It is these persons who will be responsible for conducting
convention business during the rest of the year – for the state offices
and various agencies.
Thus, the process of nominating and electing state committee
and board members represents an integral part of Louisiana Baptist life.
It begins with convention structure, which includes seven ongoing
committees to address areas of Louisiana Baptist life. Also, each convention
agency is governed by a separate trustee board. There is an executive board
to handle denominational business during the year as well.
It is these persons who will be responsible for conducting
convention business during the rest of the year – for the state offices
and various agencies.
Thus, the process of nominating and electing state committee
and board members represents an integral part of Louisiana Baptist life.
It begins with convention structure, which includes seven ongoing
committees to address areas of Louisiana Baptist life. Also, each convention
agency is governed by a separate trustee board. There is an executive board
to handle denominational business during the year as well.
A total of 64 persons serve on committees.
Another 176 persons serve on boards.
Each year, a portion of committee and board members complete
terms of service, ranging from three to fours years. Some are eligible for re-election
to second terms. Others have completed second terms and must be replaced. The
task of nominating persons for re-election or new elections falls to a pair
of state convention committees.
The LBC Committee on Committees is a nine-member group responsible
for nominating persons to convention structure. Each year, three people rotate
off the committee, and three others are appointed by the state convention president.
In turn, the 15-member Committee on Nominations is an elected
group responsible for nominating persons on boards.
Other than presidential appointments, final say in the committee/board
process lies with state convention messengers. Each year, the Committee on Committees
and Committees on Nominations present their nominees to state convention messengers.
It is only when messengers approve the nominees by majority vote that the person
begins service.
In 2002, 91 Louisiana Baptists are being nominated to serve
on the various state boards and committees (with three more to be named). Of
those, 67 are nominated to service on boards, and 24 are proposed for committee
posts.
Nominees are listed below. Pastors are identified. The others
are laypersons or ministers in some other capacities. Those with an asterisk
by their names are nominated to first terms of service. The others are proposed
for second terms.
The nominees are:
LBC Executive Board
Perry Hubbs, pastor, First, Opelousas
*James Williford, pastor, First, Golden Meadow
*Barry Trindle, pastor, Texas Avenue, DeRidder
Leonard Free, pastor, New Prospect, Dry Prong
Carlys Beard, South Lake Charles, Lake Charles
*Jake Roudkovski, pastor, First, Ponchatoula
A.W. Smart, pastor, Pisgah, Bernice
Carl Gulde, pastor, First, Crowville
Jeff Pardue, pastor, Pine Grove, Livingston
George Bannister, pastor, First, Scott
*Paul Wilson, pastor, Immanuel, Morgan City
Kirby Hill, pastor, Riverdale, Baton Rouge
Tom Simmons, pastor, Faith, Baker
Jackie Beard, Big Cane, Morrow
*Royce Christmas, pastor, Greenacres, Bastrop
Randal Pike, pastor, Trinity, Ville Platte
*Freddie Williford, pastor, First, Belle Chasse
Wayne Bridges, Williams Boulevard, Kenner
Julio Morales, Airline, Metairie
*Jim Spencer, pastor, Kingsville, Pineville
*Jerry Penfield, pastor, First, Zwolle
Charles Holloway, Oak Grove, Eros
Jerry Jones, pastor, Mt. Gilead, Vivian
Patti Yeats, Koran, Haughton
Frank Duchame, pastor, Buras-Triumph, Buras
Truman Leach, pastor, Trinity, Many
Donald Denton, pastor, Northside, Slidell
*John Cleveland, pastor, Line Creek, Kentwood
*Mark Brumbaugh, pastor, First, Leesville
Karl Tingle, pastor, First, Franklinton
*A.D. “Buddy” Willis, Prosperity, Jonesville
*Ralph Webber, pastor, First, Harrisonburg
*Carl Lane, New Hope, DeQuincy
*Joe Dunn, pastor, Bethlehem, Albany
*James Avance, pastor, Central, Gonzales
*Kyle Coates, pastor, Eastside, Rayville
Baptist Retirement Center
*Cloteal Harper, Goodwill, Oak Grove
Terry Taylor, pastor, Crews New Salem, Montgomery
*David Crosby, pastor, First, New Orleans
*Blaine Stafford, pastor, Macedonia, Effie
*William Green, pastor, First, Greenwood
Louisiana Baptist Message
*Richard Enterkin, pastor, First, Monterey
*Randy McGee, pastor, First, Monroe
*Bill Vaughn, pastor, Bonita, Bonita
*Larry Thompson, pastor, First, Westlake
Louisiana Baptist Childrens Home
Warren Eckhardt, North Monroe, Monroe
Reba Byrd, First, Iowa
Della Guillory Piggott, Houston River, Sulphur
*Jimmy Brossette, pastor, Big Cane, Morrow
Gordon “Skip” Dean, pastor, Highland, West Monroe
Louisiana Baptist Foundation
Mark Eakin, pastor, Eastwood, Haughton
*David Bains, First, Kenner
Huey Miller, First, Lafayette
Winford Hammett, Pioneer, Pioneer
*Roy Martin III, Calvary, Alexandria
Louisiana College
*Mary Moffett, Pritchard, Jonesville
Bob Meredith, Northwoods, Shreveport
Alan Shoumaker, Jefferson, Baton Rouge
*Patrick Sexton, First, Ruston
*John Jeffries, pastor, First, Chalmette
*Craig James, pastor, East Jena, Jena
Lonnie Luce, Broussard Grove, Prairieville
Rick Aultman, pastor, Mangham, Mangham
William Smith, pastor, Lakeshore, Monroe
*Mark Sparks, Amite, Denham Springs
Tommy Middleton, pastor, Woodlawn, Baton Rouge
Committee on Convention Arrangements
*Kendall Holley, pastor, Broadacres, Shreveport
*Everett Geis Sr., pastor, Victory, Monroe
*Joe Kite, pastor, Lamourie, Lecompte
Committee on Credentials
*Mike Rasberry, pastor, Immanuel, Slidell
*Norman Gordon, Brookwood, Shreveport
Committee on Louisiana Baptist History
*Dianne Dillard, Hebron, Bush
*Jesse Henderson, pastor, Shady Grove, Sikes
Committee on Moral and Social Concerns
*Tony Perkins, Greenwell Springs, Greenwell Springs
*Kathy Edmondson, First, Gonzales
*Neil Everett, pastor, First, Calhoun
*Tim Post, Bethel, Bastrop
*Joshua Priola, First, Gillis
*Wayne Earl, Mt. Hope, Oakdale
*Kay Andrews, First, Clinton
Committee on Nominations
*Tommy French, pastor, Jefferson, Baton Rouge
*Michael Stewart, Trinity, Lake Charles
*Dennis Relaford, pastor, Ingleside, Shreveport
*Gary Wagoner, pastor, Evangeline, Wildsville
*Jerry Barlow, First, Covington
Committee on Order of Business
*David Cranford, pastor First Tioga, Pineville
*Jason Hoychick, pastor, Ellwood, Forest Hill
*Bobby Magee, pastor, Emmanuel, Minden
Committee on Resolutions
*Joe Senn, pastor, Crockett Point, Crowville
*Eddie Davis, pastor, First, Zachary
If all of the nominees are elected, the boards and committee
will have the following makeups:
The 95-member Executive Board will include 71 pastors
and 22 others who either are laypersons or hold other ministerial positions.
(The discrepancy in totals is because two vacancies on the board remain to be
filled.) It also will include 86 men and seven women.
The 12-member Baptist Retirement Center board will
include nine pastors and three who either are laypersons or hold other ministerial
positions. It also will include 10 men and two women.
The Louisiana Baptist Message board will include
nine pastors and three who either are laypersons or hold other ministerial positions.
In addition, it will include 10 men and two women.
The 15-member Louisiana Baptist Childrens
Home board will include five pastors and 10 who either are laypersons or hold
other ministerial positions. It also will include 10 men and five women.
The 12-member Louisiana Baptist Foundation board
will include two pastors and nine who either are laypersons or hold other ministerial
positions. (The discrepancy in the total is because a vacancy still remains
to be filled on the foundation board prior to the convention.) It also will
include 10 men and one woman.
The 33-member Louisiana College board will include
15 pastors and 18 who either are laypersons or hold other ministerial positions.
The schools board also will include 31 men and two women.
The Committee on Convention Arrangements will include
five pastors and two who either are laypersons or hold other ministerial positions.
It will include all males.
The seven-member Committee on Credentials will
include three pastors and four who either are laypersons or hold other ministerial
positions. It also will include six men and one woman.
The six-member committee on Louisiana Baptist History
will include three pastors and three who either are laypersons or hold other
ministerial positions. It also will include five men and one woman.
The 15-member Committee on Moral and Social Concerns
will include eight pastors and seven who either are laypersons or hold other
ministerial positions. It also will include 13 men and two women.
The 15-member Committee on Moral and Social Concerns
will include 10 pastors and five who either are laypersons or hold other ministerial
positions. It also will include 14 men and one woman.
The seven-member Committee on Order of Business
will include seven pastors and no women.
The seven-member Committee on Resolutions will
include seven pastors and no women.
What the breakdowns mean is that the Louisiana Baptist Convention
is dominated by pastors and men, as far as board and committee representation
is concerned.
Only three boards have a majority of members who are not pastors
– the Louisiana Baptist Childrens Home, the Louisiana Baptist Foundation
and Louisiana College.
All committees and boards have a majority of men.
Of the 176 overall board members, 111 (63.1 percent) are pastors.
That leaves the remaining 65 (36.9 percent) as laypersons or ministers in other
capacities. In addition, 157 (89.2 percent) of all board members are men, leaving
19 others (10.8 percent) as women.
Of the 64 overall committee members, 43 (67.2 percent) are
pastors, leaving 21 others (32.8 percent) as laypersons or ministers in other
capacities. In addition, 59 (92.2 percent) are men, leaving five others (7.8
percent) as women.
Taken all together, 240 total state convention committee and
board positions are filled or nominated – with three more remaining to
be nominated to raise the total to 243.
Of the 240 nominated or currently filled, 154 (64.2 percent)
are pastors and 86 (35.8 percent) are laypersons or hold other ministerial positions.
Meanwhile, 216 (90 percent) are men and 24 (10 percent) are women.