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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

John 3:16 initiative set for March 16

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – March 16 has been designated as a day for all Louisiana Baptist pastors to preach on John 3:16. The initiative aims to catalyze soul winning across the state and will include an emphasis on prayer leading up to the special day. Louisiana has joined other state Baptist conventions for the effort, which are being coordinated with the North American Mission Board. “A coordinated effort to emphasize evangelism across our state and across our nation on March 16 will prompt us to have an evangelistic focus leading us to Easter on April 20 and Baptism Sunday on April 27,” Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Strategist Kevin Ulmer told the Baptist Message. “This focus will unify our efforts to win the lost both locally as well as nationally and foster our desire to create a culture of evangelism across our state. Think of the impact of thousands of churches across the state and beyond proclaiming the love of God for every sinner and the implications of that truth. My prayer is that this evangelistic catalyst leads to a fruitful time in our state and nation.” Leading up to March 16, Louisiana Baptists will be encouraged to follow a special 16-day prayer … [Read more...]

Newly elected LCU president shares Kingdom vision

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Shortly after his election as the 10th president of Louisiana Christian University Feb. 25, Mark Johnson shared his excitement about fostering partnerships with the community and for the Kingdom. “It's not about me,” Johnson shared with local news media after the conclusion of a press conference on campus. “It's about all of us. And I think that’s what makes me more excited – to bring people together and to get some excitement.” When he officially assumes his role June 1, Johnson said he will embark upon the P3 56 Tour, a series of 100 events in 100 days. Based on Proverbs 3:5-6, the effort will aim to engage the community and promote the university. “Here's my appeal to everyone in the community and in the area,” he said. “Become one of those 100 events. We want you to say, hey, come and meet our school. Come and meet our business. Come and meet our leaders. And we’re trying to generate the kind of buzz that we can fill up these 100 events with events not only on the campus but off the campus as well. “I believe in partnerships,” he said. “We grow with partnerships, and I think we can do something great when we pull that together.” Johnson stressed … [Read more...]

Mark Johnson elected 10th president of Louisiana Christian University.

By Staff, LCMedia PINEVILLE, Louisiana -- The Louisiana Christian University Board of Trustees has approved  Mark Johnson, the current director of the Doctor of Ministry program at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, its 10th president, upon recommendation of the presidential search committee. “There have been countless hours of prayer, listening, seeking, reading resumes and other application materials, while asking God to guide this process and have His way,” said Tommy Kiker, chair of the search committee. “With this vote today, approving Mark Johnson as the 10th president in the history of Louisiana Christian University, we believe God has graciously and wonderfully answered those prayers and blessed this labor.” In May 2024, the board of trustees created a presidential search committee comprising four board members and two LCU faculty, assisted by a candidate search consultant. The committee was tasked with conducting its search independently and as transparently as possible while maintaining the confidentiality of the candidates being reviewed. The committee has carried out this mission without external influence, fully trusting God in the process, and maintaining a high level of integrity and confidence in their … [Read more...]

TWO OPINIONS about the Annual Meeting debate regarding culpability for abortions

NOTES (Feb. 24, 2025): The following LETTER TO THE EDITOR and the EDITOR’S RESPONSE originally were published on Feb. 17, 2025, under the title “POINT <== ==> COUNTERPOINT  ‘Abortion: Jail / Don’t Jail The Woman?’ ” In response to Dr. Pourciau’s objection to this wording, the new headline “TWO OPINIONS about the Annual Meeting debate regarding culpability for abortions” was substituted on Feb. 24, 2025. Also, the subheadings “WOMEN ARE CULPABLE FOR ABORTIONS” and “WOMEN SHOULD NOT BE JAILED” were removed, respectively, from the LETTER TO THE EDITOR and the EDITOR’S RESPONSE. The heading “Letter to the Editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message” was part of the letter that was received, and this heading was included when the letter originally was published. In the case of the response, the heading “Editor’s response” was added as a substitute description.  As was the case when first published, the LETTER TO THE EDITOR is published in its entirety as it was received. Except for the new heading, the EDITOR’S RESPONSE remains the same. Nothing was changed in the introductory paragraph. Finally, new artwork was attached so that readers would take a fresh look at the LETTER TO THE EDITOR and EDITOR’S … [Read more...]

ECON 2025: Continue to build a culture of evangelism

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer COVINGTON, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists were en­couraged to reach their friends and family for Christ as part of the continuing effort to create a culture of evangelism within their congregations. during ECON 2025, held in the facilities of First Bap­tist Church, Covington, Jan. 27-28. ECON featured Louisiana Baptist pastors, seminary profes­sors, a women’s ministry leader, vocational evangelists, an evan­gelism vice president from the North American Mission Board, and the president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. The event also included times of worship led by a combined choir (FBC Coving­ton and area churches) as well as Selah, an award-winning Christian contemporary music trio. MIKE COURTNEY Mike Courtney, itinerant evan­gelist in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, reminded Louisiana Bap­tists to be faithful in their call to share the Gospel. “In spite of your failures, keep fishing,” said Courtney, draw­ing from Jesus’ commandment to the disciples to be fishers of men in Luke 5:1-11. “This is a call to faithfulness even when and if we have failed.” He reminded Louisiana Baptists that the passage is an example of … [Read more...]

2024 Send Network LA: Church planting outcomes reported

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists can celebrate multiple spiritu­al milestones reported for 2024 church planting efforts, including: -- 11,748 Gospel conversations; -- 742 professions of faith; -- 361 baptisms; -- 2,839 people in combined average worship attendance; -- 1,186 people in intentional discipling relationships; and -- $183,000 given through the Coopera­tive Program to support cooperative missions and ministries. “The most exciting thing to see was those who professed their faith in Christ,” Send Network Louisiana Director Lane Corley told the Baptist Message. “These planters started a new church in a community and began to meet their needs in real, practical ways that opened the door for Gospel con­versations. Every time I see a new church start, it's just exciting because you know that there’s just going to be a lot of good things happening through the local church that produces the kind of results in this report.” BACKGROUND The Send Network Louisiana partnership between Louisiana Baptists and the North Ameri­can Mission Board that launched on Aug. 1, 2023, seeks to expand His King­dom in Louisiana by one percent (more than 28,000 … [Read more...]

Notables

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Baptist Message provides churches an opportunity to share with other Louisiana Baptists an upcoming revival, homecoming, new pastor, new staff member, a community outreach, or a concert in Louisiana Notables. To place your event in the paper, send your information (who, what, where, when, time) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. Please submit your information four weeks prior to the event to insure placement in the Message. ON THE MOVE Heath, wife Jenny, Peloquin has been called to pastor Rock Hill Baptist in Brownsboro, Texas and is leaving Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport. His last day at Summer Grove is March 30. Lakeshore Baptist Church, Monroe: Derek, wife Kaylee, Dozier are the new associate pastor of education and youth. Andrew, wife Lydia, Ardoin is the new pastor of First Baptist Church, White Castle. Ardoin previously served 15 years in the foreign mission field. CRUSADES West Ouachita Crusade, March 30-April 2, 2025, 6 p.m. nightly. The Crusade is led by Evangelist Bill Britt and WeRCalled at West Ouachita High School and the crusade is hosted by churches of West Ouachita Parish. REVIVAL Philadelphia Baptist Church, Horseshoe Drive Campus, Alexandria: … [Read more...]

POINT <== ==> COUNTERPOINT

Abortion: Jail / Don’t Jail The Woman?

The following FIRST PERSON articles present two different perspectives on the recent debate about a resolution (“The Abolition of Self-Managed Abortion in Louisiana”) that was rejected by the Resolutions Committee  and failed to garner enough messenger support to bring it to the floor for consideration during the 2024 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting (click HERE for the original news report). ================================================================= WOMEN ARE CULPABLE FOR ABORTIONS Letter to the Editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message Dear Editor, I read with interest The Baptist Message article on the proposed LBC resolution entitled “The Abolition of Self-Managed Abortion in Louisiana.” As I observed the debate, it seemed to me that there are primarily two “sides” on this issue. One wonders what side was represented by the Resolutions Committee in that they elected not to bring forth the resolution for debate. It also seems that the Editor doesn’t treat these two sides with equanimity as is indicated by his “Editor’s Note” in the middle of the article. Said “Editor’s Note” declared “The abortion abolitionist movement advocates for the prosecution of women who have abortions. In some … [Read more...]

Super Bowl human trafficking outreach reunites 15 missing children in NOLA

NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists, other non-profit organizations, law enforcement agencies and civilians worked together to reunite 15 missing children with their families in the days leading up to last weekend’s Super Bowl LIX in the New Orleans Superdome. The effort involved the training of 70 volunteers at Celebration Church, Kenner and the distribution of 10,000 booklets featuring 36 missing and exploited children identified by law enforcement agencies in the New Orleans area. Each booklet contained a photo and information about each missing and exploited child. These booklets were placed in convenience stores as well as other locations throughout the city. As information was received, it was relayed to a call center at an undisclosed location for security purposes. Additionally, Freedom Stickers (containing the National Human Trafficking Hotline) were provided to convenience stores and strategically placed in public restroom stalls (providing victims of human trafficking with a safe place to call or text for help). According to "In Our Backyard," a Bend, Oregon-based non-profit organization that fights against human trafficking, numerous survivors have been recovered as a result of Freedom Stickers. “The … [Read more...]