Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/04/2013 - 11:34 By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA – In a recent conversation, a prospective donor asked what happens to the donations given to the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. The answer was a bit of a surprise: “Whatever you tell us to do with it.” The Foundation exists to help people make gifts in support of their church or other Baptist entities and ministries in the state and around the world.  That answer is a bit cold and sterile, so let’s put it another way: The Louisiana Baptist Foundation helps people give to whatever is tugging on their heart-strings.   Heart-String Giving!   If you come by the Foundation office you won’t see young students receiving a Christian education, nor will you find children from difficult circumstances being cared for or families being counseled. You won’t see people traveling to far reaches of the world to share the Gospel and you won’t see churches under construction or renovation. You won’t physically see these things taking place in our office and yet the LBF has been involved in assisting Baptists (and a few from other denominations) in supporting these ministries and many more.  Here are some examples of how … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications As the end of another calendar year approaches you may find yourself with a desire to give to a specific ministry or perhaps the need for a tax deduction. Consider these ideas which accomplish both supporting a Gospel-based ministry and reducing your income tax liability.   Gift of Your Property Do you have CDs, stocks or bonds that are producing little or no return? Why not make a gift of these low-performing assets to benefit your church, and receive a charitable deduction? You can also give your real estate, art or other property. Please call us to learn the amount of taxes you might be able to save for a gift of these and other assets.   Gift of Your Property for Income If you are looking for income in the future, why not make a gift of your property to fund a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust? Your property can be sold tax-free, and you may receive income for the rest of your life. With a charitable gift annuity, this income is fixed so there is the possibility that some of your payment will be tax-free.   Future Property Gift The benefit of charitable giving is that there are gifts everyone can make. If you don’t want to give your stock or real … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/04/2013 - 11:39 Paul Daily of Wild Horse Ministries in Trout, works in the ring with an untamed horse during a demonstration. Daily, who is a part of this year’s annual CrossOver, uses training sessions to illustrate the gospel and man’s fallen condition and redemption. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer CENTRAL LOUISIANA – Horses, popcorn and bikes are being used to reach thousands of people with the gospel this week in Grant and Rapides parishes. The evangelistic effort known as CrossOver, which precedes the Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting that starts Monday at the Alexandria Riverfront Center, is incorporating a variety of events such as an extreme bicycle team, block parties and taming of a wild horse presentation. Robert Daniel, director of missions for Big Creek, Central Louisiana and North Rapides associations, said planning for CrossOver began in April. Since then, the steering committee has handled much of the logistics, including enlisting volunteers from among the 95 Louisiana Baptist churches that are members of the three associations where Daniel is director of missions. “First and foremost, CrossOver’s reason for existing is to provide an experience and … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/18/2013 - 10:14 Outgoing LBC President Waylon Bailey stresses a point while giving his president’s report Monday evening at the LBC Annual Meeting. Bailey challenged Louisiana Baptists to engage future generations and reverse a trend of declining baptisms among the younger generation, especially children. By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor ALEXANDRIA – Louisiana Baptists, the opportunity to seize the moment is now. That was the challenge issued by Louisiana Baptist Convention President Waylon Bailey as he gave his report to messengers at the 166th annual meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Nov. 11-12 in Alexandria. “Our audience, avenues and actions must change to engage the lostness in this state,” Bailey said. “Let me tell you why. Of my mother’s generation, 65 percent said they were followers of Jesus Christ. In my grandchildren’s generation only 15 percent profess faith in Jesus. This is very disturbing to me as it should be to you all. “Certainly, we could try and reach people who look like us,” he continued, “but the Bible commands us to reach all men. That is why this commission’s work was so very important.” Last year in West Monroe, Bailey, with the approval of the … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/18/2013 - 10:20 John Kyle, LBC director of communications, unveiled the Highway & Hedges media campaign Sunday evening at the Pastors Conference. Southwest Louisiana has been selected as the first pilot market with a soft launch date in the first quarter of 2014. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Throughout the first few months of 2014, a massive media campaign will spread the word to soccer moms and others in Southwest Louisiana about the opportunity to say yes to a relationship with Christ. And in the ensuing months and years that follow, Louisiana Baptist leaders hope the campaign will reach other areas of the state with that same message. Announced during the Pastors Conference and Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting last week, Operation Highways and Hedges is a multiplatform, multiyear media strategy designed to work its way across the state over the next three-and-a-half years. “Jesus directs us to go in the highways and the hedges,” according to John Kyle, LBC director of communications. “What does this looks like in the 21st century? How are we going to get inside the smart TV’s, smartphones and tablets people use on regular basis in order to … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/18/2013 - 10:23 Messengers Lewis Richerson and Jay Adkins both make motions during the LBC Annual Meeting seeking to remove the ability of the state executive director to vote on convention boards. Their motions were referred to the Executive Committee. Richerson serves as pastor of Woodlawn Baptist Church in Baton Rouge while Adkins is pastor of First Baptist Church Westwego. By Staff, Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA – During the Monday evening and Tuesday morning business sessions of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, two motions seeking to remove the ability of the state executive director to vote on convention boards were referred to the LBC Executive Board for further study. Jay Adkins, pastor of First Baptist Church of Westwego, presented a motion on Monday evening, asking messengers to clarify that the Louisiana Baptist Convention executive director is not a voting member of the four boards of the LBC. The only entity Adkins specifically mentioned in his motion was Louisiana College. In the written motion Adkins submitted, he requested the LC board of trustees amend their articles of incorporation to comply with the LBC’s bylaws by removing “and the executive director” … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/18/2013 - 10:25 Real Encounter Outreach from Springfield, Mo., showcased its motorcycle and BMX skills while delivering motivational speeches at 12 area school assemblies. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – An exhibition by an extreme bicycle team and a block party yielded more than 200 decisions for Christ and making future contacts for churches during the recent CrossOver evangelistic effort. Preceding the Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, CrossOver incorporated the events in Grant and Rapides parishes from Nov. 3 to 7. Mirrored after the national event that takes place before the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, this was the eighth CrossOver to occur prior to the LBC Annual Meeting. A steering committee began planning in April and enlisted volunteers from among the 95 Louisiana Baptist churches that are members of Big Creek, Central Louisiana and North Rapides associations. The first event held during CrossOver was a block party at Legacy Heights apartment complex in Alexandria on Nov. 3. Two churches near the apartment complex – Family of Grace and New Christian Life Fellowship – used inflatables, food and the LBC evangelism team’s block … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/18/2013 - 10:27 SBC President Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church New Orleans, told a large crowd that pastors, like soldiers, must go through boot camp (church, Bible Study, and fellowship with other believers) to become a solider in God’s army By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Just like the US military, God’s army needs good soldiers for battle. But when called upon at a moment’s notice, Christian soldiers must adequately be prepared for warfare, Fred Luter said. “Paul encourages Timothy to be loyal, to be faithful, but most of all be strong in the Lord because of all the opposition he will face as a follower of Jesus Christ,” Luter said during the recent Louisiana Baptist Pastors Conference. “Paul compares the life of a Christian to the life of a soldier. But what does a Christian soldier look like?” Citing 2 Timothy 2:1-4, Luter said a Christian soldier is ready when deployed, avoids distractions and is dedicated to his commander. Just as a soldier must go to boot camp before fighting, a soldier in God’s army must go through boot camp, which is church, Bible study and fellowship with other believers. That will equip believers to fight warfare … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Baptist Message Editor In a day when people concoct almost any excuse for failing to keep a commitment, and would rather give up than give all, someone like Larry Swilling stands out. Swilling, 78, spent almost a year walking hundreds of miles around South Carolina with a sandwich board sign that read, “Need Kidney 4 Wife,” according to news reports. His efforts finally paid off when a donor came forward. Swilling’s wife of 55 years, Jimmie Sue, was born with only one kidney and it began failing last year. When tests showed Swilling and his three children all had the wrong blood type to be donors, Swilling hit the streets. Jimmie Sue, 76 and on a transplant list, could have waited years for the right organ to come along. He husband was not willing to play the waiting game. He did what he could; he hit the streets with his sign. Swilling walked the main thoroughfares in and around his hometown of Anderson, S.C., toting his sign with one thought in mind, “We’re just hoping every day, every minute, we get the call to head to Charleston for a transplant.” In heat, in cold, in rain, Swilling walked with the sign that stated his very specific need along with his phone number. As media coverage drew attention to his … [Read more...]

By Wayne Jenkins, LBC Director of Evangelism and Church Growth It was 1969 and I had just bought my first new car. My old car was a beat-up, 1953 Mercury.  I bought the Mercury for $35 running and sold it for $50 not running. To say the least, I was extremely proud of my new car -- a Toyota that cost less than $2000. I babied it, washed it weekly and took great care of it. One afternoon I was in my car in front of Louisiana College waiting for the light to change. I was glancing at leads given to me by the insurance company where I was working. Suddenly, I heard the horrible crunch of sheet metal and I was jolted forward in my seat. I had rolled into the back of a school bus. The wreck caused the hood of my new car to bend, angling awkwardly toward the ground. The bus had no damage. I became physically ill over the situation. Recently I had another jolt, but one with eternal consequences. While studying the 2012 Baptism Statistics, I realized we had been slowly, yet consistently, creeping down in our children’s baptisms. I discovered out of the 14,633 churches reporting in Louisiana, 778 did not baptize one child during the entire year.  In addition, 905 churches did not baptize one youth. These two stats accounted for our … [Read more...]