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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Dwayne Monk, former LBC Second VP, Executive Board president, passes

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer CHOUDRANT, La. (LBM) – Dwayne Monk, a former vice president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, died suddenly June 23 while cutting grass. He was 60. Monk had served as pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, Choudrant, since 1999, but he also was a well-known leader at all levels of Louisiana Baptist life. According to the office of Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn, Monk was LBC second vice-president (2013), and an Executive Board member (2003-2008 and 2013-2019), serving as president (2007-2008), nominating committee member (2014-2017), administrative committee chairman (2018-2019), and search committee member for Executive Director David Hankins and Steve Horn. Moreover, Monk served on the LBC committee on committees (2009-2010), committee on the order of business (2020-2023) and President’s Study Group (2014-2021). During his tenure at New Hope Baptist, which averages 91 worshipers for its Sunday morning service, 139 new converts have been baptized since 1999. Before serving at New Hope Baptist, Monk pastored Fairdale Baptist Church, Hot Springs, Arkansas, for seven years. “Louisiana Baptists lost an incredible friend and supporter of our cooperative … [Read more...]

SBC amendment on male pastors passes first vote

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Messengers to the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting voted by a two-thirds majority to adopt an amendment to the SBC Constitution that specifies the role of pastor is limited to a man. Article III, Section 1, currently lists five requirements for congregations to be SBC members. If the proposed amendment receives a second favorable two-thirds vote during the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, a sixth requirement will specify that a church in friendly cooperation with the SBC “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.” The vote resulted from a motion made during the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting by Mike Law, pas[1]tor of Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia. However, Law’s proposal, which was referred to the SBC Executive Committee last year, was amended this year by a motion offered by Juan Sanchez, pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. The change did not alter the intent of the amendment, but states “only men” are qualified to serve as pastors rather than the original wording that “a woman” is disqualified from that role. If amended next year, the SBC … [Read more...]

EDITORIAL – Paid family leave: A ‘peace’ agreement for a post-Roe world.

By Gene Mills, Louisiana Family Forum president BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) -- After working my entire career to promote principled family policy and protect human life, I am still moved with emotion by the gigantic shift which occurred on June 24, 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court announced its correct decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. I am privileged to be in Washington D.C. on the anniversary of this historic moment leading a delegation of the next generation of Louisiana leaders. In many respects, the work is just beginning as we forge a path forward in crafting family policy. One issue provides an opportunity for agreement across the political spectrum. Most Americans agree that there is a need for paid leave after the birth or adoption of a new baby. Seventy-one percent of registered voters support paid gamily leave for parents, crossing party, gender, and ideological lines (65% of conservatives, 68% of moderates, 83% of liberals).1 Parents need time to bond with their newborns. Mothers need time to recuperate physically after childbirth. Both fathers and babies benefit from the connection established in those first weeks. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 23% of workers (9% of low-wage workers) have … [Read more...]

SBC annual meeting helped mobilize a new generation of Southern Baptists

By Joe Luna, Director of SLU BCM NEW ORLEANS (LBM) - Equipping students to be mature followers of Jesus who impact the campus and become catalysts for advancing the Gospel globally is at the heart of the mission of Baptist Collegiate Ministries across Louisiana, according to Mark Robinson. He is the director of Baptist Collegiate Minis[1]tries for Louisiana Baptists. Louisiana BCMs accomplish these growth objectives by training students in evangelism and mission outreach as well as preparing them through church life and leadership experiences, Robinson said. Moreover, he was enthusiastic about the extraordinary opportunity the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting provided in giving insights to these young men and women about the size and scope of the work Southern Baptists do worldwide, while giving these students the opportunity to serve and grow as leaders. As Louisiana Baptist BCM student ambassadors, these volunteers helped register, greet, and be the face of Louisiana Baptists to the more than 12,000 messengers who came to New Orleans this year. “The ambassador program is a reimagining of the state council from the past, expanding it to involve more leaders,” Robinson said. Moving forward, … [Read more...]

Louisiana notables

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Larry Anderson retires as music minister at First Baptist Church, Bastrop. Seth Forque is the new youth minister at Highland Baptist Church, West Monroe. Thomas Hodge is the new youth minister at First Baptist Church, Swartz. Freddie Williford resigned from Ford Park Baptist Church to take the pastorate at Beulah Baptist Church, Mansfield. Dan Lay, business administer has retired from Trinity Heights Baptist Church, Shreveport. Grant, wife Kara, Rose takes the pastorate at Springs of Grace Baptist Church, Shreveport from Denton, Texas. Josh, wife Teresa, Jacobs resigns from Potsboro, Texas to become youth minister at Woodridge Baptist Church, Shreveport. Logan, wife Lyndsy, Brock is the new pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Natchitoches. Philip Caples is the new pastor at First Baptist … [Read more...]

LBDR teams serving residents impacted by weekend storms

By Baptist Message staff SHREVEPORT, La. (LBM) – After powerful storms caused damage to homes and businesses and left thousands in the dark in the state over the weekend, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams have continued to “give a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name” to those impacted. According to LBDR Disaster Relief Coordinator Stan Statham, a quick response feeding team from central Louisiana and Rolling Hills Ministries in Ruston have cooked and served 500 meals and manned a cooling station in the community room of an apartment complex in Shreveport since arriving in the area on June 19. Chainsaw teams also were activated for debris removal in Blanchard, Bossier City, Shreveport and Wisner. Additionally, since June 18, First Baptist Church, Haughton, has hosted a cooling station and shower trailer, washing machines and driers (provided by Mt. Olive Baptist Association) for 135 residents. FBC Haughton church members also distributed seven generators that were donated by area businesses, according to Equipping Pastor Brandon Lewis. LBDR teams working in the area are staying at Calvary Baptist Church’s Hispanic mission, Shreveport. According to the National Weather Service office in Shreveport, an EF-1 … [Read more...]

LCU receives RRAC Sportsmanship Award for second year in a row

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Louisiana Christian University has been awarded, for the second year in a row, the highest honor given by the Red River Athletic Conference Sportsmanship Award. "Being recognized with this award speaks volumes to the type of coaches and athletes we have at our institution,” said LCU Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Reni Mason. “Honoring others is a staple in the Kingdom of God. It is truly an honor to be amongst such a fine group of people." LCU President Rick Brewer said the award is a testament to the school's mission and vision being amplified by the character and leadership of its coaches and student-athletes. “Receiving this honor in consecutive years is emblematic of the commitment our coaches and student-athletes have to the mission and vision of Louisiana Christian University,” Brewer said. “LCU’s student-athletes excel on and off the courts and fields of competition. And, the upside for each of LCU’s student-athletes is filled with opportunities to lead, serve, and flourish in their God-directed careers.” WORSHIP ARTS AND PRODUCTION DEGREE ANNOUNCED LCU will launch, this fall, a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in worship arts and … [Read more...]

Seminaries: Training NextGen to engage culture

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – The presidents of the six Southern Baptist seminaries held a joint report, June 14, and shared how they continue to prepare the next generation to engage the culture for Christ. NOBTS New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Jamie Dew welcomed SBC messengers to the city and told them the city is a great training ground for ministry anywhere in the world. “We have said from day one that we believe if you can do ministry in our city, you can do ministry anywhere because this city brings everything to bear on your formation and on your ministry,” he said. “We have a little bit of everything here. We’ve got Baptists, we’ve got Catholics, we’ve got brokenness, we’ve got opportunity, we’ve got wealth and poverty.” Dew said that theological education matters now perhaps more than ever before as they train the next generation of leaders. “Consider the brokenness and the chaos and the confusion of our cultural moment,” he said. “At every single turn there is a wrong idea, a mistruth at play in the lives of those people that are going in those directions. Which means correcting those lies, those mistruths with the truth of God’s word is … [Read more...]

ARITF reauthorized for another year

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – A year after voting to form a task force to investigate sexual abuse allegations in Southern Baptist churches, messengers to the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting, June 14, extended the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force another year. Additionally, the task force announced the formation of a new website to help churches keep track of “credibly accused’ individuals and access a toolbox with prevention resources and response information. The page, found on sbcabuseprevention.com, offers resources such as a sample application, sample reference questions, sample interview questions, Fair Credit Reporting Act Summary of Rights and authorization for background check form. Marshall Blalock, chairman of the ARITF and also pastor of First Baptist Church, Charleston, S.C., told messengers that an allegation alone will not place anyone on the list. Rather, he said the “credibly accused” individual will be investigated by a licensed and qualified firm, have the charge or charges reviewed by an independent Christian legal team, and have the opportunity to appeal. “My heart breaks for those young people who have been burdened with this horrible pain,” Blalock said. “So where do … [Read more...]