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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Horn challenges, encourages messengers to take ‘The Pledge’ for God’s great work in Louisiana

By Philip Timothy, Message Managing Editor BOSSIER CITY – Is this the best Louisiana Baptists can do? THE PLEDGE Louisiana Baptist Convention President Steve Horn believes not and is asking every church in the state to take ‘The Pledge’ – a pastor-driven initiative designed to increase Cooperative Program giving in the coming months. ‘The Pledge’ is a plan challenging churches giving less than 3 percent to the CP to move to 5 percent; churches giving between 3 and 8 percent are encouraged to increase by 2 percent; and churches giving between 8 and 9.9 percent to go to 10 percent. Churches already giving 10 percent of their undesignated receipts through the Cooperative Program will be thanked and encouraged to consider a 1 percent increase or simply reaffirm a commitment to their current level of giving. In his report to the convention, he informed messengers Nov. 9 at First Baptist Church in Bossier City, on the progress the initiative, unveiled May 5, has made so far and challenged those who had not taken ‘The Pledge’ to do so now. “Just across the river from where we are tonight was a pastor named M. E. Dodd, well-known as the architect of the Cooperative Program,” said Horn. “At the 1919 SBC, an SBC … [Read more...]

At Revival Life Church, it’s out with the old, in with the new

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HOUMA – Dexter Gaspard isn’t your typical pastor. Wearing gages in his ears and covered with tattoos, Gaspard can be found from time to time riding a skateboard with the teenagers, playing a bass guitar or talking about the eggs that are laid from chickens he raises in his backyard. But every Sunday, Wednesday and pretty much the rest of the week, Gaspard is busy ministering to a homeless man, preaching a message from inside Revival Life Church’s worship center or sharing the gospel with residents of a halfway house, many who live a life of drug use and alcohol that were once common for him. He’s quick to point out this past life is something he now uses to relate to the people he’s trying to reach. “A lot of them tell me later on when they’re clean that I understand where they are coming from,” said Gaspard, pastor of the south Louisiana church. “They tell me that helped them open up to share problems. They know I won’t give them a textbook answer; mine is from experience. “Growing up I knew there was a God,” he continued. “I was just mad at Him. I thought I was dealt a bad hand in life. After I got saved, I realized all that was prepping me to become a minister. Now, … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

ON THE MOVE Brent Shoalmire is new as pastor from laity at Oak Hill Baptist Church, Plain Dealing. David Savage has resigned as pastor at New Ebenezer Baptist Church, Castor. Nancy Huey is the new children’s minister at First Baptist Church, Calhoun. Johnny (wife Penny) Miller is the new pastor at Downsville Baptist Church. Marcelle Ronquille is the new pastor at Bosco Baptist Church, Monroe. Craig West resigned as pastor at First Baptist Church, Monroe. Daryl Purpera is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Central. IN REMEMBERANCE A.L. Palmer of Ponchatoula passed away Oct. 28 at the age of 93 following a brief illness. Memorial services were held on Oct. 31 at the First Baptist Church of Ponchatoula. He served as a “Seabee” in the United States Navy during World War II. After the war he was a welder before entering the ministry. From 1986 into 1988, he served as pastor of First Baptist Church of Opelousas. In March of 1988, Palmer, a native of Perrysville, Ohio, retired from full-time ministry and relocated to the Hammond/Ponchatoula area. He then began a very active and fruitful 27 year period of ministry as an interim pastor, supply preacher and mentor to younger pastors.  He preached in over 100 … [Read more...]

Floyd: For God to move prayer must be at forefront

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY – With a decrease in baptisms across the Southern Baptist Convention and the reality of the International Mission Board cutting back its missionary force, SBC President Ronnie Floyd believes he knows what the No. 1 need is for Louisiana. “We need the power of God upon our churches and upon our ministries,” said Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas. “We have too many pastors and churches that are contented to go forward, doing ministry without the power of God.” Speaking to messengers during the final session of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at First Baptist Church in Bossier City, Floyd said he is convinced Southern Baptists are moving away from the mission of God. “When we move away from the mission of God, you also move away from the power of God,” he said. “And when you move away from the power of God, you don’t have a heart to move toward the mission of God.” For God to move, Floyd said, prayer must be at the forefront. Preaching from Acts, Floyd recounted how the disciples gathered in the upper room soon after Jesus’ resurrection and called out to God, as one body. Then, God answered their prayers. Just like the … [Read more...]

No. 1 need in Louisiana is power of God, Floyd says during LBC Annual Meeting

  By Message Staff BOSSIER CITY – With a decrease in baptisms across the Southern Baptist Convention and the reality that the International Mission Board is cutting back its missionary force, SBC President Ronnie Floyd believes he knows what the No. 1 need is for Louisiana. “We need the power of God upon our churches and upon our ministries,” said Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas. “We have too many pastors and churches that are contented to go forward, doing ministry without the power of God.” Speaking to messengers during the final session of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at First Baptist Church in Bossier City on Nov. 10, Floyd said he is convinced Southern Baptists are drifting away and moving away from the mission of God. “When we move away from the mission of god, you also move away from the power of God,” he said. “And when you move away from the power of God, you don't have a heart to move toward the mission of God.” Floyd's urgent words closed the final day of the LBC Annual Meeting, which featured a Bible study, reports from state entities, a message by Kirk Jones of Fellowship Church in Prairieville, election of next year's officers and high-energy music. A … [Read more...]

Supreme Court decides to hear GuideStone appeal in contraceptive case

By Roy Hauhurst, GuideStone Financial Resources DALLAS — The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 6 agreed to hear appeals by several ministries, including GuideStone, to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate that would require certain ministries served by GuideStone to provide abortion-causing drugs and devices or face crippling penalties. The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the appeal means that ministries continue to be protected from sanctions until at least June 2016, when a final ruling is rendered. The announcement is welcomed news, said GuideStone General Counsel Harold R. Loftin Jr. “We are grateful that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear our appeal,” Loftin said. “We trust the Court will provide a fair hearing of our arguments early in 2016 and look forward to the resolution of the case.” The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case was expected by legal observers after the St. Louis-based Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in September in favor of a group of ministries seeking relief from the mandate. The Eighth Circuit’s decision broke with decisions by most other circuit courts, including a three-judge panel of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled against GuideStone in its … [Read more...]

The Pledge among various reports during first day of LBC Annual Meeting

By Message Staff BOSSIER CITY – The biblical character Nehemiah can tell believers a lot about victory. Burdened that the walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and burned with fire, restoring them despite obstacles he faced along the way became his life mission. And those same problems Israel encountered help Louisiana Baptists see what will keep them from fulfilling the Pledge – a pastor-driven initiative designed to increase Cooperative Program giving – Louisiana Baptist Convention Steve Horn told messengers during the opening night of the LBC Annual Meeting. “As Nehemiah, we have a great work for a great God,” said Horn, pastor of First Baptist Church Lafayette. “When there is a great God and great work, there will usually be great obstacles.” In Nehemiah’s story, Horn said there are five obstacles that will keep Louisiana Baptists from obtaining victory. They are disobedience, disunity, discouragement, personal distractions and doubt. At the end of Horn’s message, messengers had the opportunity to come forward and lay down on the altar decision cards they filled out regarding the Pledge. In addition to a report on the Pledge, the first session of the LBC Annual Meeting included reports from Louisiana … [Read more...]

Pursue personal holiness was message of opening session of Pastors Conference

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY – Brad Jurkovich believes if they are not careful, that pastors can develop a dull heart. When that happens, pastors should do like King David – come to the point where they realize they need God more than anything again. “When our desire is more of everything else but God, then that is when our heart becomes dull for the Lord rather than on fire,” said Jurkovich, pastor of First Baptist Church in Bossier City. “And Pastor, when your heart is dull for God then there will be a lack of passion to live the holy life He is calling you to live.” Preaching from Psalm 51:1-13, Jurkovich told those attending the 2015 Louisiana Baptist Convention Pastors Conference that King David was a man passionate in his praise and worship of God. The author of many of the Psalms in the Bible, David committed a sin with another man’s wife and thus suffered consequences. Much like David did, pastors who are suffering a lack of passion for God should get to the point that they need the Lord. “When you desire God more and more then you will have a heart that hungers for God then His high call of holiness will be a very real passion of yours,” he continued. “In your heart, do you desire … [Read more...]

Conservative columnist accuses SBC leader of seeking liberals’ approval

  By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA  – Conservative political and cultural commentator Ann Coulter has accused Russell Moore, head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy arm of being “desperate for liberal approval” after publication of his editorial in the New York Times which took aim at evangelicals who support billionaire presidential candidate Donald Trump. Moore, president of the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee, which, broadly speaking, is tasked with representing Southern Baptists’ views in the public square, published an opinion piece in which he alluded to Trump as “a cartoonish TV character.” “Donald J. Trump stands astride the polls in the Republican presidential race, beating all comers in virtually every demographic of the primary electorate,” Moore wrote. “Most illogical is his support from evangelicals and other social conservatives. “To back Mr. Trump, these voters must repudiate everything they believe,” he said. Listing Trump’s known moral failings, Moore was incredulous that “some self-identified evangelicals are telling pollsters they’re for Trump. Worse, some social conservative leaders are praising Mr. Trump for ‘telling it like it is.’” “In the 1990s, … [Read more...]

Louisiana Right to Life responds to state decision to appeal order to keep Medicaid money flowing to Planned Parenthood

By Sandy Cunningham, Louisiana Right to Life In late October, U.S. District Court Judge John deGravelle ordered the state to continue using taxpayer dollars to fund Planned Parenthood. On Nov. 4, the state Department of Health and Hospitals appealed that decision to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Gov. Bobby Jindal announced the appeal, saying the state has the authority to determine which organizations are qualified Medicaid providers, and for multiple reasons "Planned Parenthood is not qualified to do business in our state." Jindal said the state will continue to fight to terminate Planned Parenthood's contracts with Louisiana. In response to the state's decision to appeal the ruling, Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Benjamin Clapper issued the following statement: "We appreciate Gov. Jindal and his administration for their continued efforts to ensure that Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business with a history of selling the body parts of aborted babies, does not receive anymore taxpayer money in Louisiana. "As we have shown, there are Medicaid-eligible alternative provider in place in New Orleans and Baton Rouge to provide the services that Planned Parenthood … [Read more...]