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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Grady Cothen, former president of NOBTS, dies

by David Roach and Marilyn Stewart RIDGELAND, Miss. (BP) -- Grady Cothen -- the former chief executive of a state convention, a Southern Baptist university and two Southern Baptist Convention entities -- died May 19 at The Orchard retirement home in Ridgeland, Miss. He was 96. Among his service to Southern Baptists, Cothen was executive secretary of the Southern Baptist General Convention of California (1961-66), president of Oklahoma Baptist University (1966-70), president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (1970-74) and president of the Baptist Sunday School Board (1974-1984). The California convention has since been renamed the California Southern Baptist Convention, and the Sunday School Board has become LifeWay Christian Resources. LEFT A DEEP MARK "Few Southern Baptist leaders have made so deep a mark in so many different places as did Grady Cothen," New Orleans Seminary President Chuck Kelley said in a news release. "He came to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary when it was in a crisis. He brought stability and a foundation upon which our future was built. We thank God for giving our convention such an excellent leader." When Cothen arrived at New Orleans Seminary, it was experiencing "depleted … [Read more...]

What hope looks like

By Steve Horn Hopelessness is the enemy of faith. We all need hope. When I think about hope I always think about a story about the little boy playing Little League baseball. He is out in the field when his father arrives late for the game. Through the fence his father asks, “What’s the score?” “18-0!” says the little boy, “We’re losing.” Trying to offer comfort his dad says, “I’m sorry, son.” With the hope only a Little Leaguer could have, he answers back, “Don’t worry, Dad, we haven’t even got up to bat yet!” Now that’s hope. Billy Graham once said, “The greatest need in our world today is the need for hope. We thrive on hope, we rejoice in hope, we witness in hope, knowing that experience works hope. ‘Happy is he . . . whose hope is in the Lord his God (Psalm 146:5).’ There is hope for the future. It is centered in the Person of Jesus Christ who died for our sins and rose from the grave and is alive now. I have staked all that I am or ever hope to be on Him.” At yet another occasion, Graham said, “Faith points us beyond our problems to the hope we have in Christ.” When Jesus is our “hope,” we have more than hope as the world defines hope. We have a rock solid guarantee. Steve Horn is pastor of First … [Read more...]