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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

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...]

EVANGELISM 101 (Part 2): Four soul-winning approaches

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Leading someone to saving knowledge in Christ is not a “one size fits all” spiritual effort. Just as Christ used different methods to heal the sick and afflicted, the Holy Spirit offers different methods for different con­texts to successfully share the Gospel with the lost. Remember, the Holy Spirit was active in cre­ation (Gen. 1:1), as well as during the times of the Old Testament (consider the anointing on Moses, Saul, David, Bezalel & Oholiab, Othniel, Samson, etc.) and New Testament (e.g. Peter at Pentecost, Paul while confronting the sorcerer Elymas). Most importantly, He is active today (John 14:15-18; 15:26-27; 16:5-15), specif­ically in salvation (John 16:8; Ephesians 1:13-14) and in holy living afterwards (Galatians 5:22-23). There may be hybrids of each, according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but the following soul-winning approach­es largely define how to engage unbelievers in the four contexts for evange­lism presented in God’s Word. CONFRONTATIONAL Many people visualize all evangelism as publicly confronting sinners (some­thing akin to “street cor­ner” preaching). However, the Holy Spirit designed this … [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...]

Save your Facebook Live videos

Every Sunday my Facebook Feed is filled with live streamed services from all over Louisiana and across the country. It is great to see so many churches using this platform to share the Gospel with their communities! And it is a great option for a lot of churches. Easy to use, great connection with people, and an affordable live stream option for churches. … [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...]

LCU named safest campus, best value in Louisiana

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Louisiana Christian University has been named the safest college campus and the best value in the state of Louisiana by Niche.com. Niche.com released its 2025 list of Best Colleges last week. Niche.com is a rating and review website for facets of the college experience. In the last several years, LCU has committed to providing an increasingly safe campus for students, faculty, staff and visitors. Three Homeland Security grants awarded to LCU have allowed for additional campus lighting and surveillance. “Over the last five years, LCU has invested over $450,000 in safety and security upgrades thanks to grants from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness through our FEMA partners,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Henry O. Robertson. “Additional funding through the Union Pacific Railroad Foundation has provided key components for enhancing our abilities to deter, detect and defend the campus community.  We are honored that the investments, training and care LCU has placed as a strategic priority are recognized by a national organization.  Our students are always number one with all our safety and security enhancements.” LCU … [Read more...]

Louisiana Christian to hold spring revival next week

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Louisiana Christian University will hold its annual spring revival series Feb. 18-20 at 11 a.m. in Guinn Auditorium. The speaker for the revival will be Greg Wilton, assistant professor of mission and evangelism and dean of Leavell College at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Wilton has served the Lord in many ways, from the French Quarter to Southeast Asia, from a small church pastor in Louisiana to a large church missions pastor in Tennessee. He ministered cross-culturally in Southeast Asia with the International Missions Board while also teaching at a local seminary. With the North American Mission Board, Wiltonserved as the National Care For Refugees director, while also directing a ministry center in Clarkston, Georgia for Send Relief. The revival services are free and open to the public. … [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...]