March 3, 2014 Dr. Tommy French, Chairman Dr. Joe Aguillard, President Louisiana College 1140 College Dr. Box 583 Pineville, LA 71359 Dear Dr. French and Dr. Aguillard: The purpose of this letter is to seek clarification on two important matters: the first concerns our legal duties and responsibilities as trustees of the Louisiana College Board of Trustees; and the second concerns the final resolution of findings in the recent independent audit of Louisiana College by the firm of Payne, Moore & Herrington. Regarding the first matter, I am concerned that some of the legal counsel we were provided at our last board meeting on December 3, 2013, may not have been entirely accurate. As you will recall, the board’s attorney answered questions during our discussion about the definition and scope of each board member’s fiduciary duties to the institution. Since that time, I have reviewed the relevant law on point and consulted with outside counsel on the general legal question of what responsibilities and liabilities are associated with a director of a non-profit. It is my conclusion that the information we were presented on December 3 was in error. The term fiduciary is a commonly misunderstood word. According to BLACK’S LAW … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Damon Kirk new as worship leader Richey Baptist Church, Center Point. Aaron (wife Layla) Shamp new as pastor at Redeemer City Church, Lafayette (a new church plant). Lavelle Spillers resigns as pastor from Pleasure Point Baptist Church, Homer. David (wife Leslie) Sullivan, Jr., new as family minister at First Baptist Church, Bastrop. Danny (wife Jo-Dee) Taylor new as pastor at Belle Park Baptist Church, Haughton. George Steer resigns as pastor from First Baptist Church, Arcadia. Robert “Bodie” Spicer new as interim pastor at Faith Baptist Church, Bastrop. Kevin McLeod resigned as pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church, Monroe to become pastor in Kilbourne. Marty Kutz new as interim pastor at Lighthouse Baptist Church, Monroe.   REVIVAL/HOMECOMING Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, West Monroe: Revival, April 13-18, Sunday, 10:15 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 7 p.m. Speaker: Brent Barker. Worship: Glenn Naylor. Pastor: Randy Burdeaux. His Church, Pineville: Revival, April 13-16, Sunday morning services will be at 8, 9:30, and 11:00. Sunday through Wednesday evening services 7 p.m. Love offering will be received at all the services. Evangelist: Casey Johnson. Worship: His Church Band and Jonathan Murrell will do … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 04/04/2014 - 10:06 Former Louisiana Baptist Baptist Convention President Waylon Bailey talks about his vision to reach every ethnic group and every generation in the state by the year 2020. By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter When Waylon Bailey, Louisiana Baptist Convention president, 2011-2013, and pastor of First Baptist Covington, presented to his congregation the 2020 vision for reaching Louisiana with the gospel, his members’ response was a collective, “At last.” It was a plan they’d been waiting for. “It was as if they were saying, ‘This is who we are; this is what we want to do; it may not be easy, but this is what we want to do,’” Bailey said. 2020, the cooperative statewide initiative to maximize Louisiana Baptists’ effectiveness in impacting lives for the gospel by the year 2020, is focused on reaching every people group and every generation through congregational revitalization, church planting, communication and collaboration. Birthed at the 2012 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, the campaign was charted out by twenty teams of twenty people each that met and prayed, brainstormed and planned. When the commission met again together, team members shared the same … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 04/04/2014 - 10:08 Steve Lemke (second from left), provost of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and bioethicist, was among panelists to address end-of-life cases that have sparked national debate. The panel discussion was titled “Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Decides?” By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter NEW ORLEANS (BP) – A Baptist seminary leader joined a special panel at Loyola University New Orleans to discuss end-of-life cases that have sparked national debate. Steve Lemke, provost of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and bioethicist, was among the panelists for the discussion titled “Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Decides?” The group covered the cases of Jahi McMath, a 13-year-old girl placed on a ventilator following complications from tonsil and nasal surgery, and Marlise Munoz, a young mother declared brain dead but kept on life support for two months for the sake of her 14-week-old fetus. The Center for Medical Ethics of the Louisiana Right to Life Federation sponsored the event. Other panelists included: Jennifer Popik, with National Right to Life; Jeff White, cardiologist and hospital system ethics director and Kevin Wildes, president of Loyola University. Popik cited a … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Tue, 04/08/2014 - 10:39 Louisiana College women's basketball coach Jason Tinsley has been hired as the new men's basketball coach at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. He becomes only the ninth head men's basketball coach in school history TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Northeastern State Director of Athletics Tony Duckworth announced Tuesday the hiring of Jason Tinsley as the ninth head men's basketball coach in school history. Tinsley takes over for Larry Gipson, who retired following a 17-year run that included the only NCAA Division II National Championship in school history (2003) and five appearances in the NCAA Championship tournament (2000-03, 2013). "My focus during this search was to identify an individual who has the attributes and background to maximize the strengths of Northeastern State University and our men's basketball program," Duckworth said. "Jason Tinsley embodies the characteristics I sought in this hire. The Tinsley's will be an outstanding addition to NSU and Tahlequah." Tinsley comes to Tahlequah following a highly-successful run as head women's basketball coach from 2010-14 at NCAA Division III Louisiana College in Pineville, La. During his four-year stint with the Lady … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Tue, 04/15/2014 - 10:38 A group of around 40 alumni, community members, students and a few trustees gathered inside the school’s student center for prayer. By Message Staff PINEVILLE – On the eve of the Louisiana College board meeting that could result in a decision about the future of President Joe Aguillard, a group of around 40 alumni, community members, students and a few trustees gathered inside the school’s student center for prayer. “It was important for us to meet to let the board know we have nothing against the board of trustees,” said Sammy Morrow, a member of the class of 1980 who led the 10-minute group prayer. “We earnestly believe in coming together as a unified group in pursuit of God’s will.” The prayer gathering was originally scheduled to take place around the fountain in front of the LC Administrative Building on campus on Monday afternoon. Social media such as Prayers 4 Progress used Twitter to advertise the event. Prayers 4 Progress said via Twitter: “Tomorrow at 5pm around the fountain on LC campus. Nothing but prayers for our school and the board. Will you join us?” The Town Talk reported that LC officials canceled the event that was to include alumni and others … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/16/2014 - 09:57 By Staff, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary2 NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) finalized a new partnership with an anonymous donor to provide free theological education for small church and bi-vocational pastors and staff members of Louisiana Southern Baptist churches. With an initial gift of $1.5 million from the donor, the seminary has established the Caskey Center for Church Excellence to facilitate the scholarship process. The NOBTS Board of Trustees approved the center’s creation on April 16, during their spring meeting. “The NOBTS Trustees are excited about the wonderful gift for the Caskey Center for Church Excellence,” said Trustee Chairman Tom Harrison. “It is exciting that more students will be trained and equipped for ministry through our School of Providence and Prayer. We are blessed to be a part of an institution that seeks to broaden the Kingdom of God.” NOBTS President Chuck Kelley expressed excitement about the potential of the center to impact the small churches of Louisiana. “We are grateful for the vision God has given this donor,” said NOBTS President Chuck Kelley. “We are a seminary in a city and state in which the … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 04/18/2014 - 09:55 Joe Aguillard (left) is out as LC's President and Argile Smith has been named as interim president By Kelly Boggs, Editor PINEVILLE – When Joe Aguillard was elected as president of Louisiana College in Jan. 2005 it was under a cloud of controversy. After the LC Board’s action during its most recent meeting, it seems he will leave office in similar fashion. After weeks of news reports that questioned Aguillard’s leadership, which included leaked private documents, LC executive committee minutes of a black mail attempt which included allegations of forged documents, secret recordings and a lawsuit filed against the president and the college, the LC Board of Trustees voted on April 15 not to renew Aguillard’s contract as president of the college. While his contract as president is set to expire on July 31, the board did approve an agreement which will allow Aguillard to remain on campus as president emeritus of the college beginning Aug. 1.  The word emeritus, according to the Cambridge Dictionary means: “honorably discharged from a profession but retaining one’s former job title.” Additionally, the board approved Argile Smith as the interim president of the college once … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Editor “Within any important issue, there are always aspects no one wishes to discuss,” said George Orwell. I suspect the English novelist and critic, best known for his books 1984 and Animal Farm, is correct. However, in light of all that has transpired in reference to Louisiana College over the past year or so, I feel the need to discuss a few things. Let me begin with last May. Just a few days after the LC Board of Trustees voted in favor of LC President Joe Aguillard in regard to whistleblower complaints brought against him by two of the college’s vice-presidents, I wrote an editorial offering my opinion of the situation. I want to reiterate, it was an editorial and not a report, wherein I offered my two-cents worth. The title of the column was “Leaked documents, ballot votes and being Baptist.” In the first portion of the column I dealt with the issue of confidential documents that had been leaked to The Town Talk. A law firm report, that concluded Aguillard misappropriated funds and mislead the LC board, was given to Alexandria’s daily newspaper and it in turn reported on it. What was not leaked to The Town Talk was a folder of information that Aguillard had compiled which was at odds with the law … [Read more...]