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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Luter honored at NOBTS for 35 years of ministry, influence

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, was honored by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College Tuesday (Oct. 12), with the announcement that a commemorative brick paver would be placed in his honor in the seminary’s Legacy Plaza reading “Fred Luter, the pastor of New Orleans.” As he presented the award, NOBTS President Jamie Dew pointed to Luter’s wide influence and the impact he has made for God’s kingdom. “[God’s] hand has been and is all over your life and your preaching and your ministry,” Dew said to Luter. “You are not just the pastor of Franklin Avenue, you are the pastor of New Orleans, and brother, we are grateful for you.” The presentation coincides with Luter’s 35th anniversary as pastor of Franklin Avenue. The church will celebrate Luter’s anniversary Sunday (Oct. 17). Dew noted that Luter began as a street preacher in New Orleans, then stepped into the role of pastor for a “very small” congregation. Today, that congregation numbers in the thousands with satellite campuses in Houston and Baton Rouge. Franklin Avenue is Luter’s only pastorate. The chapel service marked Founders Day, held in … [Read more...]

NOBTS student David Sneed’s life touched ‘thousands’ despite disabilities

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS office of public relations NEW ORLEANS, La. (NOBTS) – David Sneed, 65, was plagued by life-long disabilities and health issues. The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary doctor of ministry student once said he hoped to die in the pulpit, preaching. Those who knew him best say he did exactly that -- his life was a living sermon. Sneed prayed by name daily for about 2,000 people. Once homeless himself, Sneed preached and led Bible studies weekly in New Orleans’ homeless community. Sneed died Sept. 3 in his 12th-story apartment in a senior adult complex in downtown New Orleans—an apartment without an operating window that remained without electricity five days after Hurricane Ida’s landfall. Jacob Crawford, director of City Life NOLA, a ministry which serves the homeless, said Sneed’s life touched “thousands.” “He was the most humble man I’ve ever met,” Crawford said. “He was a man that had very few material possessions -- very few -- but he was the richest man I’ve ever met.” Sneed’s belongings fit into a single plastic tub after his death, a testimony to Sneed’s simple lifestyle, Crawford explained. On a professional networking site, Sneed described his health issues from birth as an “organic … [Read more...]

Kennedy, Judiciary Republicans push back on Biden Justice Department crackdown on parents’ freedom of speech

By Office of Sen. John Kennedy WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) has joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and nine other senators in demanding that the Justice Department not interfere with local school board meetings or threaten the use of federal law enforcement to deter parents’ free speech. This comes after DOJ issued a memorandum suggesting federal law enforcement may need to assist policing local school board meetings. “We are concerned about the appearance of the Department of Justice policing the speech of citizens and concerned parents. We urge you to make very clear to the American public that the Department of Justice will not interfere with the rights of parents to come before school boards and speak with educators about their concerns, whether regarding coronavirus-related measures, the teaching of critical race theory in schools, sexually explicit books in schools, or any other topic. Furthermore, we urge you to instruct the FBI and the various United States Attorneys to make clear in the meetings discussed above that speech and democratic processes, like those that occur at a local school board meeting, must be respected,” wrote the senators. “It is not appropriate to use the awesome powers of the … [Read more...]

LBC messengers to consider committee’s five resolutions

By Message Staff MONROE, La. (LBM) – The Resolutions Committee has drafted five resolutions that it will present to messengers for consideration as consensus policy statements during the 174th Session of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. The committee’s recommendations will be offered for adoption by vote, 4:30 p.m., Nov. 16, at North Monroe Baptist Church, the host site for the 2021 LBC Annual Meeting. RESOLUTION: ON GRATITUDE FOR DISASTER RELIEF ‘PARTNERS IN THE GOSPEL’ WHEREAS, The Bible declares the church as Christ’s instrument to effect His will on earth (Ephesians 3:10) and that we are created for good works (Ephesians 2:10); and WHEREAS, In the New Testament, one of the ministries of the Church was to bring relief to those experiencing calamity (Acts 11:27-30); and WHEREAS, Disaster Relief is one of the most established and highly visible cooperative ministries among the state conventions of Baptists across the nation, providing emergency aid to churches, pastors and communities without strings attached or government assistance; and WHEREAS, Louisiana has experienced multiple disasters in 2020-2021 (four hurricanes, two named storms, and an ice storm), each with devastating impacts that created long-term … [Read more...]

Local congregation makes global impact with Honduras ministry

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer LA ESPERANZA, Honduras (LBM) –Verona Langford felt humbled and privileged to witness new converts step into the local river for baptism as part of a multi-church worship service in Honduras. One by one, eight individuals came in and out of the water and were greeted with applause and hugs from the 60 Hondurans in attendance for the occasion. Langford, who has taken multiple trips to the country with her husband, Marlyn, said the service that took place in 2017 signifies the fruits of the labor reaped from a multi-church, multi-state partnership that frequently sends teams to share Christ in La Esperanza. “The people were so excited to gather for what was, at the time, a rare thing,” Langford, a member of Woodridge Baptist Church in Shreveport, told the Baptist Message. “You could just see the excitement on the faces of those baptized and the gathered crowd. Another team witnessed 27 new believers baptized this spring. We return year after year there, and this was a blessing to see a visual picture of the harvest from the seeds that have been sown.” Woodridge Baptist, joined by First Baptist Church, Dry Prong, Forest Hill Baptist Church and Sweetwater Baptist Church, Quitman, are … [Read more...]

SBC’s lawyers resign after EC’s vote to waive attorney-client privilege

By Lonnie Wilkey, Baptist and Reflector NASHVILLE — The Nashville law firm of Guenther, Jordan & Price informed the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee Oct. 11 that the firm will no longer represent the SBC entity because the board of directors voted to waive attorney-client privilege (See story). The letter, signed by James P. Guenther and James D. Jordan, was sent to Ronnie Floyd, president and chief executive officer of the Executive Committee. According to the letter, Guenther became the general counsel for the EC in 1966 and “that role devolved to now be filled by the firm of Guenther, Jordan and Price.” The letter noted that the firm has “been privileged to work with some good people who have served Southern Baptists admirably. We have endeavored every day to faithfully serve the Executive Committee and the Convention with integrity, competence, and professionalism consistently throughout these 56 years.” The letter noted, however, that “the Executive Committee’s board of directors, by a majority vote, has acted to prospectively and preemptively waive the Executive Committee’s attorney-client privilege without knowing the communications affected by the waiver and without knowing the effect it … [Read more...]

Georgia Barnette Offering assists Angola graduate to pursue his ministry dream

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – Bobbie Wallace was headed on a path of hopelessness when he was sentenced to a 66-year sentence on two counts of armed robbery, but his Georgia Barnette Offering assists Angola graduate to pursue his ministry dream life was forever changed when he found restoration through Christ inside the walls of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Through the encouragement of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary staff and other Louisiana Baptists, Wallace earned his bachelor’s degree through the seminary classes taught in the prison and became a sold-out follower of Christ. Wallace, who miraculously was released in 2014 after only 20 years at Angola, used the years of biblical knowledge gained inside the prison to become a missionary outside the walls and eventually met Jacob Crawford, director of City Life NOLA. Crawford presented Wallace with the opportunity to offer the hope of Christ to others in the city who were struggling and overlooked. Since 2020, Crawford has helped former Angola inmates like Wallace grow deeper in their faith and participate Jacob Crawford, director of City Life NOLA, joined others in prayer for the lost to discover the hope … [Read more...]