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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

William Smith to be nominated as LBC 2VP

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – William Smith, pastor of Lakeshore Baptist Church in Monroe, will be nominated for the office of second vice president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2020 LBC Annual Meeting, Nov. 10, at Louisiana College’s Guinn Auditorium. Neil Everett, pastor of First Baptist Church in Calhoun, plans to nominate Smith for the position. Smith is the only announced candidate for the office. STATEMENT OF SUPPORT Everett said Smith has demonstrated a faithfulness to Christ and the Word of God while serving 43 years as pastor of the Lakeshore congregation. “He loves the church and has personified servant leadership,” Everett told the Baptist Message. “No matter the position, William takes his responsibilities seriously and serves with a humble, Christ-like spirit. It is an honor to nominate Brother William Smith to serve our Convention as second vice president.” BY THE NUMBERS The database of the Annual Church Profile shows that in 2019 Lakeshore Baptist Church contributed $38,237 for cooperative missions and ministries through the Cooperative Program, 8.99 percent of undesignated receipts totaling $425,024 from Sept. 1, 2019-Aug. 31, 2020. The … [Read more...]

Love Life Amendment passes

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – On Tuesday, 62 percent of Louisiana voters said "yes on #1," the ballot measure known as the Love Life Amendment, which now adds language to the state constitution to prevent action that has taken place in 12 other states, In each of those cases, an activist state court discovered an inherent right to abortion not specifically stated in any of the respective constitutions. using creative interpretations of a general phrase such as "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The actual language of the constitutional amendment reads “To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.” The amendment originated with overwhelming votes of approval in the Louisiana House and Senate in 2019. The LBC Executive Board endorsed the measure last year and months later messengers to the Louisiana Baptist Convention adopted a resolution in support of the constitutional change. Months of work by Louisiana Baptist leaders, state legislators, Louisiana Right to Life staff and other pro-life supporters resulted in the strong pro-life statement in the final tally. Will Hall, director of the LBC … [Read more...]

LC honors long relationship with city of Alexandria at annual Founder’s Day ceremonies

By Staff, Baptist Message PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana College honored its long-standing relationship with the city of Alexandria during the annual Founders Day celebration Oct. 29 by unveiling a historical marker in front of the building that bears the community’s name. During a special ceremony, Alexandria Mayor Jeff Hall and Chief of Staff Susan Broussard joined school leaders at Alexandria Hall, a building that houses administrative and staff offices and several academic departments. When it was constructed in 1920, the cities of Alexandria and Pineville jointly contributed $100,000 of the $325,000 needed to complete the project. “I think it’s important for us to always be mindful of the history, as well as people who have come before us,” LC President Rick Brewer said. “And that we stand on the shoulders, in a sense, of those who have come before us, who have paid the price, who have sacrificed.” Hall added that the college’s presence has made central Louisiana a better place to live and work. He referenced a 2018 study by the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (LAICU), which recorded that LC generated more than $35 million in goods and services, $13 million in new household … [Read more...]

David Jeffreys to be nominated as LBC 1VP

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM)— David Jeffreys, associate pastor of the Highland Baptist Church in New Iberia, will be nominated for first vice president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2020 annual meeting. David Denton, pastor of the Highland Baptist Church in New Iberia, will nominate Jeffreys and he sent an endorsing statement to the Baptist Message, Oct. 27, highlighting Jeffreys’s “years of ministry experience” and “wisdom” as well as his “heart for Louisiana Baptists.” The LBC annual meeting schedule has been abbreviated to a single day, Nov. 10, 12:45-5 p.m., in Guinn Auditorium on the campus of Louisiana College in Pineville. STATEMENT OF SUPPORT Denton noted that he has known Jeffreys since high school in Slidell, adding that they were roommates at Louisiana College. “David took his first ministry position as youth pastor while a student at Louisiana College and he has been serving the local church ever since,” Denton said. “I have been privileged to observe David in his role as associate pastor at Highland Baptist Church where we have served together for the last 14 years,” Denton added. “David has led with strong conviction at Highland and has modeled … [Read more...]

FBI awards Hammett with prestigious Director’s Community Leadership Award

By Staff, Baptist Message NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently presented Cassie Hammett, founder of The Hub: urban ministries in Shreveport, with its 2019 Director’s Community Leadership Award. According to an FBI news release, the agency’s New Orleans field office nominated Hammett for her efforts in fighting for victims of sex trafficking in the state of Louisiana. Hammett received the award during a special ceremony Oct. 2 in Shreveport. The FBI recognized Hammett as a “dynamic trailblazer” who has led the Hub to be one of the most valuable resources to the New Orleans division for human trafficking and the Shreveport Resident Agency Child Exploitation Task Force. “Receiving this award means more to me than can be expressed,” Hammett told the Baptist Message. “But for me, the honor lies in serving on the FBI human trafficking task force and getting the opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder with some of the most incredible law enforcement officers and FBI agents who are committed to saving lives on a daily basis. That, in addition to serving victims and showing them the love of Christ, are the true rewards.” This is the second year a Louisiana Baptist has received this … [Read more...]

Zeta is third hurricane, fifth major storm, to strike Louisiana in 2020

By Baptist Message staff NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – Hurricane Zeta made landfall in Louisiana, Wednesday, the fifth major storm to do so in the state this year. Zeta came ashore around 4 p.m. with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, just one mph short of Category 3 status. The storm made landfall in Cocodrie, a fishing village 30 miles south of Houma. More than 456,000 businesses and homes in the state remained in the dark around 2:30 p.m, Thursday. The National Weather Service office in New Orleans reported winds of 112 mph at Bayou Bienvenue, 101 mph at Shell Beach and 100 mph at LaPlace. The storm was responsible for at least one death in the state. New Orleans EMS’ Twitter account reported that emergency crews had responded to a report of an electrocution fatality in the city. In Terrytown, 25 residents of an apartment building were evacuated after part of the building collapsed, WDSU-TV in New Orleans reported. One person was being treated for injuries. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Advocate reported that two riverboats and two barges tied up at a marine salvage yard in Lafitte broke loose on the Barataria Bay. Salvage yard owner Tom Dinh was able to slow the two riverboats enough to pin them to a corner of the Leo Kerner … [Read more...]

NOBTS avoids major damage from Hurricane Zeta

By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS communications NEW ORLEANS, La. (NOBTS) – Hurricane Zeta raced ashore just after 4 p.m. Oct 28 near Cocodrie, with wind speeds of 110 mph. The fast-moving storm quickly reached the New Orleans metro, and by 7:30 p.m., the storm had passed. The eye of the storm passed directly over New Orleans, including the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary campus. No injuries were reported at NOBTS. “Hurricane Zeta was a direct hit to our city and to our campus. We are grateful that we had no injuries on campus, and all of our people are doing well and in good spirits," said Jamie Dew, NOBTS and Leavell College president. “There is a good bit of damage to our campus, but we are still assessing that as we speak.” The storm downed trees throughout the city and left more than more 400,000 without power in the region. The most significant damage on the NOBTS campus happened at the Farnsworth Apartment complex. A portion of the roof blew off as the eyewall passed over the campus. Falling roof debris crushed one car in front of Farnsworth. Tree damage was extensive throughout campus; several cars and campus fences were damaged by falling limbs and trees. Seminary officials are still assessing possible damage … [Read more...]

Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief offers lifelines in Louisiana

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – University of Alaska-Anchorage Mosaic campus ministry director Scott Belmore was glued to his television screen in late August as he watched footage of the devastation caused by Hurricane Laura in his native state. Belmore, who previously served as the director of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette from 2005 to 2013, wanted to do something to aid those impacted by the storm. So he contacted Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief officials to find out how he could help. By late October, Belmore and seven students from Mosaic (an Alaska Baptist Resource Network ministry that is similar to a BCM) packed their bags and traveled to Louisiana to serve as an Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief team. Throughout Oct. 18-25 they removed trees that had fallen on homes and cleared debris that was scattered across properties throughout Rapides Parish. But more importantly, they shared the hope found in Jesus with the 17 homeowners they encountered. Among those blessed by the Mosaic team were Rebekah and Jeremy Buckels, members of Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria, who lost 30 trees to Hurricane Laura and then had two inches of … [Read more...]

Foundation adopts LBF Vision200

By Staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)--The Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees adopted, Oct. 27, a strategic plan, LBF Vison200, to “Advance the Kingdom through the Foundation’s ministry by $200 million over the next twenty years or less.” LBF Executive Director Jeff Steed said the plan will set the trajectory of the Foundation for the next 20 years as it seeks to partner with churches and other ministries to advance the Kingdom “one dollar at a time, one ministry at a time, one life at a time.” He said the $200 million goal over 20 years will be fulfilled through the Foundation’s efforts to facilitate planned gifts (e.g. non-cash gifts, estate gifts, charitable gift annuities, endowments, donor-advised funds and other special gifts beyond cash), and serve churches and other ministries with funds management as well as other services to enhance their impact. Specifically, the Foundation will emphasize activity in four areas: Planned Giving -- provide educational content to churches such as the “Louisiana Legacy” publication, sharing with members about ways they can benefit their church beyond cash -- speak in churches to inform members how to be good stewards with regard to their estates -- develop … [Read more...]