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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Trust, the SBC, the MBC and the Cooperative Program

By Don Hinkle EDITOR’S NOTE: Read a news article related to this editorial at the following link: https://mbcpathway.com/2022/04/12/churches-now-able-to-withhold-funds-from-sbc-entities-in-mbcs-new-plan-b-giving-option/. “Trust is like a vase. Once it’s broken, though you can fix it, the vase will never be the same again.” – Walter Anderson JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - One of the greatest unified giving efforts in American Christianity has been the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Every Southern Baptist – whether in a small church or a large one – gives cooperatively to support the advancement of the gospel. Through the Cooperative Program generosity of Southern Baptists, one of the world’s largest missionary-sending efforts is being achieved at home and abroad. World-class theological education is a reality and lives are touched in innumerable ways through Southern Baptist Disaster Relief operations and other ministries. In 2021 Southern Baptists gave nearly $200 million to the Cooperative Program – all based on trust. Southern Baptists trust that their Cooperative Program dollars will be spent to support the ministries intended. Violate that trust and expect repercussions. When Missouri Southern … [Read more...]

MBC offers ‘Plan B’ to bypass SBC entities

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board has authorized a new method of cooperative giving for its churches. “Plan B” allows churches to withhold funds from selected Southern Baptist Convention entities without withdrawing from Cooperative Program support altogether, according to The Pathway, the news service of Missouri Baptists. The MBC Executive Board overwhelmingly voted to approve “Plan B” during a special-called Zoom meeting, April 7. During the meeting, MBC leaders described “Plan B” as an attempt to acknowledge Missouri Baptists’ concerns with some SBC entities – for example, the SBC Executive Committee’s hasty decision to hire a law firm that promotes LGBTQ+ causes. “Plan A” is the MBC’s traditional form of CP giving through which churches send undesignated gifts to the SBC Executive Committee for distribution according to the allocation plan approved each year by Southern Baptist messengers at the SBC annual meeting. If churches opt for “Plan B,” they can select which SBC entities to withhold their funds from, and the MBC will forward their gifts only to those SBC entities that are not explicitly excluded by the church. “The MBC Executive Board continues to forward 38 percent of all … [Read more...]

SBC 2023 annual meeting may move to New Orleans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee will meet via Zoom, April 28, to discuss moving the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting from Charlotte, N.C. to New Orleans, La. Rolland Slade, chairman of the SBC EC told Baptist Press the move was a sign of good news because “attendance at the annual meeting is trending up, which is the primary reason for the move.” Charlotte was confirmed as the 2023 host city by messengers to the 2016 SBC Annual Meeting in St. Louis. Since that meeting, however, attendance at the annual event has grown, which means the 280,000-square-foot Charlotte Convention Center is not large enough to host the now-anticipated 15,000 messengers and guests, Baptist Press reported, noting that space requirements have recently surged to 400,000 square feet. Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director Steve Horn was enthusiastic. “We are excited to welcome back the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2023,” Horn told Baptist Press. “It’s been 11 years since Louisiana last hosted this gathering, and we’ll be ready to roll out the welcome mat for our Baptist family from across the nation. We’ll also be sure and save some of your favorite Louisiana cuisine!” Jamie Dew, … [Read more...]

SBC EC seeks inputs via 2 surveys

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The President Search Team is seeking inputs to develop a “candidate profile for the next president and CEO” of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, according to a press release received by the Baptist Message. An online survey, allowing defined responses to discrete questions, is available for pastors and lay[1]people. Meanwhile, a different survey (which also allows personal comments) was sent to state executive directors, SBC entity heads and EC members. The President Search Team said the results “would help better inform us on what Southern Baptist leaders, pastors, and churches are looking for in our next SBC Executive Committee president & CEO.” Participants will remain anonymous, the press release noted. “As you answer the questions, please know that your answers will remain confidential,” the statement explained. “Your survey will only be seen by the President Search Team, and we are committed to keeping your answers and comments private. We ask that you answer the questions prayerfully, honestly, and with a desire to serve our Convention with your insight.” Pastors and church members may access the first survey here. Members of SBC EC President Search Team are Adron … [Read more...]

Three decisions for Christ during Wednesday service

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer KENTWOOD, La. (LBM) – Evangelist Steve Paysen was on the Northshore for another assignment when he felt prompted to contact Spring Creek Baptist Church about a last-minute speaking engagement for March 23. Fewer than 24 hours later, the Holy Spirit used the Wednesday evening message to bring three teenage boys to make decisions for Christ. “Friends invited their friends to this service,” Paysen told the Baptist Message. “When young people see the fruit of their labor it really helps them catch the vision of evangelism and discipleship. And they become even more excited about sharing Jesus with others.” He encouraged churches to consider holding more evangelistic events on Wednesday nights because of the fruit that is yielded. “You always get a more diverse crowd,” Paysen said. “It’s a one-hour commitment, where you get in and get out. We saw that play out with the three teenagers who made a decision for Christ at Spring Creek Baptist.” Paysen, an evangelist with the P230 Foundation, said he has seen students more open to the Gospel during a mid-week gathering during his 17 years of experience both as a student minister in three churches (two that ranked among the … [Read more...]

FBC Basile sees baptisms, growth amid trials

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer BASILE, La. (LBM) – Multiple disasters in the last few years could have caused members of First Baptist Church, Basile, to become disheartened but instead the congregation has remained steadfast, according to pastor. “It’s been an amazing resilience in this church to come together and be a blessing to the community,” Pastor Mike Fontenot told the Baptist Message. “We have seen others outside our church even join us as we rebuilt each time that we faced a tragedy. It’s been a beautiful thing to see people respond in faithfulness.” The church’s dedication, he said, has resulted in 12 professions of faith and 10 baptisms in the last six months. TRIED BY FIRE, PLUS When Fontenot arrived at FBC Basile in 2017, the congregation averaged 70 for Sunday worship. A year later, the church experienced a parsonage fire, the first of several disasters. The church experienced an electrical fire in the food pantry storage building (June 2020) and a tree that fell on the parsonage (August 2020). But through each disaster, the church remained faithful and has seen God provide with donations to cover the cost to rebuild. Fontenot and his wife, Jessica, who also serves as … [Read more...]

Sheriff credits God for surviving COVID

By John Marcase, Special to the Baptist Message WINNFIELD, La. -- Cranford Jordan awoke and had no idea where he was located. He did not even know the date, he recounted, explaining how five days on a ventilator impacted him. The Winn Parish sheriff is among the millions of Americans who have contracted COVID-19. He also feels he is one of the fortunate ones. “The experts tell us if you are over 65, overweight, have high blood pressure and are a diabetic, and you get the virus, you are not going to make it,” said Jordan. “Well, here I am. I have all four of them and I’m still here. I’m part of the 13 percent that gets off the vent.” Jordan gave two reasons why he is part of that select 13 percent -- the medical and nursing staff at Rapides Regional Medical Center, and his Lord and Savior. “I’m here today because one, my good Lord,” says Jordan. “Prayers went up for me. And two, God answered the prayers through the nurses and medical staff at Rapides Regional Medical Center.” The irony that Jordan would recover from COVID-19 at the Alexandria hospital was not lost on him. Several years ago, Jordan had to take his sister to the emergency room at Rapides and the experience was not a pleasant one. “I told my … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists test Rebuild Program

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer HOUMA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief recently completed a two-week pilot program dedicated to rebuilding homes damaged by Hurricane Ida in Houma. Florida and South Carolina disaster relief volunteers joined Texas Baptist Men to work alongside Louisiana team members, March 24-April 8, on 18 Houma homes. They also repaired the Bayou Baptist Association office (located in Gray) as well as buildings on the campuses of Christ Baptist Church and Couteau Baptist Church (both in Houma). Projects ranged from smaller jobs like replacing fence boards to more complex ones such as drywall installation, electrical line re-wiring and plumbing replacement. Teams were housed at Coteau Baptist Church, and funding for the project was provided by Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas Baptist Men disaster relief ministries. “We have learned during these two weeks what all is involved and chose to do projects of different magnitudes so we could learn what is needed logistically for all projects we would undertake in the future,” Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief Associate and Volunteer Mobilizer Mark Morelock told the Baptist Message. “Once this is over, we can take what we … [Read more...]