Victims identified in deadly plane crash on levee of Atchafalaya River
TRUSTEES: New VP position approved at NOBTS
By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS public relations NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- The creation of a new vice president position for enrollment was approved by the executive committee of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's trustees in a June 4 meeting. The vice president for enrollment, a position created to provide oversight for all departments essential for a healthy enrollment, will act as chief strategist and catalyst for enrollment-related matters for NOBTS and its Leavell College. A candidate for the position will be named at a later date. Student services related to recruitment, admissions, advisement, success, retention and completion as well as financial aid and the registrar's services will be included under the vice president for enrollment's oversight. In other action, the board approved the transition of the church history major in the Ph.D. program to a concentration within the theology major. The transition provides students the option of writing a dissertation in either theology or church history. Church history will continue to be offered as a minor and, if needed, can be revived later as a major. Two other majors in the Ph.D. program were "suspended" -- the missions major and the Great Commission studies major. … [Read more...]
Dew unanimous choice as NOBTS president
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Trustees of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary voted unanimously, June 5, to elect Jamie Dew as the ninth president of the school during a special called meeting on campus. An 11-person search committee recommended Dew, and that trustee panel included several Louisiana Baptists: Waylon Bailey, pastor, First Baptist Church, Covington; John Foster, member, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans; and, Jackie Myers, member, First Baptist Church, Sicily Island. Jack Bell, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Hornbeck also served on the committee but stepped aside for personal reasons in the spring, according to the seminary public relations department. Dew is succeeding Chuck Kelley, who retires July 31. ‘BEST OF EVERYTHING’ During an introductory press conference, Dew said New Orleans offers a unique opportunity for theological education and ministerial preparation. “In this city you have the best of everything - culture, challenge, opportunity for ministry, a religiously plural context that our students could learn in,” he said. “In short, if you can learn to share the Gospel here, if you could learn to minister to the poor, to the broken, to … [Read more...]
David Cranford to be LBC president nominee
By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – David Cranford, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Ponchatoula, will be nominated for president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2019 annual meeting. Philip Robertson, pastor of the Philadelphia Baptist Church with campuses in Deville and Alexandria, alerted the Baptist Message June 3 of his intentions to “enthusiastically” make the nomination because Cranford “knows and loves Louisiana, and he has a heart to see our state reached for Christ.” The LBC annual meeting is scheduled to be held in the Alexandria Riverfront Center, Nov. 11-12. STATEMENT OF SUPPORT Robertson said he has known Cranford for 23 years and served alongside him for 13 years when they were members of the same association. “He has demonstrated his heart to see Louisiana won for Christ by serving on nearly every level of associational and state convention leadership for more than 20 years, as well as several positions in the Southern Baptist Convention,” Robertson said. “His belief that anyone, anywhere, anytime can be saved fuels his passion for evangelism and missions at home and around the world.” “Dr. Cranford believes churches working cooperatively together is the … [Read more...]
First West’s Michael Wood to be pastors’ VP nominee
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Michael Wood, lead pastor of First West church in West Monroe, La., will be nominated for vice president of the Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference, Tennessee pastor Jordan Easley has announced. Wood has "a love for the local church and our convention," said Easley, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tenn. "He has a passion for lost people and a personal conviction to preach the Gospel, make disciples and mobilize people to live on mission." Wood has led First West since 2014, serving the congregation as student pastor the previous five years. He served on the 2017-2018 Young Leaders Advisory Council of the SBC Executive Committee, which Easley chaired, and is co-founder of the Louisiana Young Pastors Network. Also in the SBC, he has been a member of the Committee on Committees in 2016 and 2019. Wood additionally is executive director of Multiply NELA, a church multiplication and revitalization initiative in northeast Louisiana. First West, with a total membership of 8,626, recorded 93 baptisms in 2018 and average worship attendance of 2,487, according to the SBC's Annual Church Profile data. The church's Cooperative Program giving of $279,996 was 5.4 percent of … [Read more...]
HHS ends major contract for taxpayer-funded research with body parts of aborted babies
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today it will not renew a major contract with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to fund research using the body parts of aborted babies. Last November, Trump Administration health officials met with national pro-life leaders, scientists and ethicists in hopes of resolving concerns over the administration's continued funding of medical research using tissue obtained from aborted babies. A statement released by HHS today stated: "The audit and review helped inform the policy process that led to the administration’s decision to let the contract with UCSF expire and to discontinue intramural research – research conducted within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – involving the use of human fetal tissue from elective abortion. Intramural research that requires new acquisition of fetal tissue from elective abortions will not be conducted." In response to the announcement, Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Benjamin Clapper said: "Louisiana Right to Life applauds the Trump Administration for ending a NIH contract that necessitates the experimentation on the broken bodies of aborted babies. It is a tragedy when an … [Read more...]
Shoemaker hired to head LC IT operations
By Norm Miller, LC News PINEVILLE (LCNews)--Louisiana College tapped Mark Shoemaker as vice president for Information technology and chief information officer. The former assistant director of infrastructure and Information technology at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, began full-time at LC on June 3. “Transformation is central to where we are as an institution, and Mark is a transformational leader. Pivotal to this pathway for transformation is solid, trustworthy technology,” said Louisiana College President Rick Brewer. “The is a new leadership position, and we are delighted to bring Mark on board to lead our information technology efforts. “We are confident Mark will provide the leadership the College needs to accomplish its overarching goals going forward. He brings 25 years of hands-on experience in information technology, with 20 of those years in higher education at Louisiana Tech.” Brewer said Shoemaker has demonstrated “remarkable prowess in analyzing our IT operations” as he has served as a consultant to LC since 2016. “He already has made several insightful recommendations and brought valuable solutions that have helped streamline what we do.” As a vice president, Shoemaker will join the … [Read more...]
First Pineville’s Cain featured during WMU Missions Celebration
By Kendall Christian, WMU Communications BIRMINGHAM, Ala.– Grace Cain of First Baptist Church in Pineville has been selected by WMU as a national Acteens Panelist and will be featured during the WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting, June 9-10, in Birmingham, Ala. Acteens is an organization sponsored by WMU that encourages girls grades in 7-12 to grow in their faith and become rooted in missions and ministry. Through Acteens, girls learn how to become disciples of Jesus who live on mission, in accordance with WMU’s purpose, as they participate in missions work in their local community or abroad. National Panelists must demonstrate academic excellence, leadership skills, and involvement in church and community. Cain has been actively involved in Acteens for the past six years and has a heart for missions and being active in her faith. She said one of the most significant experiences she has gained through Acteens is the opportunity to mentor girls in grades 4-6 by praying for them and making care packages throughout the year. “Each Acteen is assigned one or two younger girls each year to mentor,” Cain explained. “To see the girls find more self-confidence and self-esteem is so heartwarming. You get to form such … [Read more...]
Kisatchie Baptist celebrates ministering at the crossroads
By Teresa Chance, Special to the Message PROVENCAL – Kisatchie Baptist Church celebrated a special homecoming March 31, marking 151 years of Christian service and commemorating the commitment of the seven founding members who helped to establish the ministry within the community. A number of current and former members, relatives of deceased members, and residents of the surrounding area took part in a program of worship, remembrance, special music and fellowship, taking time to acknowledge the blessings God has poured out on the congregation since its inception in 1868. Church records document that Kisatchie member have been active in missions and ministry from the beginning, starting with the support of a missionary, 123 years ago, at the cost of fi ve dollars per month. Located west and adjacent to Kisatchie National Forest and bordered to the south and east by the Peason Range on Fort Polk and the Joint Readiness Training Center, the present facility stands within yards of the original building spot. But the structure has changed over the years from a log cabin, which doubled as the school house on week days, to the present brick building comprising the sanctuary, Sunday school classrooms and a fellowship … [Read more...]
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