By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board voted unanimously May 7 to pass a resolution to “support the ‘Love Life’ state constitution amendment that stipulates there is no provision in the Louisiana Constitution that establishes a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion.” The 86 members of the Executive Board act “ad interim” for the Convention when messengers are not assembled to conduct business as a Convention. Two lawmakers are leading the statehouse effort to pass H.B.425 in their respective chambers: Rep. Katrina Jackson (DMonroe) and Sen. Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton). Mizell is a member of the First Baptist Church in Franklinton. They have explained that the amendment does not conflict with rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, nor does it change any legal precedent or regulation now in place in the state. Instead, they have testified that it ensures no state judge can interpret a protection for abortion in the Louisiana Constitution that is not explicitly stated. The actual language they proposed adding to the Constitution reads “To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor BATON ROUGE (LBM) – Sen. Beth Mizell, a member of the First Baptist Church in Franklinton, helped to defeat ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, offering a passionate argument “as a woman, as a mother, as a grandmother” from the state Senate floor for why she was voting “no” on a bill calling for amending the U.S. Constitution. THE BACKGROUND In 1972 the U.S. Congress sent the ERA to the states for ratification, needing 38 legislatures to pass the measure “within seven years of its submission by the Congress,” but subsequently extending the deadline to June 1982. The initiative fell three states short during the original timeframe, and then during the three-year extension the Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota and Tennessee legislatures rescinded their previous ratifications. Since then the legislatures of Nevada (2017) and Illinois (2018) ratified the ERA, reviving legal discussions about whether the five rescinding actions meant the effort was actually even further short of the needed 38 states, and even if the expiration of the original deadline meant the state count started over from zero. Moreover, groups have expanded the original statement in the ERA, “Equality of rights … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MANDEVILLE – Although it had been 16 years since he had visited any church, David Cooley’s curiosity about the Gospel was piqued the moment in early January that he stepped inside the First Baptist Church of Mandeville. A mere month later, he expressed his newfound hope in Christ after hearing the Gospel shared: by his wife; at a Life Group class; during a men’s conference; and, as a personal appeal from interim Pastor Jake Roudkovski, who also serves as professor of evangelism and pastoral leadership at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Cooley did not wait long to show obedience to God’s call to be baptized, stepping into the baptistery March 20 to publicly declare Jesus as Lord. “My baptism was refreshing,” Cooley told the Baptist Message. “It sealed the deal for my commitment to Christ and showed everyone that I was new in the Lord.” Since January, First Baptist Mandeville has baptized 17 new believers, eclipsing the pace of baptisms (5) for this same timeframe last year and on track to surpass the 27 baptisms of 2018. Roudkovski said members have embraced the need to share the Gospel with their friends, family and co-workers. Throughout the year, members are … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently presented the Baptist Friendship House with its 2018 Director’s Community Leadership Award. According to a news release from the FBI, its New Orleans field office nominated the Baptist Friendship House for their extensive work in the fight against human trafficking. Baptist Friendship House Executive Director Kay Bennett and her staff received the award on behalf of their organization during a special ceremony May 3 at the FBI’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The FBI recognized the significant contributions made by the Baptist Friendship House through efforts to rescue victims of human trafficking, and provide them with lodging and food and one-on-one counseling. Additionally, the Baptist Friendship House was recognized for partnering with law enforcement to identify potential victims, share resources and offer options to help human trafficking survivors. “I am thankful for the FBI recognizing Baptist Friendship House,” Bennett told the Baptist Message. “It was an honor and a humbling experience to receive such an amazing award. As all of the recipients from different states stood together for a photo, I looked around and thought ‘what a beautiful picture of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – Louisiana College President Rick Brewer was sentimental during the school’s 164th commencement ceremony, May 4, reminding the students they were the first class to begin as freshmen and finish as seniors since he became president of the school in 2015. The 245 graduates composed the largest class to collectively earn a degree since Brewer began his tenure at the Pineville campus. “We’ve been on a journey together and we’ve seen a lot of changes haven’t we,” he told the graduates. “We’ve seen a lot of good things. We’ve experienced things together. We’ve prepared graduates and we’ve transformed lives. That’s the focus of our vision at LC.” The school presented 31 associate’s, 125 bachelor’s and 89 master’s degrees at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria. During a time of special recognition, Brewer presented the family of Dedrick Cole with his award post-humously. Cole died unexpectedly from a heart attack March 7. Brewer also conferred honorary doctorates to David Hankins, who is retiring June 30 as executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention; Johnny Martin, chairman, Martin Sustainable Resources of the Louisiana-based Roy O. Martin … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, Louisiana Baptist Foundation ALEXANDRIA (LBF) – Trustees of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation received positive investment reports and upbeat updates about operations during a regular quarterly business meeting held April 30 in the Louisiana Baptist Building. The good news included that every portfolio component had earned a positive return for the first quarter, with almost all sectors exceeding their benchmarks. Lee Morris of Graystone Consulting summed up the performance by simply stating, “fourth quarter of ’18 – bad; first quarter of ’19 – good!” He added that first quar­ter returns had erased the previous quarter’s losses. Fixed income portfolios continued to perform in line with expectations, he said, adding that bond returns are relatively good for the moment but are expected to be flat going forward – based on the prevailing assumption among investment analysts that the Federal Reserve Board will continue to hold rates steady the remainder of the year. The alternative invest­ment allocation of the LBF portfolio (preferred stocks, convertible securities, MLP’s, covered calls and infrastructure) continued to add value with positive returns in all areas, Morris said. Only one segment, … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees approved three new degrees and curriculum updates for Leavell College and elected new faculty members during their spring meeting April 17. Trustees also received updates on the seminary's "Different Voices" diversity initiative and spring enrollment growth, and they approved the seminary's budget for the coming academic year. And the board utilized the last regular trustee meeting of Chuck Kelley's presidency to recognize his tenure at NOBTS, hosting a banquet and worship service in his honor on April 16 and electing him as distinguished research professor of evangelism during their plenary sessions on April 17. Kelley, who has led the seminary since 1996, will retire from the post July 31. During his presidential report, Kelley lamented the tragic decision by the founders of NOBTS to exclude African American students. While the seminary reversed the policy in the 1950s, the seminary is still working to repair the damage it caused, Kelley said. One step in the process was the creation of the Fred Luter Jr. Scholarship in 2011. Since then, NOBTS has awarded $1.4 million in scholarships to more than 1,000 … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HACKBERRY, La. (LBM) – Louisiana’s congressional delegation praised President Donald Trump’s commitment to energy independence after his visit to the Cameron LNG Facility in Hackberry Tuesday, May 14. Trump toured the $10 billion facility before speaking to employees, local officials, school children and other invited guests. During the rally, plant officials announced the Cameron LNG facility had begun producing liquefied natural gas from the first liquefaction train. It is the first of three trains that will ship American natural gas to global markets. According to its website, Cameron LNG will be able to produce nearly 12 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas per year, or about 1.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily. That is enough energy to power 8.5 million U.S. homes in a single day. "I'm so excited that President Trump could visit Louisiana and tout the policies that he and Congress have implemented that have allowed American LNG exports to flourish, even as other areas of the oil and gas industry have struggled due to state-level decisions,” Congressman Ralph Abraham, a member of Alto Baptist Church, told the Baptist Message. “I was proud to welcome him to … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS public relations NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- When New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Chancellor Chuck Kelley announced his "Different Voices Initiative" in 2018, a top priority involved encouraging students from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds as well as women to pursue a calling to academia. A May 6 workshop, "Faculty Hiring 101," marked a key step toward that goal, offering practical tips for those sensing a call to teach in a Baptist institution. About 25 students from a variety of ethnic backgrounds including African American, Asian and Hispanic attended the event. About a third of the attendees were women, more than half of whom were white. The group included students at all stages of study in the master's and doctoral programs at NOBTS. Most were either master's students considering doctoral work or students in the early stages of doctoral study. Presenters discussed the preparation for academia, the doctrinal expectations of Southern Baptist schools and institutional fit as well as practical matters like developing an academic resume. Informal conversations like these take place between professors and students on a daily basis. Some of the NOBTS academic divisions host … [Read more...]

By Message Staff Hours after a round of powerful storms moved across the state, Louisiana Baptists Disaster Relief crews were on the ground Thursday, May 9. According to Louisiana Baptists Disaster Relief Director Gibbie McMillan, volunteers were assessing 22 damaged homes east of Jonesboro and the Caney Lakes Recreational Area in Webster Parish. The storm also damaged the home of Chad McClurg, the Baptist Collegiate Ministry director at the University of Louisiana-Monroe. According to a Facebook post by LSU BCM Director Steve Masters, McClurg was in his house when the tree fell onto his home in Monroe, but he was not injured. Masters posted that McClurg's homeowners' insurance will cover the damages, but he will have to pay a deductible. Contributions can be made by sending a personal check to 1005 University Avenue, Monroe, Louisiana 71203. A tornado was preliminary reported to have touched down in Jonesboro. Other locations where a tornado possibly touched down included the Panola County, Texas-Caddo Parish, Louisiana line; southeast of Stonewall; near Robeline; and south of Ruston. Additional tornadoes were preliminarily reported north of Marshall, Texas, and Columbia and Union counties in Arkansas. … [Read more...]