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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

LCU launches Scholars Academy for stand-out high schoolers

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Louisiana Christian University has launched the Louisiana Christian Scholars Academy this fall for high school students looking for a jump-start on their college studies. Those enrolled in the program will have the opportunity to earn 60 hours of college credit, the equivalent of an associate of arts degree in general studies. Additionally, students may attend in-person or remote classes at a cost of $2,500 per semester (for 15 hours of credit, including textbooks). Outside the classroom, Scholars Academy students will have the opportunity to attend campus activities, athletics, chapel sessions, Baptist Collegiate Ministry gatherings and cultural events. They also will have access to the Louisiana Athletic Club. “Parents seeking a Christ-centered education for their high school student need to look no further than Louisiana Christian University and our Scholars Academy,” LCU President Rick Brewer said. “In the midst of a decaying culture, LCSA offers an alternative that promotes God and Country while equipping students with the requisite ‘tools’ needed to approach the world with a Christocentric mindset.” For more information, visit the Scholars Academy website. … [Read more...]

NAMB hires pro-gay D.C. law firm for Mississippi trial

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor AMORY, Miss. -- Court records show the North American Mission Board has added the law firm of WilmerHale of Washington, D.C., to represent it in the lawsuit, McRaney v. NAMB, which alleges the SBC entity illegally interfered in Will McRaney’s employment as executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware as well as other potential work opportunities. NAMB has already retained ButlerSnow, a law firm of 390 attorneys, that “emerged from being primarily a regional firm to one with national scope,” according to butlersnow. com. The company is based in Mississippi where the lawsuit was filed, and they continue to represent NAMB. U.S. News & World Report lists WilmerHale as “a leading, full-service international law firm with 1,077 lawyers located throughout 13 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia.” Additionally, WilmerHale “clinches the title of most-liberal among the nation’s largest law firms,” according to law360.com (citing a Stanford study). Meanwhile, WilmerHale boasts on its website: “WilmerHale Again Receives 100 Percent Rating on LGBTQ Equality”; “WilmerHale Named Among the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality”; and “WilmerHale Becomes … [Read more...]

SBC EC releases CP trend report

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The financial office of the SBC Executive Committee released its monthly report for February, and the year-to-date numbers showed Cooperative Program gifts had declined year-to-year for the first five months of the 2022-2023 budget cycle (Oct. 1-Feb 28). Donations were down $7,885,949.66, or 8.77 percent off, compared to 2022. COOPERATIVE PROGRAM $81,993,237.22 (YTD, FY 2023) $89,879,186.88 (YTD, FY 2022) Gifts through the Cooperative Program were 2.35 percent above what was budgeted for 2022-2023, according to Baptist Press. However, there is a two-year lag in the SBC budgeting process, meaning the 2022-2023 budget was based on 2020-2021 Cooperative Program receipts, which were negatively impacted by the global pandemic and substantially less than donations in 2021-2022. So, 2022-2023 gifts are above what was planned based on 2020-2021 numbers, but down from the amount received during 2021-2022. Designated giving for the first five months of the fiscal year also experienced a year-to-year decrease, falling 3.61 percent, or $3,410,637.33 from the 2021-2022 budget cycle, with both the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Annie Armstrong Easter … [Read more...]

‘Value of a soul’ ignites Gilbert revival, awakening

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor GILBERT, La. (LBM)— It is not often that a revival begins with evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit already in sight. But the annual Bill Britt four-day event with the First Baptist Church in Gilbert began with 19 baptisms, reflecting transformed hearts before the first word was preached. Pastor Bubba Ezell told the Baptist Message that lives began to be changed after the congregation committed to showing greater respect for the value of one soul. He said he returned from the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference in January and told his congregation, “I would sell this building for one soul. I would give it all up for a soul.” He said it was the challenge of “How far are we willing to go?” that created a spark in the church. Ezell emphasized this point by sharing about a particular example within their Amazing Grace addiction recovery ministry, which has about 30 members. “I started asking them to witness to one person a week, and to write it down,” he explained. “Three of our guys led people to Christ.” Other things began happening and before long, he said, “We started getting our hearts right with God about the value of a soul.” “The Holy Spirit is … [Read more...]

IMB: 1,200 missionary candidates in pipeline

By Will Hall, Baptist Baptist Message executive editor RICHMOND, Va. -- The SBC International Mission Board reported that its pipeline for missionary candidates has 1,200 trainees. This is a significant milestone for Southern Baptists, as the number of missionary candidates in 2019 was 300, according to the IMB press release. The goal is to always have more than 1,500 applicants in the pipeline. [This is the number of candidates in line prior to the 2016 drawdown (which focused on eliminating 50-year-old missionaries with five years of field experience) under former IMB President David Platt.] The announcement comes as IMB has suffered an ongoing decline in overseas missionaries for more than two decades, with a significant slide since 2010. IMB reported having 3,527 deployed missionaries (including 126 unpaid "team associates") on February 28, the lowest number of missionaries on the field since 1983 (3,386), counting only paid personnel (3,401) , or 1984 (3,432) if the 126 “team associates” are counted. In 1985, there were 3,597 missionaries on the field. Southern Baptists have given generously to abate the shrinking missionary force, donating record amounts to the last three completed Lottie Moon Christmas … [Read more...]

James to nominate Barber for second term as SBC president

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor LAKE CHARLES, La. – Steve James, pastor of the Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana, announced Feb. 13 his intention to nominate Bart Barber, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Farmersville, Texas, for a second term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans this June. James and Barber served together on the board of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. According to information supplied to the Annual Church Profile, FBC Farmersville reported 14 baptisms in 2022 and averaged 320 in weekly worship. The church collected $1,014,990 total undesignated receipts, with $108,276 given through the Cooperative Program. The church also gave $64,713 to the 2022 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering as well as $630 to the 2022 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Barber is a graduate of Baylor University and has both an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Southwestern. He and his wife, Tracy, have two teenage children. Based on reporting by Baptist Press. … [Read more...]

Dedicated FBC Longville serves in the storm

By Britney Glaser, Special to the Baptist Message LONGVILLE, La. (LBM) - August 27, 2020, will forever be a milestone in the life of the First Baptist Church in Longville, Louisiana. In the early morning hours, Hurricane Laura – a category 4 storm with 150 mph winds – struck, tearing off the worship center roof, and damaging sur rounding buildings. The 50 people who had taken refuge in the church found themselves moving from room to room as the roof began to pull free. Then, with the rising of the sun a few hours later, a new reality dawned. “I knew we needed to get started with something,” Pastor Corey Townsley told the Baptist Message. “We didn’t sleep the night before, but it wasn’t like we could get any rest that day with no power. The destruction was overwhelming. We knew we had to start working and serving. Some got to work at the church grounds, others went out to clear roads and people’s homes.” Dedication and service is not new to FBC Longville, a congregation that dates to 1907. The church has a longtime Helping Hands ministry that assists members as well as the surrounding community. Several congregants have trained and served with the Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief. “Immediately after the … [Read more...]

Luter to nominate Adkins for SBC first vice president

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NEW ORLEANS – Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist in New Orleans East, Louisiana, and a former Southern Baptist Convention president, announced Feb. 14 that he intends to nominate fellow Louisiana pastor Jay Adkins for the office of first vice president during the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting this June. Adkins is pastor with the First Baptist Church, Westwego, which he has led since 2002. He and Luter serve together in the New Orleans Baptist Association. According to information supplied to the Annual Church Profile, FBC Westwego reported seven baptisms in 2022 and averaged 85 in weekly worship. The church collected $125,970 in total undesignated receipts, with $250 given through the Cooperative Program. However, the SBC Executive Committee Finance Office reported FBCW sent $10,572.59 directly to the SBC EC toward the Cooperative Program Allocation Budget during fiscal year 2021-2022. The church did not report contributions to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering or the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering in the ACP report. However, the congregation listed $7,382 contributed to NOBA and total missions expenditures of $11,813. Adkins is a graduate of Leavell College and has … [Read more...]

Letlow’s Parents Bill of Rights Passes the House

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On a 213-208 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act by Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05). “As a mom of two and a former educator, I believe for children to succeed, they need families and schools to work together as partners throughout the learning process,” Letlow said. “After spending nearly a year and a half working to pass this bill, I’m grateful that we’re finally able to advance this critical legislation.” The Parents Bill of Rights is built on five, common-sense principles. Parents have the right to know what their children are being taught. Parents have the right to be heard. Parents have the right to see the school budget and spending. Parents have the right to protect their child’s privacy. Parents have the right to keep their children safe. The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate where it will await further action. Here is a transcript of her remarks. Mister Speaker, I rise today to join my voice with millions of American parents as the House considers H.R. 5 – the Parents Bill of Rights Act. H.R. 5 is about one simple and fundamental principle – parents should always have a seat at the table when it comes to their … [Read more...]

Dr. Maggie Martin Marketplace Leadership Summit to be held April 13

By Lexi Rachal, Wildcats Media PINEVILLE, La. (Wildcats Media) – Registration for the inaugural Dr. Maggie Martin Marketplace Leadership Summit is underway. The April 13 event will take place at 11:30 a.m. inside Granberry Conference Center and will feature keynote speaker Annie Beiler, founder of Auntie Anne’s founder of the international pretzel franchise. Beiler will share her story of faith—being raised in a traditional Mennonite community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania—and despair following the death of her daughter. Out of this pain was born a purpose, and she now travels and speaks to audiences around the country on leadership, purpose and the power of confession. Martin’s daughter, Natalie, and husband Darryl Monroe announced the launch of the Dr. Maggie Martin Marketplace Leadership Summit, an annual event for business and industry leaders in Central Louisiana who live out faith in their work. They are legacy sponsors for the event. Individual tickets are $25, and sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information or to register visit the LCU Dr. Maggie Martin Marketplace Leadership Summit web page. … [Read more...]