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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

New poll: state overwhelmingly supports life

By Louisiana Right to Life NEW ORLEANS – A new poll has found that 70 percent of Louisiana residents consider themselves to be pro-life, and they do not believe taxpayer funds should be used to provide abortion. A survey of 1,180 likely 2019 General Election voters was commissioned by Louisiana Right to Life and conducted Feb. 10 and 11 by the Remington Research Group. The sampling was across all demographics. Question 1: On the issue of abortion, do you consider yourself to be pro-life or pro-choice? On this question, 70 percent of responders said pro-life, while 30 percent said pro-choice. Question 2: Do you think taxpayer funds should be used to provide abortion services? On this question, 71 percent of responders said no, 18 percent said yes and 11 percent were not sure. In Louisiana being pro-life is a non-partisan issue, as shown by overwhelming support in both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature on pro-life votes. In this poll, 87 percent of Republicans, 58 percent of Democrats, and 65 percent identifying as non-partisan identified as pro-life. Interestingly enough, while 67 percent of responders who identified as liberals said they were pro-choice, just 40 percent of those said taxpayer funds should … [Read more...]

Pursue Christ, pursue contentment

By Steve Horn I read somewhere this week that our society suffers from “inextinguishable discontent.” We are on a perpetual quest for more or better. We want a better job, a better boss, a better wage, or a better retirement plan. We want a better marriage or a better spouse. We want a better car, a better house, and a better wardrobe. Some of us just want a better golf swing. And, we live for “what’s next.” We find ourselves wishing for next weekend, or our next vacation, or our next phase of life. All the while in this quest for better and next, we miss today. We miss now. And we miss contentment. And, we learn from Paul that this is not the life worthy of the call of Christ. Consider the text. In comparison, though, Paul addressed the Philippians that he had learned the “secret to contentment.” Just as is the case with joy, true contentment is found in Christ. Joy and contentment seem to run on parallel tracks. Since Paul used that word, “learned,” we ask the question of the text, “What had he learned? The Connection Between Circumstances and Contentment Here’s the simple lesson: There really is no connection between circumstances and contentment. Look at the phrases of this text: whatever circumstances (v. 11); … [Read more...]

NFL veteran & wife make ultrasound gift to New Orleans

By Tom Strode, Baptist Press NEW ORLEANS (BP) - Southern Baptists celebrated the power of partnership with a veteran National Football League player and his family in dedicating a new ultrasound machine in a New Orleans health center. Benjamin and Kirsten Watson, along with their five children, joined in the dedication of the new addition to the ministry of Baptist Community Health Services (BCHS). The Watsons donated the ultrasound machine in the fall through the Psalm 139 Project, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission's ministry to help place such technology in pregnancy resource centers across the country. The machine serves women in crisis pregnancies as well as others with medical needs at BCHS' Andrew P. Sanchez Center in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. The nonprofit ministry provides health care through four centers in underserved areas of the city. The churches of the New Orleans Baptist Association, with the help of the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board, launched BCHS in 2014. Speakers at the Feb. 10 ceremony at the Sanchez Center pointed to the cooperation demonstrated by the ultrasound machine's placement. "It's been great to see how the Lord has used the passions of the Watson … [Read more...]

Happy Valentine’s Day

By Waylon Bailey Happy Valentine’s Day! When I think of Valentine’s Day, I often think of a number of passages of Scripture, passages which speak of the love of God and the love of a man and a woman. Of all of these passages, my favorite is 1 Corinthians 13. This wasn’t written for a marriage although it fits marriage beautifully. It was written for the church. It was written about how believers relate to one another. Love is patient and is kind; love does not envy. Love does not brag, is not proud, does not behave itself inappropriately, does not seek its own way, is not irritable, does not keep a record of wrongs; does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. The next phrase may be the best of all, “Love never fails.” It doesn’t mean that love is never defeated. Rather, it means that love doesn’t quit. Love can be counted on. It won’t quit, and it won’t give up. The word for love is the Greek word, Agape. Agape is not a feeling; it is an action. It always seeks the absolute best for another person. When we love as God loves, we look for the needs of others. We seek to do to others as we want done to us. We love … [Read more...]

Even a ‘little’ pot changes teen brains

By Message Staff A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has found evidence “suggesting structural brain and cognitive effects” from as few as “one or two instances of cannabis use in adolescence.” The report contextualized the importance of the findings by noting that “almost 35 [percent] of American 10th graders have reported using cannabis” suggesting that a crisis is looming due to the “long term neurocognitive effects” on these youth. The findings are significant as well because of the ready availability of pot in the United States. Ten states plus the District of Columbia have legalized adult recreational marijuana use, and New York and New Jersey are on that path. Also medical marijuana (which spans pot smoking to cannabis edibles and artisan cannabidiol oils) is legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia, including restricted use in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. … [Read more...]

PEW: Active religious people more likely to be ‘very happy’

By Message Staff In a survey of 26 countries, Pew Research Center found that people who regularly attend worship services are more likely to be happy as well as civically engaged than those who are not religiously active. This group also was less likely to smoke or drink, however, Pew did not link this tendency to greater health outcomes. Regarding happiness, religiously active people in 19 countries were more likely to be “very happy” than their fellow countrymen. Pew said “the gaps are striking” in a number of these countries, including an 11 percentage point difference in the United States (36 percent of the actively religious described themselves as “very happy,” compared with 25 percent of the inactively religious and 25 percent of the unaffiliated). Pew said their findings were “consistent with prior studies,” adding that actively religious people in the United States are more likely to “vote in national elections” and are “more engaged in community life in the sense that they belong to at least one nonreligious organization.” As for physical health, Pew nuanced that its findings “are more complicated.” Religiously active people are less likely to use alcohol or tobacco, but “they aren’t significantly … [Read more...]

Georgia Barnette Offering down, church planting to stay up

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Louisiana Baptists remain committed to planting 300 churches by 2020, despite recent news that the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering, which helps fund new churches in the state, fell $291,000 short of the $1.7 million goal set for 2018. The $1,409,000 in GBO gifts will provide money for church planting, but also for disaster relief, resort ministries, Mission Church Builders’ projects, training conferences and leadership training/missions education events, as well as partially fund the missions and ministry team budget. John Hebert, state missions and ministry director for Louisiana Baptists, said there some resources in place to handle the shortfall and continue the planned church planting pace. “We will have to be cautious with the way we spend our money this year,” Hebert said. “Our state executive board, missions committee of the executive board and the state missions offering committee will make sure we can tap into reserve funds if necessary. They won’t let our church planting efforts suffer because they understand the importance of them in reaching our state for Christ.” The other ministries funded by the offering will not be impacted. Hebert … [Read more...]

Four former Louisiana Baptists named in sexual abuse database

By Message Staff HOUSTON, Texas (LBM) – Four men who previously served as Louisiana Baptist pastors, youth ministers and volunteers are listed in a database of  Southern Baptist individuals who were convicted of or pled guilty to sexual abuse crimes, published Feb. 10 in a Houston Chronicle  investigative article. The news report identified about 380 sexual abusers and 700 victims in SBC congregations nationwide from 1998 — 2017. The former Louisiana Baptists listed in the Houston Chronicle database are: Holland Farrell McMorris, former pastor of Paradise Baptist Church, Ball. He was convicted in 2010 in a Rapides Parish court and is serving a 25-year sentence in a Louisiana state prison for sex crimes. Angelo “Doogie” Golatt, former youth volunteer at Donahue Family Church, Pineville (which later became Journey Church). He was arrested in 2006 in Jerome County, Idaho, where he was charged with two counts of sexual abuse/exploitation of a vulnerable adult, and later pleaded guilty to a reduced battery charge, and was sentenced to four counts of forcible rape in 2012 in a Rapides Parish court. He is serving a 40-year sentence in Louisiana. James Robert Griffin, former volunteer associate pastor at Immanuel … [Read more...]

New believers abound at New Prospect

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer DRY PRONG – Jackson Cooper was devastated after his mother, Laura, died in an automobile crash last October. However, instead of dwelling in grief and anger about the sudden loss, Cooper, 32, went on a spiritual journey that led him to find hope in Christ. TRUST IN HIM “Even though my mom and I were very close, her death didn’t make me angry at God or anyone else, but just got me to thinking about God’s plan for my life,” Cooper said. “When the pastor at New Prospect Baptist Church asked me, during a visit to our home, if I was a Christian, I told him I had my doubts. “Once I understood that I needed to move from knowing Him in my head to accepting Him in my heart, my life was reborn.” LED BY HIM Cooper asked his wife, children, sisters and father to witness his November baptism at his childhood church. Since then, Cooper’s faith has grown to new heights as he daily testifies how Christ forever changed his life. “It felt great to show my faith and show that I do believe in Christ,” Cooper said. “I’ve learned to embrace the Lord more often and keep Him close to me. Also, I’ve learned to let God handle everyday problems. My stress and everyday life have improved and I … [Read more...]

ECON 2019: Student night a spiritual appeal

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COVINGTON – Dozens came forward to pray at the altar during the final moments Student Night at the Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference, Jan. 28. “Could we somehow tune our ear tonight to God wanting to do something significant in the state of Louisiana, all across this state from every border, every edge, that God would usher in an awakening, that the bells of heaven would ring because men and women and young people in this room would say yes to the call of making Jesus famous,” Ed Newton told the crowd moments earlier inside the worship center at the First Baptist Church, Covington. Newton, pastor of Community Bible Church, San Antonio, Texas, issued a challenge for Christ-followers to help others see their need for Jesus. Citing Luke 19:1-10, he used the example of Zacchaeus sitting in a tree as an allegory of how Christians can help others come to Christ. “God’s called us to be sycamore trees, that we would be able through the platform of our lives be that branch for that person who may feel as if they are insignificant enough that Jesus would never see them,” he said. “Could we be that step for somebody to all of a sudden look up and see Jesus?” Newton said bringing … [Read more...]