By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer SINGER, La. (LBM) – Churches in Beauregard and Vernon Baptist associations gathered for special prayer services Aug. 27 and asked God for much needed rain in areas where wildfires have scorched more than 50,000 acres. Sunday, the congregations of First Baptist Church, DeRidder, and East Leesville Baptist Church services sought God’s help, through prayer, to ask the Almighty to intervene as weary first responders, church members and people in the community have waged a two-week battle against the wildfires. By the end of the evening, their prayers were answered as many areas in west-central Louisiana saw their first measurable rainfall since mid-July. The Sunday evening gathering at FBC DeRidder drew more than 350 while the service at East Leesville Baptist had more than 120. “We believe that God wants His people to draw close to Him in every circumstance,” FBC DeRidder Pastor Steve Graves told the Baptist Message after the service. “The drought and fires happen to be the circumstance that has brought our community closer to God. And when that happens, it’s pleasing to God and honors God. “God is faithful, whether it rains or not,” he continued. “And last night, in his … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn ALEXANDRIA, La. - News broke late Thursday afternoon that Willie McLaurin, the current interim president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, has resigned. Willie resigned in the wake of the discovery that he had misrepresented his academic degrees on his resume. Many of us are devastated. We are devastated because we had grown to trust Willie and believed he was the right man at the right time to lead us as Southern Baptists in this position. We are devastated because, once again, a leader’s sin is exposed to the watching world. So where do we go from here? That question will be answered by the Search Team and the Executive Committee of the SBC. They are starting over. They will need time to grieve, process, and begin their prayerful search again. In the meantime, Louisiana Baptists have a specific assignment. Our assignment is to pray. Pray for our own Philip Robertson. Philip is the new chairman of the Executive Committee, having been elected in June. He is not new to the Executive Committee and he is not new as a leader, but he is new to being the chairman of this committee. His role will be great in this season of securing another interim leader. I have known Philip since we were in Seminary, 30 … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee released the July 2023 financial summary, August 4, reporting that gifts for the month to SBC causes through the Cooperative Program and via designated giving were down 8.19 percent and 15.63 percent, respectively, compared to July 2022. Year-to-date figures also showed both funding channels continued to be below 2022 levels. From October 1, 2022, through July 31, 2023, total SBC CP contributions were 4.91 percent lower compared to the same timeframe during the last fiscal year. Likewise, combined designated giving was 3.38 less for the same months, with both of the two largest funds down compared to last year. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering was off 4.96 percent, and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering was lower by 0.49 percent (less than one-half of a percentage point). LBC Giving The national report showed monthly giving by Louisiana Baptists to SBC causes in July was down 31.83 percent through CP and 51.36 percent for special offerings. However, the yearly data was less volatile. Louisiana Baptist contributions for 2023 through the CP were off slightly, 0.16 percent (less than … [Read more...]