By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – During the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Pastor’s Conference, Nov. 13, hosted by the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans, speakers offered words of encouragement and conviction to pastors. SERVE WITH JOY Leroy Fountain, a Louisiana Baptist church health strategist, spoke during the opening session from Acts 20:16-24 to urge the crowd to endure with joy. Fountain said as Christ followers strive to finish their races, they must remember there is a prize for those who compete, they must prepare for the spiritual battle and they must persevere. He encouraged pastors not to focus on the size or location of their church, but rather to work hard for Christ and the Kingdom. “God has placed you there and you should be faithful there,” he said. “If you really want to finish your race with joy, you must keep your eyes on the prize.” He challenged the pastors not to give up as they run the race and to remember what waits for them at the finish line. “The payoff of the race of faith is Heaven, it’s everlasting life and it’s everlasting joy,” he said. “But in order to get that everlasting joy, we must endure the challenges and the difficulties. We must … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – On the heels of its 175th anniversary, Louisiana Baptists have an opportunity to unify and reach the state for Christ, Reggie Bridges said in his presidential address during the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meet­ing, Nov. 14, hosted by the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “If we all look to Jesus, and if we all run the same way, there will be natural unity because we are look­ing to Jesus,” Bridges said. Drawing from Hebrews 12:1-2, Bridges, pastor of Temple Baptist Church, Ruston, said Christ fol­lowers must lay aside the weight of sin that entan­gles them, run with endur­ance and look unto Jesus. “There is going to be pain,” he said. “There is go­ing to be agony. But you’ve got to keep running. You and I have to give it all we have because the Christian life is not a 40-yard dash but a marathon.” Bridges said everything starts and ends with Jesus. “The hero of history has always been Jesus,” Bridges said. “He is the author and the perfecter. What He be­gins in us, He will finish in us. He will keep me until the day of His return. He will perfect His salvation in me. “I may fail,” he … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) - Louisiana Baptists enjoyed fellowship and worship during the 2023 LBC Annual meeting Nov. 14 at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, but also conducted important business. SBC EC REPORT Philip Robertson thanked messengers for their prayers as he serves as chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. He was elected to this position June 12. Robertson and the other EC members have dealt with, among other issues, how the SBC should respond to those sexual abuse survivors. “The past few years, as you well know, have not been the easiest for your you well know, have not been the easiest for your Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee,” said Robertson, also pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church, with campuses in Alexandria and Deville. “In fact, it may have been the most tumultuous stretch that has faced the EC in its 106-year history. It seems almost at times that every slope is slippery. But we know as Hebrews Chapter 6 tells us, that we have this hope as an anchor of our souls, and that anchor is connected to the Rock of Ages, the Lord Jesus. So, God continues to certainly be very, very faithful. And I’m committed to do my part … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Messengers approved seven resolutions during the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting: advocating for parental rights and responsibilities; protecting children’s innocence; protecting the underaged from the harms of alcohol; celebrating the 175th anniversary of the LBC; expressing appreciation for all who contributed to the annual meeting; preventing mail-order abortifacients; and congratulating Congressman Mike Johnson for his election to speaker of the House. Brian Gunter, a messenger and pastor from First Baptist Church, Livingston, tried to substitute his resolution (on equal protection for preborn children) for the resolution on preventing mail-order abortifacients. Gunter’s proposed resolution included prosecution of all who perform abortion of an unborn child, including the mother. His resolution noted that “such equal protection would require a case-by-case determination and would not alter any existing presumption of innocence, defense, justification, immunity, or clemency, including that mothers would not be subject to criminal liability if under criminal duress, mistake of fact, or in a life-threatening medical emergency, or for an accidental or natural … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Execu­tive Director Steve Horn, during the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, Nov. 14, hosted by Franklin Avenue Bap­tist Church, New Orleans, urged messengers not to give up on their mission. “Louisiana Baptists, some are fearful that this anniversary of the Coop­erative Program comes at a time when we ought to be deciding upon a new giv­ing strategy other than the Cooperative Program,” he said. “I say, I’m not ready to give up. “I’m not ready to give up because of the 93 Louisianans dying every day in our state with no relationship to Christ,” he continued. “I’m not ready to give up because of our  International Missions force scattered across the globe. “So, I say, ‘Let’s not give up on what God has used to raise up and send out the greatest mis­sionary force known to modern Christianity.” Citing Hebrews 12:25-29, Horn reminded messengers of several ways to respond as recipients of a Kingdom that never can be shaken: let their worship go up by praising God, in public actions and in personal actions; let the Word of God come into their lives by paying attention to their spiritual leaders, Jesus and teachings of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Christian University honored the legacy of Norman and Lorraine Martin with the unveiling of a historical marker, Nov. 9, in front of the center named after the couple. During a special ceremony in front of the Martin Performing Arts Center, LCU President Rick Brewer thanked the Martins, and Robert Lynn, who was president of Louisiana College (now LCU) from 1977-1997, for the vision to make the building possible. The Martins donated funds in 1992 to build the facility that contains a theatre, television studio, radio station, and media lab, in addition to classrooms and office space. “It is just a highlight of your year, knowing the vision they had along with President Lynn in the early 90s lives on and is producing tremendous fruit,” Brewer said. “It’s another reminder of what Jesus said about the treasures that we plant and invest in here for the Kingdom will bear fruit here and through eternity. And for them to include Colossians 3:17, as the focal passage on this marker, just reinforces what we believe is really the heart and soul of Louisiana Christian University.” The Martins were married for 69 years, until Norman’s death in 2020. … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – The Louisiana Baptist Convention Resolutions Committee has released two additional resolutions for messengers to consider as consensus statements of belief during the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, Nov. 14, hosted by the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans: -- RESOLUTION 6: ON PREVENTING MAIL-ORDER ABORTIFACIENTS addresses the spike in the amount of mifepristone being shipped into Louisiana after the ban on abortions went into effect in 2022 and shut down the three abortion mills in the state. -- RESOLUTION 7: ON CONGRATULATING U.S. CONGRESSMAN MIKE JOHNSON celebrates a fellow Louisiana Baptist who was elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; and it asks Louisiana Baptists to commit to pray for him “as he seeks to lead the nation and follow God.” Both were adopted on 9-0 votes. These will be added to the five resolutions which resulted from the committee’s Sept. 21 meeting in Alexandria: -- RESOLUTION 1: ON PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES responds to attempts by liberal activists to undermine parental authority in raising a child according to the parents’ values and traditions, as well as moral, ethical and religious … [Read more...]