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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

FIRST PERSON: As goes the family, so goes the culture

By Gene Mills, Louisiana Family Forum president BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Public policy matters, especially regarding the health and growth of families, the basic building block of any flourishing society. As we have seen throughout history, as goes the family, so goes the culture. Unfortunately, for too long this fundamental principle has been more of a talking point than a driving force when it came to tax policy in Washington. However, as recently as 2017 the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), was enacted, making sweeping changes to tax policy. But it was the re-prioritization of the family in it that was the most significant accomplishment. Two provisions made an immediate impact on working families—a doubling of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) from $1,000 per child to $2,000 and an Employer Tax Credit (ETC) for businesses which offer Employee Paid Family Leave (45S). Further, both provisions are prime examples that it is possible—even essential—to promote strong family policy through reasonable tax policy. Both the CTC and the ETC are overwhelmingly supported by voters on both sides of the aisle, and both have proven to be essential support for families during the unpredictable inflation during 2017-present. Now Congress … [Read more...]

PREVIEW: SBC 2025

By staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- The Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting (June 10–11), will be hosted in Dallas, Texas, under the theme, “Hold Fast: Confession and Cooperation,” inspired by Hebrews 10:23–24, with 10,000 messengers and guests expected to visit the city for the business meetings and related events. ELECTIONS President Clint Presley, pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, will be nominated for a second term as SBC president by Michael Criner, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Rockwall, Texas.  First VP Daniel Ritchie, an author and evangelist from North Carolina, will be nominated for first vice president by Matt Capps, lead pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, North Carolina.  Second VP Craig Carlisle, current Alabama Baptist State Convention president and director of missions for Etowah Baptist Convention, will be nominated by Jared Cornutt, pastor of North Shelby Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Tommy Mann, pastor of Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville, Texas, who will be nominated for SBC second vice president by Jim Gatliff, associational missionary for Hunt Baptist Association. Mann is originally from Orlando, Florida, and has served … [Read more...]

2025 Q1: Send Network Louisiana yields 141 decisions, 68 baptisms

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Send Network Louisiana churches cele­brated a Gospel harvest to start the new year, pro­ducing 141 decisions for Christ and 68 baptisms by 44 church plants during the first three months of 2025. Additionally, the church plants reported 1,234 Gospel conversations and an aver­age of 64 in weekly worship attendance, according to a recent first quarter report by Send Network Louisi­ana. Send Network Louisi­ana Director Lane Corley said the partnership with the North American Mis­sion Board, which went into effect Aug. 1, 2023, has helped the state further its God-sized vision to see His Kingdom expanded in Lou­isiana by one percent over the next decade. “The Gospel continues to advance to new people in Louisiana through church planting,” Corley told the Baptist Message. “We also continue to engage every people group with new Hispanic, Asian, Arabic and multiethnic works. Replanting continues to be a major priority with dozens of churches in need of radical revitalization. We need planters, re-planters and partner churches for opportunities all across Louisiana.” Researchers estimate that 62 percent of approxi­mately 4.6 million Louisian­ans are … [Read more...]

LBC EC: Seek, strengthen, cooperate

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – During the May 6 meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board in the Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center, Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn encouraged members to be passionate about reaching the state for Christ. EVANGELISTIC VISION In his report, Horn highlighted the Convention’s vision statement seek the lost, strengthen churches, and support cooperative missions and ministries. Seek the lost Horn said Louisiana Baptists continue to see spiritual fruit through various evangelistic endeavors in the state: -- 8,415 baptisms in 2024; -- 75 congregations participated in John 3:16 Sunday (19,000 business-sized cards about the Gospel were mailed and distributed by them for the March 16 evangelistic outreach effort; -- Youth Evangelism Celebration (501 spiritual decisions, including 108 to accept Christ); -- mass evangelism crusades in Beauregard, Grant, Livingston and Ouachita Parishes; -- “Here for You” multi-media campaign yielded 7,864 views of the Gospel via commercials on TV or social media, with 244 trusting in Christ in 2024, while 3,379 views have yielded 14 decisions for Christ so far in 2025; … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

The Baptist Message provides the 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 Christian, wife Lorraine, Charrier is the new student minister at Parkview, Monroe John, wife Kristi, McKenzie is the new pastor at Pine Grove, Bastrop, Patricia Crawford is the new children’s Minister at Summer Grove in Shreveport. Ronney Joe Webb, Missions, Family Ministry at First Baptist Church, has resigned to become Director of Missions, Jones County, MS. Tim Purvis is the new Children to Family Pastor at Summer Grove, Shreveport. HOMECOMING Pine Hill Baptist Church, Leesville: 132-year homecoming celebration. Guest Speaker: Jason Lupold, The homecoming service on June 1, will begin at 10 AM. There will be a meal after the service in Christian Life Center. Pastor: Keith Dowden. Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, DeRidder: 150 Anniversary, June 1, Sunday School, … [Read more...]

Baptist leaders celebrate CP’s 100th anniversary

By Baptist Message staff MEMPHIS, Tenn. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn and Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee Trustee and past Louisiana Woman’s Missionary Union President Carolyn Fountain joined Baptist leaders from across the nation, May 13, to sign a Declaration of Cooperation that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program. Seventy-three of the more than 175 individuals gathered inside Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee, made it on stage to sign the document on the podium once used by M.E. Dodd, pastor with First Baptist Church, Shreveport (1912- 1950), who brought the idea of the CP to Southern Baptist Convention messengers in 1925. According to The Baptist Paper, the event was held exactly 100 years to the date, time and nearby location (the Ellis Auditorium, which is no longer standing) of the launch of the CP and included representatives from all Southern Baptist national entities and every state convention. Additionally, various ethnic groups, pastors, pastors’ wives and other women serving in ministry positions as well as the current SBC officers also gathered for the celebration. DECLARATION OF COOPERATION WHEREAS, Upon the … [Read more...]