By John Kyle, Louisiana Baptist communications director ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- Ray Swift accepted the invitation of Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn to become the director of pastoral leadership for Louisiana Baptists. Swift, who currently serves as the administrative pastor for the First Baptist Church in Lafayette, will assume his new role on March 1, 2021. “Ray has a broad experience in ministry including serving as a senior pastor and a bi-vocational minister,” said Horn. “I’m certain Ray will be a tremendous asset to Louisiana Baptist pastors.” Swift fills a position vacated by the retirement of the late Bill Robertson in December of 2019. During a specially called meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board Administrative Committee, Horn shared he immediately began the search for Robertson’s successor upon his retirement but when the pandemic hit, he was hesitant to proceed due to travel restrictions and potential budget implications. Horn said although he was not “pressing the gas pedal” in searching for a new director, he also had not been sitting idly by. “As the year progressed and I saw the Lord’s provision through His churches, I felt it was time to move forward in … [Read more...]

By LC News PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - During the past four years, former LC President Joe Aguillard has filed numerous lawsuits against his former employer. On Jan. 11, the U.S. Supreme Court put a stop to his federal claims attack campaign. With its refusal to hear the case, the High Court upheld all the federal judges’ decisions in Louisiana College’s favor. Aguillard made claims of mistreatment and discrimination, including under the Civil Rights Act and Americans with Disabilities Act. None of his claims made it to trial. “These claims and suits were worthless when filed and have been shown to be nothing more than a vengeful attempt to hurt LC,” said LC counsel Steve Oxenhandler of the Gold Weems law firm. Aguillard was fired for cause on March 31, 2016, after a Faculty Committee and the College’s Executive Committee found him guilty of multiple acts of misconduct detrimental to Louisiana College, including attempting to undermine new President Rick Brewer. At that time, he was serving as President Emeritus of LC, a position he assumed in Spring 2015, after being removed as president. During his tenure, the College’s accreditation was put in jeopardy and serious financial pressures ensued from decisions and lawsuits … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) - Louisiana College has completed multiple renovations to H.O. West Fieldhouse, just a few months before the school’s sports program enters a new era. The project, which began in November and was finished in late January at a cost of more than $300,000 through private donations, included a facelift to the lobby restrooms and locker room space shared by the men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer and volleyball programs, and the addition of a digital scorer’s table. Work on the student-athlete lounge is expected to begin in March and be complete by April or May. The last time H.O. West Fieldhouse got a facelift was in 2014, when lower-level bleachers and the floor used for games were replaced. Reni Mason, athletic director and head men’s basketball coach, told the Baptist Messagehe is grateful for the support of so many who helped make the renovations possible. “Finishing this project is very important for recruits and the future of our athletic program,” Mason said. “To move to the next level, we knew we had to do something to give our facilities a facelift. This is another step in that direction.” Last summer, a new football turf field was … [Read more...]

By Staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) -- Louisiana College, recently named a top 30 Christian College by BestValueSchools.org, will celebrate LC Day in churches across the state on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. Steve Horn, executive director for Louisiana Baptists, noted that LC Day is not intended to be a fundraiser, but an opportunity to expose students and parents to the opportunities and value of the State’s only Louisiana Baptist affiliated college. “One of the greatest ways we can assist our college is to make our high school students and their parents more aware of Louisiana College,” Horn said. “We are thankful for what God is doing in and through LC and encourage our Baptist students, and their parents, to give serious consideration to making LC their college of choice.” Horn joins LC President Rick Brewer in the hope LC Day will be an annual event for churches to observe on the fourth Sunday of September moving forward. “The opportunity to engage and inform Louisiana Baptists through an annual ‘LC Day’ provides another way for us to say ‘Thanks’ to the people in our churches,” Brewer noted. “Their support of Christian higher education through prayer, sending students to LC, and continued financial support via the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer SHREVEPORT, La. (LBM) – “We planned ECON with the idea that our pastors and our people needed encouragement,” Keith Manuel, Louisiana Baptists evangelism and church growth team director, told the Baptist Message. “They are fatigued and frustrated. We needed to collectively ‘cast our cares on (God), because he cares for us.’ An estimated crowd of 500 participants attended at least one of the sessions of ECON 2021, which took place Jan. 25-26 at Summer Grove Baptist Church in Shreveport. Another 350 also tuned in online through a live stream of the event. Throughout the two-day conference, pastors heard encouraging music and messages to “press on” during this unprecedented time of challenges for life, work and ministry. SAMMY GILBREATH “We serve the sovereign Lord of the universe. In this room we have the gifts and the talents to change Louisiana. Don’t give up,” was the message from Sammy Gilbreath, evangelism event and training specialist with the Alabama State Board of Missions. He shared his encouragement in the context of his own brush with death in 2004 when his cardiologist told him, “You are going to die and die very quickly.” But surgery corrected his condition and … [Read more...]