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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Fathers & sons to highlight speakers at ECON 2019

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COVINGTON – Fred Luter and David Hankins will share the stage with theirs sons, Chip and Eric, respectively, in a rare father-son preaching engagement during the 2019 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference, Jan. 28-29, at the First Baptist Church, Covington. Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans, and Chip Luter, pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church’s Sulphur Springs campus, Tampa, Florida, will preach during the opening session. David Hankins, executive director for Louisiana Baptists, and his son Eric Hankins, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Fairhope, Alabama, will be on the program for the morning session of the second day of the meetings. MAKING A CHANGE Chip served under his dad’s leadership at Franklin Avenue Baptist for five years; however, even then they rarely preached together at the same event. “To be able to have Chip at home and be a part of our state Evangelism Conference alongside me means a lot,” said Fred Luter. “The excitement of having my son preaching on the same day together, for only the third time, is hard for me to put into words.” Throughout his ministry, Fred Luter has emphasized the importance of men taking an … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist Ralph Abraham announces run for governor

By Message Staff   ALTO, La. (LBM) - Ralph Abraham, M.D., a Republican who represents the 5th Congressional District, announced Thursday, Dec. 6, he has entered the 2019 gubernatorial race.   “I’m running for governor, and I intend to win,” Abraham said in a brief statement released on his personal Facebook page.   Abraham, a member of Alto Baptist Church, was first elected to Congress in 2014. His district encompasses 24 parishes in the northeastern, central and southeastern areas of the state. He serves as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the Agriculture Committee and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.   The three-term congressman joins Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone, also a Republican, in challenging the incumbent John Bel Edwards, a Democrat.   Abraham is a physician, veterinarian, business owner, farmer, pilot and veteran. He was a first lieutenant with the 20th Special Forces Group Airborne Division of the Army National Guard from 1986-1989, according to his website.   He is a native of rural Richland Parish where he and his wife, Dianne, live. He holds degrees from Mangham High School and Louisiana State University.   During his time in Congress, Abraham has been a … [Read more...]

Tommy Middleton opens U.S. Senate in prayer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tommy Middleton, director of missions for the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge, led a prayer to open the U.S. Senate December 6. Middleton, who was invited by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, voiced prayers of thanksgiving and guidance for decisions made by elected officials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGD-81gWW9E&feature=youtu.be … [Read more...]

SBC public relations pioneer and LC alumnus W.C. Fields dies at 96

By Art Toalston, Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) - W.C. Fields, a forerunner in denominational journalism as vice president for public relations for the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee from 1959-1987 and an alumnus of Louisiana College, died Monday (Dec. 3) in Nashville at age 96. As an Executive Committee vice president, Fields was the SBC's press representative and director of Baptist Press, the convention's news service. He also was editor of the Executive Committee's former Baptist Program magazine from 1959-1972. He was first listed in Who's Who in America in 1976. Gratis, he wrote an article on Southern Baptists for Saturday Evening Post in 1983 that sold more than 1 million reprints. In 1979, Fields was among SBC denominational leaders who found themselves in the national media when Memphis-area pastor Adrian Rogers was elected as SBC president in Houston, marking the first of successive presidencies by Southern Baptist conservatives who held to the inerrancy of the Bible. During the 1960s and early 1970s, Fields served as president of the Religious Public Relations Council, Associated Church Press and the Baptist Public Relations Association (now Baptist Communicators Association). The BCA … [Read more...]

Pastor’s wife tragically killed in New Orleans carjacking

METAIRIE – Celebration Church is asking for prayers for Jeannot Plessy, who was tragically killed in a carjacking incident in New Orleans Tuesday, November 27. Her death was witnessed by her two pre-teen children. According to WDSU-TV in New Orleans, the incident was reported around 8:25 p.m. in the 2400 block of Prentiss Avenue in New Orleans. New Orleans Police Department investigators are seeking to identify the assailant. Lead Pastor Dennis Watson wrote in a letter posted on the church website that Plessy, 49, was a “great woman of God” who recently returned from ministering in Samoa. She is the wife of David Plessy, a pastor of the non-denominational Crossover Christian Fellowship in New Orleans, and the mother of Celebration Church member Nadia Sanchez and the mother-in-law of facilities manager Kristian Sanchez. He said that while such tragedies cause sadness and grief, followers of Christ are not left without hope. “We can pray and ask the Lord to bring comfort, help, and healing to those who have experienced this great loss,” Watson wrote. “So please be praying for Pastor David and his children, Nadia and Kristian and their girls, Jeannot’s mother, and siblings, Jeannot’s extended family, and for her Church … [Read more...]

Vote NO on alcohol sales in Pineville

PINEVILLE, La.—Residents within the corporate limits will decide the fate of alcohol sales in Pineville in the form of five propositions that are on the ballot: -- Props 1 and 4 would allow alcohol sales in grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores, gas stations, stand-alone liquor stores, beer barns and drive-through daiquiri stores, etc. -- Props 2 and 3 would permit alcohol sales in restaurants, bars, strip clubs, lounges, hotels, theaters, etc. -- Prop 5 would restrict alcohol sales in restaurants only. Proponents argue that permitting alcohol sales "will keep tax dollars in Pineville." But no amount of money can replace the loss of even a single loved one killed by a drunk driver. Advocates for alcohol are counting on low voter turnout, meaning the ballots cast by just a few could cause the rest of the community to have to deal with the problems of open alcohol sales for decades to come. Stop the sale of alcohol in any form in Pineville: Be sure to vote, and to say NO on all 5 options. Early voting continues until Dec. 1, 8:30 a.m. through 6 p.m., at Rapides Parish Courthouse in Alexandria and the Kees Park Community Center. Election day is Dec. 8. … [Read more...]

Bilingual Pastors Conference celebrates unity

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer RUSTON – Louisiana Baptists came together for worship in English and Spanish as a means to celebrate their unity in Christ during the opening session of the Pastors Conference, Nov. 11-12, at Cook Baptist Church in Ruston. In step with the conference theme “Whole: Equipping the church to love the whole church,” the session featured music led by Fellowship Church in Prairieville and Istrouma Espanol in Baton Rouge, and included a message shared by Louisiana Baptist Church Planting Strategist Carlos Schmidt. “Since we are all in Christ, all ethnic, social, economic and gender barriers have crumbled,” Schmidt said during his message. “He does away with it. Christ is all in all. We can truly say we are one family in Christ. “Therefore, our relationships with one another should be saturated with kindness, mercy, humility and forgiveness,” he continued. “There is no place for un-forgiveness in the Christian life. As you have been forgiven by Christ, therefore you should also forgive one another. “All of us might be different but the Scripture says there is none good enough, there is none righteous,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you are White or Hispanic in God’s eyes, we are all … [Read more...]