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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

SBC EC leadership woes persist

By Will Hall, Baptist Message exeuctive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) – The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention continues to experience presidential controversies. On Aug. 17, Willie McLaurin resigned as interim president and CEO of the national entity after a committee, looking into his background as part of his consideration as a candidate for the permanent position, found he had misrepresented his academic credentials. McLaurin had served in the interim president role since February 2022 after serving as an SBC EC vice president since 2020. He had followed Ronnie Floyd, who vacated 2021 in response to the SBC EC’s vote to renounce attorney-client privilege in an investigation into the alleged coverup by the SBC EC about sex abuse among SBC churches. Floyd had replaced Frank Page who quit in 2018 because of an admitted “personal failing” described in news reports as a “morally inappropriate relationship.” Meanwhile, Dan Summerlin, a retired Kentucky pastor who was announced, Sept. 18, as the candidate for the role of “transitional interim president and CEO,” unexpectedly withdrew his name from consideration on Sept. 19, only hours before it was anticipated he would be approved by SBC EC … [Read more...]

McRaney to appeal ruling in lawsuit against NAMB

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor AMORY, Miss. (LBM) – Will McRaney announced Sept. 11 his intention to appeal the Aug. 15 ruling by the U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi that determined his lawsuit against the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention would force the court “to inquire into religious matters and decision-making to a degree that is simply impermissible under the Constitution and the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine.” In a statement to The Baptist Paper, McRaney contended that the court’s decision “is built around the erroneous concept of ‘THE’ Baptist Church as a denomination like the Catholic or Methodist Church.” Indeed, in legal filings supporting NAMB’s position, the SBC is described as “the umbrella Southern Baptist governing body over all the various groups of churches.” This contravenes the SBC’s constitution which declares it “is independent and sovereign in its own sphere” and that it “does not claim and will never attempt to exercise any authority over any other Baptist body, whether church, auxiliary organizations, associations, or convention.” McRaney further argued that the Court’s latest ruling results in a legal determination that “a … [Read more...]

ERLC elects controversial pastor as trustee chair

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NOTE: Dashes were substituted for letters of a curse word in paragraph five. Also, [fire emoji] is used in paragraph nine to indicate Smith substituted a picture of flames for the word “fire.” NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) – Kevin Smith, pastor of Family Church Village in Palm Beach, Florida, was unanimously elected trustee chairman of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. His Sept. 13 election is being heralded as historic because this is “the first time a black individual has assumed this leadership role within the organization,” according to the Christian Post. Smith was lauded for his “deep ties in SBC life” and as someone who “personally understands the importance of cooperation as a Baptist distinctive,” in an ERLC press release published the same day. However, others pointed out that he attacks those who hold opposing views to his beliefs. National media sources cited Smith as saying, “I think some Southern Baptists just bent over and became political wh---s with this whole Trump stuff,” when he was an audience member commenting to a panel at the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting. Prior to that statement he declared, “I think some … [Read more...]

GBO: Volunteer recalls 90 disasters, ministry responses

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer GLENMORA, La. (LBM) – When disaster strikes, your gifts to the Louisiana Missions Offering, named after the historical state missionary Georgia Barnette, help provide relief for those affected in Louisiana and beyond, James Irvine shared with the Baptist Message. During the last 19 years, Irvine and his Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief shower trailer have offered a mainstay ministry of care for individuals impacted by 90 catastrophic events. Since driving the trailer to south Louisiana to his first disaster response effort only days after Hurricane Katrina impacted the area in 2005, Irvine has traveled thousands of miles across the United States immediately after the devastation of hurricanes, floods, ice storms, tornadoes and fires. Importantly, his motivation is “to give a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name,” without strings attached but in the hope that someone will ask, “Why?” That gives him the opening to share about Jesus, he said. “When they do accept Christ, it’s very rewarding because you have been successful in your mission,” Irvine told the Baptist Message. “Sometimes it gets frustrating, but you have to remember it’s not about you but your Lord and … [Read more...]

Champions Camp: A special fun-filled, ‘needed’ weekend

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) -- A field at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center was transformed to a mini water park for 15 people with special needs during the fourth annual Champions Camp, Sept. 7-9. The campers, accompanied by 20 “buddies” and staff, displayed their best moves on the water slide and tossed suds made by a water foam cannon. Among those was Logan Singletary, a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria. “Tossing all these suds really was something that I had fun doing and it’s a reason I love coming out here to this camp,” Singletary told the Baptist Message. “I’m really glad they had this for us, and it made me smile.” The Louisiana Baptist summer camp for people with special needs matched participants with buddies who accompanied them during the event. The camp featured karaoke, an ice cream sundae party, fishing, games, a demonstration of a dog obedient to his master and worship designed for children and adults from ages 8 and up who have intellectual or development disabilities. Clint Stewart, who served as camp pastor, said the event allowed each person to realize they are a champion and loved by God. “I have come every year since this camp … [Read more...]

E4+ Conference: Seek the lost

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer  PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Christ is in hot pursuit of those who are lost and desires all to come into a relationship with Him, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary Professor David Allen said during the recent E4+ Preaching Conference. Citing Luke 19, Allen told a record crowd of more than 100 pastors and ministry staff and 19 pastors’ wives at First Baptist Church, Pineville, that Zacchaeus longed to see Jesus and went to great lengths to get a glimpse of Him. In the end, Zacchaeus who had stolen from the poor through his job as a tax collector encountered Jesus and his life was changed forever. “Jesus did not save Zacchaeus because Zacchaeus gave money to the poor or gave back what he extorted,” he continued. “Jesus saved Zacchaeus out of grace because all of salvation is by grace through faith, not of works lest anyone should brag about it. And he gives evidence of that salvation by opening up his pocketbook and his billfold and giving to the poor and by making right what he extorted from the people.” Allen said while many in the crowd hated Zacchaeus because he had used his position as a tax collector to steal from them, Jesus reminded the Jewish people that Zacchaeus, too, … [Read more...]