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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Bush to Moore: White evangelical churches are ‘political instruments’

By Will Hall, Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – “Churches have become, particularly the White evangelical churches, have become political instruments,” former President George W. Bush told Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Bush made the accusation during an online conversation, “Immigrants and the American Future,” sponsored by the Bush Center in Dallas and moderated by Moore. “The comments were stunning for a president whose 2004 reelection campaign relied in part on energizing those White evangelicals using the issue of same-sex marriage,” reported the Washington Times. “Eleven states had questions about marriage on their ballots that year, including Ohio, the crucial state in the Electoral College where Mr. Bush’s campaign said it benefited from Christian turnout.” The former president’s comments were a response to Moore’s claim that support for immigration by U.S. Christians has flagged in recent years. But legal immigration to the United States has not dropped below 1 million per year since 2013 (990,553) under the Obama Administration. Moreover, refugee resettlements under former President Trump were on par year-for-year with … [Read more...]

LBC Executive Board urged to ‘change me’

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – Recognizing the need for personal revival, Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn announced a 28-day personal revival guide that he hopes hundreds of churches and members will engage with later this year. “We are in a desperate situation,” Horn told Executive Board members during their May 4 meeting at Tall Timbers Conference Center in Woodworth. “We are doomed. I am asking the Lord and seeking the Lord about what could be my part in helping that. I am not even sure we are ready for revival in terms of mass evangelism right now, but instead what we are desperate for is personal revival.” State missions services staff began a joint focus on personal revival May 9 and will conclude June 5, using Horn’s booklet, “Change Me.” The effort is based on Psalm 139:23-24. “It is my prayer, my vision and my dream that we will have hundreds of churches in Louisiana at the end of 2021 or to start 2022 that will seek the Lord for personal revival,” Horn said. “And, so, pray for us as a staff over the next 28 days as the Lord brings that to your attention and pray that each one, most of all me, would have a sense of God doing something new, fresh and real in our … [Read more...]

Russell Moore to leave ERLC for Christianity Today

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) – Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, announced on russellmoore.com, May 18, he had “struggled with the decision” but that he was leaving his position with the Southern Baptist Convention to join Christianity Today as “public theologian and as director of a new venture, the Christianity Today Public Theology Project.” Moore had served since 2013 as head of the Nashville, Tennessee-based ERLC. Prior to that he was “provost and dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he also taught theology and ethics,” according to his website. Sharing his gratitude for the opportunity to serve Southern Baptists, he made special mention of his work on “national conferences such as MLK50 and Caring Well” as well as “a string of special successful engagements on matters of public policy.” He also praised his team for their “work of evangelism and cultural engagement.” Moore was staunchly pro-life during his eight-year tenure. One of his special emphases was providing ultrasound machines to pregnancy care centers through the ERLC’s ongoing Psalm 139 Project. The sonograms these medical … [Read more...]

Storms wreak havoc in Louisiana

By Baptist Message staff LAKE CHARLES, La. (LBM) - Heavy rainfall on Monday, May 16, dumped up to 15 inches in parts of southwest Louisiana and other areas of the state still recovering from Hurricanes Delta and Laura that devastated the region last year. “We know that this situation is becoming a little too familiar for a lot of us in Lake Charles,” Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said in a video update on the city’s Facebook page. “This is another challenge, but it is not a challenge that we are not capable of handling.” Accuweather said the rainfall on Monday was the third-wettest day on record for Lake Charles. According to the National Weather Service, more than 15 inches of rain fell in south Lake Charles and other areas received up to 12 inches of rain. The excessive rain caused flash flooding that stranded cars in city streets and sent water inside homes. The Advocate newspaper reported that 10-12 inches of water fell in the Baton Rouge area, flooding streets and stranding some motorists m in their cars. St. George Fire Department crews performed multiple water rescues of motorists who drove into high water. Motorists also were stranded at the intersection of Camellia Blvd. and Johnston Street in Lafayette, … [Read more...]