By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH (LBM)--Sam White had planned on a long career in the Air Force but an Experiencing God class changed his path, eventually leading him to manage the Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. Now, after 16 years as director of the Louisiana Baptist camp, White is stepping away for a new adventure, retirement, starting Dec. 1. “I never saw a career in camping coming,” White told the Baptist Message. “I saw the Air Force as my career and planned to stay in a lot longer than I did, until God changed my direction. On a human level it didn’t make sense but we all know that isn’t how God works. Now, looking back on these years at Tall Timbers and another stop before that, we could see God’s hand at work in our lives.” A native of Bienville, at the tender age of eight years old White humbled his heart and surrendered his life to Christ. Although White planned to complete a 30-year career in the Air Force, God changed his plans. After taking an Experiencing God class in February 1994 at Central Baptist Church in Clovis, N.M., Sam and his wife Kay believed God was telling them to give up the Air Force career and seek a new direction. Months later, God used the testimony of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE (LBM) – Citing an increased enrollment and the addition of new academic programs and scholarships, the Louisiana College Board of Trustees has extended President Rick Brewer’s contract through 2022. Board Chairman Randy Harper said during the school’s Oct. 30 news conference that the board unanimously approved the two-year increase during its April 2017 board meeting, but because of a new one-day format for the April meeting, he and the board selected the Oct. 30 board meeting to make the announcement public, deciding it was the more opportune time for most trustees, students, faculty and staff to attend. “We are grateful for Dr. Brewer’s leadership,” said Harper, pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier City. “He is a leader who has more energy than probably five freshmen of the school. He works tirelessly. He believes in Christian education and liberal arts education and in raising and preparing graduates to transform lives with a Christian worldview.” Since Brewer was elected unanimously as president in April 2015, he has led the school from probationary status into good standing with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LC News PINEVILLE - Louisiana College trustees voted unanimously in their October 30 meeting to offer free tuition to the dependents of missionaries serving the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board. “We are honored to assist our IMB families who make such a sacrifice for the sake of the gospel around the world,” said trustee chairman Randy Harper, pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier City. “Though the eternal rewards of such servants are in heaven, we all have a responsibility to help meet the temporal needs of those who leave the familiarity of home to brave the foreign fields of ministry.” Harper said the decision “continues the consecutive string of unanimous votes” among LC’s trustees since March 2015, when Rick Brewer was elected president. “The addition of missionaries’ dependents to our student body will enrich our campus culture and literally ‘flesh-out’ the reality of what it means to be on mission with God,” Brewer said. “For those students who have never served on an overseas or stateside mission trip, the concept of missions is just that: conceptual. But with the children of missionaries among our student body, missionary service becomes much more tangible,” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE (LBM) – A sense of nostalgia is sweeping through the state as Louisiana Baptist youth and adult leaders prepare to take part in the 30th anniversary of the Youth Evangelism Celebration, a statewide assembly focused on preparing the next generation to share Christ with the world. Scheduled Nov. 19-20 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, the largest annual gathering of Louisiana Baptists will celebrate its storied history filled with changed lives while equipping students with the necessary tools to share their faith with their classmates. Since the first YEC in 1988, 141,002 students and adult sponsors have passed through the turnstiles of venues hosting the event, known as YEC, Louisiana Baptist Convention Youth Strategist Steve Maltempti told the Baptist Message. Over the years, 9,815 participants have made spiritual decisions, including 3,205 who accepted Christ as their Savior. “When this was started, I don’t think most people realized this many lives would be touched and this many churches would be ministered to as their teenagers were encouraged and prepared to be a bold witness for Christ,” Maltempi said. “Kids are able to focus on God and for a couple of days are … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE (LBM) – Midway through a seven-year initiative to reach the state with the Gospel by 2020, Louisiana Baptists are making progress to reach every generation and every people group in Louisiana, according to state convention officials. During the 2017 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting Nov. 13-14, messengers will have the chance to learn about the progress that has been made and also what still is needed to be done in order to complete the goals of the President’s 2020 Commission Report, released in 2013. “Of the 10 Action Steps, or KAIROS (Key Actions In Reaching Our State), we’ve seen solid progress in some areas and disappointments in others,” Louisiana Baptists Executive Director David Hankins said. “I’ve asked our leadership team to fine tune several of the steps in order for us to move towards the goals established by the commission.” Hankins will share more about the update during the Monday evening  session of the annual meeting, which will take place at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. Approved by messengers at the 2013 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting, the 2020 initiative, led by then LBC President Waylon Bailey, pastor of First … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The Resolutions Committee has finalized seven resolutions for consideration as consensus statements of the messengers to the 170th Session of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. The committee’s recommendations will be offered for a vote at 2:55 p.m. during the Tuesday portion of the Nov. 13-14 program. The seven statements cover a span of issues from expressing appreciation for those who played a major part in the annual meeting to offering congratulations on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief ministry. Another celebrates the 100th anniversary of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and the spiritual impact it has had on the state, the nation and the world. Four of the resolutions address either spiritual matters, or moral issues and social concerns. ON THE SIN OF RACISM, INCLUDING ALT-RIGHT WHITE SUPREMACY parallels a resolution approved by messengers to the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention this summer. The alt-right is described as a movement “to establish a single white nation in North America” and its members largely are “white millennial” males in college, or who have a college degree, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE (LBM) – Organizers of this year’s Louisiana Baptist Pastors’ Conference are hoping to equip participants with the tools needed “to be still before God.” Scheduled Nov. 12-13 at Istrouma Baptist Church, the theme is “Pause,” based on Psalm 46:10. “This theme seems appropriate for such a time as this,” said Pastor’s Conference President Jason McGuffie. “The life of the local church, the lives of pastors seem to become super busy and packed with all kinds of things. “Pausing, or being still, is something that we all need,” continued McGuffie, pastor of First Baptist Church, Tallulah. “Our time together will be one of encouragement and a reminder that Jesus is working in mighty ways in and through the local church into a world that needs Jesus.” The conference begins 6 p.m., Nov. 12, with music led by the North Monroe Baptist Church worship team. Those scheduled to preach are Frank Page, president and chief executive officer, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee; Fred Luter, pastor, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans; Tommy Middleton, director of missions, Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge; Michael Wood, pastor, First Baptist Church, … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – It is important to remember that motions may only deal with one topic at a time. When making a motion, you should be as brief as possible and always begin with the phrase “I move that...” If you are making a subsidiary motion (one that deals with a motion already on the floor), it must be relevant to the motion currently under consideration and not be a motion that is the same or substantially similar to one already dealt with by this convention. If your motion is a privileged motion, it must not be dilatory (unnecessary or made only to delay the conduct of business). If your motion seeks to amend the Louisiana Baptist Convention Articles of Incorporation or Louisiana Baptist Convention Bylaws, please review these documents in advance for special rules regarding the process of amendment prior to offering your motion. A copy of the LBC Articles of Incorporation and LBC Bylaws are found in your Book of Reports. Important steps in wording your motion: A motion should direct that the Convention take some sort of action or refrain from taking some action. Include only the action you want to see taken in your motion. Do not include supporting reasons for adopting your motion in the motion … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The election of new officers, updates on investments and the approval of the 2018 budget highlighted the final quarterly meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees, Oct. 24. Members also learned about almost $600,000 in new deferred donations benefiting Louisiana Baptists’ ministries, as well as steps taken with regard to its fixed income portfolio to protect against potential rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. INVESTMENT UPDATES E.L. Paulk, chairman of the investment committee, and Lee Morris and Susan Taylor, both of Graystone Consulting, updated trustees about the management of LBF’s funds and gave a general overview of market conditions. In his remarks, Morris described the equity markets as “having a very good year.”  The Foundation equity portfolios are doing well in light of the market’s upward push, he said, adding that international equities are performing better than the domestic markets as was predicted earlier in the year. Other issues he addressed: -- Morgan Stanley’s Global Investment Committee projects that equities will continue to outperform fixed income securities. -- All parts of the LBF portfolio are in compliance … [Read more...]