Click to Login or Sign Up

Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

LA pulmonologist appeals to adults to get vaccinations

By Staff, Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Frank Courmier, a pulmonologist at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, appealed to Louisiana Baptist state missions staff, July 20, urging them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and to advocate for vaccinations among Louisiana Baptists. Courmier, who conducted virus bioengineering research at M.D. Anderson in Houston, Texas, is chair of a regional coronavirus task force that encompasses the parishes surrounding Lafayette, and he is a member of the state task force on COVID-19. He addressed key issues, and answered questions and concerns raised by individuals gathered at the Louisiana Baptist Building and from online participants, citing an urgency in getting out his message because of a fourth surge his hospital is facing. A 10-day increase from nine to 40 COVID, mostly unvaccinated patients, has caused the hospital to “scramble one more time to accommodate the influx of patients,” he said. “I am tired of the death and destruction that this is causing, and I have to do something,” Courmier shared. “And so, rather than sitting and going through another fourth surge I have asked permission and have been granted to go across the state trying to convince … [Read more...]

As pastor, judge, McCallum serves God, Louisiana

By Will Hall, Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Jay McCallum believes in public service, and living your whole life in service to Christ, he told the Baptist Message. “My wife and I came to an understanding a number of years ago that everything we do is to be part of our ministry and mission effort. And God is sovereign over all our lives, not just part of our lives. “When you look at Scripture, it’s obvious,” he offered. “The Holy Spirit reveals our whole lives are to be dedicated to Christ. And that means every part of our life, including our occupation, no matter what it is.” McCallum was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court in November and recently served as interim pastor for Liberty Baptist Church near Linville. He is only a few hours shy of completing a master’s degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, he said, and hopes to graduate in December. He and his wife, Deanna, are members of First Baptist Church in Farmerville, where he is a deacon and teacher and both are active in various ministries, according to his official biography. They are partners in law, too. McCallum said his journey to the pulpit and the state Supreme Court bench has been guided by the Holy Spirit. “I am … [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. HOMECOMING First Baptist Church, Ball: Homecoming, August 1, 10:45 a.m. with a meal following the worship service. Worship: The Good News Gospel Trio. Pastor: Mike Hedrick. Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Pollock: Homecoming, August 1, Sunday School, 9:45 a.m.; 10:45 a.m. Gospel music concert by Mountain View Connection Group. Lunch will follow. Speaker: David Maxwell. Pastor: Micah Murrell. ON THE MOVE Keith, wife Suzanne, Sheridan is the new BASELA (Baptist Association of Southeast Louisiana) Director of Missions. He was formerly pastor of Lee’s Creek Baptist Church, Bogalusa. Tony Carter is the new pastor at Unity One Baptist Church, Franklin. Jeff, wife Mary, Shows is the new pastor at East Winnfield Baptist Church, Winnfield. He comes from Union Hall Baptist Church in Coushatta. He officially begins July … [Read more...]

Seeds planted, harvest reaped in Coushatta

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer COUSHATTA, La. (LBM) – A season of prayer preceded a recent four-night crusade at Red River High School in Coushatta that saw 10 people come to Christ and many more seek personal revival. Held July 11-14, the Red River Crusade and Concert featured messages by Bill Britt, founder of Compel Outreach in Haughton, and music by the Jason Lovins Band and the New Hope No. 3 praise and worship team. Leading up to the crusade, Red River Parish congregations, representing multiple denominations, took part in coordinated individual times of prayer. Crusade organizer Shawn Beard, a member of Martin Baptist Church in Coushatta, said prayer was a solid foundation for a mighty movement of God during the course of the event. “I personally think without prayer we are spinning our wheels and not really headed in the right direction,” Beard told the Baptist Message. “Prayer also guided us to put our feet to the ground as we planned and prepared for what God had for us.” Even before he preached his first message of the crusade, Britt said he could feel a spirit of unity among those gathered. “It was a blessing to see different races, denominations, churches all come together,” Britt said. … [Read more...]

Plagiarism scandal embroils SBC President Ed Litton

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor WASHINGTON (LBM) – National media outlets such as the Washington Times and Newsweek have reported a plagiarism scandal involving Ed Litton, pastor of Redemption Church in Saraland, Alabama, and newly elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Now, the Conservative Baptist Network, with a membership of 10,000 pastors and other church leaders, has issued a statement calling for Litton to resign. REPORTS The controversy erupted with an anonymous YouTube posting, June 24, of a comparison of sermons preached by Litton and J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and immediate past SBC president. The video montage shows several segments where Litton repeats word-for-word from different portions of a sermon on Romans first preached by Greear. Questions also have been raised about the theology presented in the sermons, which claim that God only “whispers” against sexual sin such as homosexuality. The fallout has been broad, with other media outlets following up with subsequent reports of plagiarism by Litton. Meanwhile, Newsweek reported, June 28, that “more than 140 videos were either unavailable or hidden across several playlists … [Read more...]

Lawmakers defect, Fairness in Women’s Sports fails

By Will Hall, Message executive editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – A critical bill that would have prevented biological males (as transgender women) from taking women’s sports team spots away from biological females was defeated, July 21, during a veto override session in the Louisiana House, when 10 representatives either defected or did not vote after having previously supported the legislation in the regular session. Sen. Beth Mizell (R), Senate president pro tempore and a member of First Baptist Church, Franklinton, authored S.B. 156 “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” as an attempt to level the playing field for women athletes. The bill was a response against the H.R. 5 “Equality Act” submitted in the U.S. Congress that would allow biological males to compete as females. It was passed at the federal level by the House and is awaiting a vote in the Senate. However, an executive mandate promoting transgender rights by President Joe Biden (D) calls for a review of federal policies that likely will produce the same result as passage of H.R. 5. REGULAR SESSION In the spring, the Louisiana Senate passed Mizell’s measure to guard against males on female teams, 29-6-4, and the House, too, 78-19-8. However, Gov. John Bel Edwards … [Read more...]

LBC seeks resolutions, nominees for committees, boards

By Staff, Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) — Louisiana Baptists are invited to recommend candidates to serve on state convention boards and committees, and, are asked to submit resolutions for possible consideration by messengers at the 2021 Louisiana Baptist Convention. COMMITTEES The Louisiana Baptist Committee on Committees will be conducting its work early this fall to fill 17 openings on five state convention committees: Credentials; Moral and Social Concerns; Nominations; Order of Business; and Resolutions. Nominations should be sent not later than Aug. 17 to Jake Roudkowski, a member of First Baptist Church, Mandeville, who is the Committee on Committees chair. Please forward your recommendations via email, jaker@nobts,edu, or the U.S. Mail, Dr. Jake Roudkowski, 78689 Hwy. 25, Folsom, LA 70437. BOARDS The Louisiana Baptist Committee on Nominations will begin its work, also in early fall, to fill 22 vacancies on the LBC Executive Board as well as the trustee bodies of the Louisiana College, Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries, Baptist Message, and Baptist Foundation. Nominations should be sent not later than Aug. 17 to Philip Robertson, the pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church, … [Read more...]

The heart-cry of the embattled pastor

By Joe McKeever RIDGELAND, Miss. – “You shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things, for this is not my doing” (Numbers 16:28). “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and I have done all these things at Your word” (I Kings 18:36). What Moses and Elijah prayed, I pray. It is entirely in order for the Lord’s messenger to pray that the people to whom he was sent will recognize that God is God and fully in charge, and that he himself is the Lord’s servant, on mission from Him. During what was possibly the worst time of my life when a little group of self-righteous members clamored for my resignation and criticized every thing I did, that was my prayer. I was going through the fire, being tried as I rarely had. The prayer felt like the dying gasp of the weakest child in God’s family.  “Lord, let these people know there is a God in this place.  And that I’m your servant, just doing your will.” Did God hear the prayer?  Did He answer? I’m confident He did. He heard and answered in His own way, and to the extent that pleased Him.  And–don’t miss this–in His own time.  (Not always in my time!) That is not to say any … [Read more...]