life that bubbled up inside them and spilled out,” she said. “They weren’t afraid. They were in love with Jesus, the only one who can do such miracles.” The six children are among 19, of all ages, who have been baptized at Philadelphia Baptist Church this year. Pastor Philip Robertson is hopeful the congregation will equal or surpass last year’s 70 baptisms. He said that baptizing is part of the Great Commission given to the church in Matthew … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MONROE – The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home is now northeast Louisiana’s second largest residential provider for homeless children and their families. Grinning with excitement, Children’s Home President and CEO Perry Hancock told trustees during the entity’s spring board meeting that the news from the Northeast Louisiana Home Coalition only reaffirms fulfilling a vision that was first dreamed of six years ago. “The need is so great because domestic violence is so high in northeast Louisiana,” Hancock said. “This creates a place to stay for a while and train the homeless mothers and their children in ways they can provide a better life.” Started in 2012, HomePlace provides homeless women and their children a place to stay for six to 12 months at no cost to the residents. While there, the women receive a high school equivalency degree and life and employment skills training through the Christian Women Job Corps. In April, some residents moved into a new cottage, offering an array of amenities to offer a true home environment for the women and their children in this transitional setting as they prepare for independent living. Since inception, 80 percent of the women participating in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – One day, Caleb Lanclos’ tooth ached, so he turned to the Lafayette Community Health Clinic to have it removed. On April 16, Lanclos returned to the clinic with a different purpose – to give back to a business that was there for him in a time of need. Armed with a rake and pressure washer, Lanclos and fellow members of First Baptist Lafayette spent a few hours that Saturday morning cleaning up the grounds of the clinic. By the end of the day, the team had accomplished the name of their effort – First Baptist Loves Lafayette. “Because I was a recipient of their services, I knew this was a way I could give back to them,” Lanclos said. “This day is my favorite day of the year. You can be selfless and help someone out. It doesn’t even feel like work and you are there to serve those who live in your community.” Lanclos’ and his fellow team members were among 449 people from the church involved in some ministry project across Lafayette, to love their city in practical ways. These 26 projects included placing pine straw underneath shrubs on the University of Louisiana-Lafayette campus, laying mulch at an area park, cleaning city murals and picking up trash along a stretch of a … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley challenged the school’s 2016 graduates to rely on the certainty of God’s love as they bring hope to a hurting world. “His love will never loosen its grip on you,” Kelley said at the May 14 graduation ceremony. “Whatever you go through, remember the love of God always triumphs in the end.” REMAIN COMMITTED Kelley acknowledged some graduates may have turned down other, more lucrative career paths to answer God’s call to theological education and ministry, and but he said they must focus on “the love of God” that drew them to seminary in the first place. Consider the “unspeakable sacrifice” of Christ, Kelley said, adding that while other religions have altars and sacrifices of incense, grain or even animals, only the Christian faith has “God himself as the sacrifice.” Going further, Kelley said the cross of Christ, the “centerpiece of the New Testament,” won salvation and eternal life for any person who comes seeking forgiveness, regardless of past sin and failure. “That is good news,” Kelley said. “God must love us because of what God did for us.” Continuing, Kelley caused an obvious moment of serious … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees met for their second quarterly meeting of the year at the Louisiana Baptist Building, April 26, 2016, with the morning dedicated to meetings by the investment committee and operating committee and the afternoon spent in general session by the entire body to consider committee reports and other business. INVESTMENT COMMITTEE Jim Prince, trustee from Lafayette, chaired the morning investment committee meeting, which included a report by Barbara Bell, certified public accountant and controller for the Foundation. She reviewed the account holdings for the first quarter of the year, stating assets under management as of March 31, 2016, were $167,840,414.05, an increase of approximately $3.4 million since the end of 2015. Bell explained the increase as a result of strong deposit activity. Investment returns for the major components of the LBF portfolio were reviewed by Jim Prince, who gave the following information as the official data calculated for the end of the quarter March 31, 2016: Short Term Fund:  0.55% Annualized Yield Fixed Income Fund:  2.11% Total Return Equity Fund:  -0.51% Total Return The Group Investment Fund which is comprised of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell & Philip Timothy, Baptist Message For the past 25 years, Liz Landers has cooked for some of Hollywood’s most notable actors. But since late March, Landers’ kitchen has been at First Baptist Church in Haughton, preparing meals for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers stationed there. A former resident of Slidell, Landers said her house was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and that she feels this was a way she could give back to disaster relief volunteers who helped her restore her home. According to Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief leaders, almost every meal served to the hundreds of volunteers working out of First Baptist Haughton has been planned and prepared by Landers. Landers shared with the Louisiana Baptist Message her day during the flood recovery efforts regularly started at 4:30 a.m. and ended around 7:30 p.m. “When the flooding happened I knew I had to do something,” said Landers, a member of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport. “I can never repay what they did for me after Katrina but the best I can do is try.” Landers, who prepared her last meal at First Baptist Haughton May 12, is among hundreds of volunteers, many from across the United States, who have helped … [Read more...]