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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Conservative professor alleges ‘firing’ by SWBTS

By Will Hall, Message executive editor FORT WORTH, Texas (LBM) – Long-time faculty member David Allen has released a letter alleging he has been fired. His action was in response to descriptions of his termination as “retirement” by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Allen was the seminary’s distinguished professor of preaching, and he also was the director of the Center for Expository Preaching, having served the seminary in multiple positions since 2004. He had been on a year-long sabbatical just prior to his departure, July 31. Baptist Press reported, July 29, that SWBTS President Adam Greenway had informed Allen via email that “his full-time faculty position would be eliminated at the end of July.” Allen also said Greenway unilaterally had designated him for “retirement.” However, Allen declined to retire or resign. Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary announced, Aug. 1, that it had hired Allen as the new Distinguished Visiting Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of the Adrian Rogers Center for Biblical Preaching. Rogers, the now-deceased pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, who was a former SBC president and the leader of the conservative resurgence in the SBC, helped … [Read more...]

DOJ opens sex abuse case against SBC

By Will Hall, Message executive editor WASHINGTON (LBM) – The United States Department of Justice is investigating allegations of sex abuse against the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC Executive Committee revealed that it had been served a subpoena in a letter, Aug. 12. signed by the recently elected SBC president and all 13 national entity heads, stating their organizations are individually and collectively “resolved to fully and completely cooperate with the investigation.” According to news reports, multiple SBC ministries are being targeted. BACKGROUND The investigation is being launched as lawsuits are stacking up against the SBC since the release of the controversial “independent investigation” by the pro-gay Guidepost Solutions which was hired by the SBC Executive Committee to conduct an internal review. The SBC Executive Committee has since acknowledged there are 14 cases filed in North Carolina and 4 in Virginia, but scores of law firms are running ads seeking plaintiffs to join class action filings. The legal situation is complicated by the fact that long-term SBC attorneys Jim Guenther and Jamie Jordan resigned when, against their counsel, the SBC Executive Committee waived attorney-client … [Read more...]

GBO keeps alive ‘Miss Georgia’s’ love for Louisiana

By Will Hall, Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Letters show that Georgia Barnette’s first impressions of the Pelican state were love at first sight. Arriving by train from Atlanta, Barnette remarked how moved she was by the landscape she saw. “Surely God loved Louisiana because He made it so beautiful,” she wrote to a friend. Years later, after having retired from serving 25 years as the director of the Woman’s Missionary Union in the state, and awaiting her last breath, she lay in her bed praying for her “beloved Louisiana people.” In between these two bookends in her life, Georgia Barnette was motivated by her “value of one soul” and tirelessly worked to build up the body of Christ and minister to those in need, while inspiring Louisiana Baptists to take the Gospel across the state. Her legacy of love for Christ and the people of Louisiana continues through the state missions offering that was named for her in 1936. The goal for the 2022 Georgia Barnette Offering is $1.7 million, an amount that supplements what Louisiana Baptists give through the Cooperative Program, the primary funding channel for state and national Baptist causes. for state and national Baptist causes. CP gifts provide … [Read more...]

Letlow encourages women to choose hope

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – U.S. Congresswoman Julia Letlow encouraged 70 ladies gathered for a Women on Mission meeting to remain hopeful in difficult circumstances. Letlow, during the monthly meeting, Aug. 11, at First Baptist Church, Pineville, shared how her faith in Christ sustained her after her husband, Luke, died from COVID-19 complications, Dec. 29, 2020. He was just five days from taking office after winning an election the month before to succeed Ralph Abraham, who retired from Congress. She later won the seat in a special-called election in March 2021. “He doesn’t waste an experience, good or bad, for His calling and His purpose in our lives,” Letlow said. “I am so thankful to be able to choose hope. I continue to choose hope. I think it’s so important for my children to see that in their mom, when life knocks you down you have a choice to make. You can either stay down or you can get up and you can continue to walk in faith.” Letlow said serving others is a way to move forward when tragedy strikes. “When you are hurting get outside of yourself, serve other people,” she said. “And that will provide healing and give you hope.”   … [Read more...]

Archer tapped to head up South Carolina WMU

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists Children and Youth Education Strategist Jess Archer has been named the new executive director and treasurer for the South Carolina Baptist Convention Woman’s Missionary Union. Archer will join the staff Oct. 24 and will assume her new role Jan. 1, 2023. She will follow Laurie Register, who retires Dec. 31 after serving South Carolina’s WMU for more than 29 years (including 14 of those as executive director-treasurer). “I am eternally grateful to the Lord for calling me by name to this new position,” Archer told the Baptist Message. “And I am ready to see what God has in store for South Carolina Woman’s Missionary Union.” A graduate of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Archer has spent the last eight-and-a-half years helping women and young people develop a deeper passion for missions. During her time with Louisiana Baptists, Archer has served on the Women’s Missions and Ministry team as a catalyst to develop and encourage mission’s education through WMU for preschool, children and youth in the state’s Baptist churches. She also has trained countless leaders of all ages in … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists challenged to ReGroup discipleship efforts

By Baptist Message staff LAFAYETTE, La. (LBM) - Pastor John Fream said Cypress Baptist Church has several “non-negotiable” practices they use in their mission to reach Benton and beyond for Jesus Christ. Fream, during the ReGroup Sunday school training conference at First Baptist Church, Lafayette, Aug. 6, said his members at Cypress Baptist preach and live out the Word of God, are soul winners, follow the Great Commandment and use Sunday school, worship and big events to draw others to Christ. Fream was the keynote speaker for ReGroup that focused on strengthening discipleship efforts. The conference included breakout sessions for pastors/staff/key leaders; preschool/children, youth and adult leaders. ReGroup focuses on four areas – sharing the Gospel, developing biblical community, helping believers mature spiritually, and equipping believers to live missionally, with special emphasis on maximizing Gospel impact. Since he became pastor 14 years ago, Fream has seen Cypress Baptist grow from 450 in Sunday worship to 2,600 and baptize new converts each Sunday (including 173 since January). Fream said he reminds his members they are on mission to share the Gospel wherever they go. “Life’s too short,” he said. “The … [Read more...]