ON THE MOVE Rickey (wife Patsy) Robertson is the new pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Pleasant Hill. Joe Alain has resigned as pastor of Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs to be senior pastor at Carrollwood Baptist Church in Tampa, Fla. Russell Hinson is the new pastor of First Baptist Church, Holden. Thomas McRae is new as youth minister at Rocky Springs Baptist Church, Homer. Rusty (wife Angela) Shuler is the new pastor at Eastwood Baptist Church, Haughton. Sam Marino is the interim pastor at Clarion Baptist Church, Shreveport. Brandon Jenkins has resigned as minister of music at Don Avenue Baptist Church, Denham Springs. Ben Chapman has resigned as minister of music at Red Oak Baptist Church, Livingston. HOMECOMING Trinity Baptist Church, West Monroe: 75th Homecoming celebration, Oct. 11, 10:30 a.m. Speaker: Ron Lowe. Music: Randy Waggoner. A covered dish lunch will follow the service. A special invitation is extended to all former members, their families and friends. Pastor: Purvis Rodrigues. West Baptist Church, Jonesboro: Homecoming service, Oct. 11, 10:30 a.m. Dinner on the grounds will follow the service. Speaker: Travis Hampton. Pastor: Stan Foster. New Chapel Hill Baptist Church, … [Read more...]
Archives for October 2015
Lowery tells E4 audience persecution is coming, be prepared
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Fred Lowery believes persecution of Christians in the United States is coming and believers should be prepared. When those difficult times do come, Christians should find comfort that the Lord is right beside them as they try to stand strong in their faith, Lowery told those attending the recent E4 Preaching Conference at First Baptist Church in Pineville. “For the first time, we are facing amazing persecution in America,” said Lowery, who retired in 2004 after serving as pastor of First Bossier for more than 30 years. “Everything else is alright. The only thing that is wrong is to be a born-again Christian and they somehow see us as the hate people, the bigots and the idiots. “We will face persecution in our lifetime, you as pastors, we as churches,” he continued. “We need to understand and get encouragement because we’re going to need the Lord as we go through persecution more than ever.” Lowery said that the world is in trouble and evil out of control. Every week Lowery said he is asked what is happening and he then becomes excited. “I have the answer,” Lowery said. “Jesus. That’s exactly what this world is coming to.” Citing Revelation 1, Lowery shared … [Read more...]
Executive Board wades through busy pre-convention agenda
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Faced with changing times, the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s executive board is taking proactive rather than reactive steps to address matters in this nation’s culture war. “We are living in changing times,” LBC Executive Board President David Cranford said. “We are living in a watershed moment. Our culture has shifted over the last year, the last few months. “It troubles us,” said Cranford, pastor of First Baptist Church in Ponchatoula. “It grieves us. What’s next for the American Christian?” Cranford reminded the Executive Board during its annual fall meeting at Tall Timbers Conference Center that what is happening in 2015 is nothing new for believers who have faced similar situations throughout world history. Citing Matthew 10:16-31, Cranford said Jesus gives marching orders on how believers should think and act in a society where Christianity is under attack. “In the end Jesus wins,” he said. “Whatever suffering we might experience in this dangerous world, let us remember our Lord wins in the end.” With recent news of several Southern Baptist churches in various states affirming homosexuality, the credentials committee introduced guidelines for … [Read more...]
Designated receipts top CP gifts: The SBC ship of state is in peril
By Will Hall, Message Editor Alexandria – For the first time in Southern Baptist Convention history, dating back to 1929 when a unified national budget was first proposed, designated receipts topped Cooperative Program gifts distributed by the SBC Executive Committee. Moreover, what was a historical precedent in 2013 was repeated in 2014, making it the second time for this phenomenon to occur since the Great Commission Resurgence reforms were approved in 2010. Now, the SBC Executive Committee has released the final numbers for 2015, indicating a third straight year of upended giving, with Baptist Press reporting Oct. 2 that gifts through the Cooperative Program amounted to more than $189 million, but designated giving exceeded $195 million. 12-YEAR TREND Although this apparent new norm has taken place since the GCR reforms were approved (including the creation of a new category for giving, “Great Commission Giving” to “celebrate every dollar given”), information published in the SBC Annual shows this phenomenon has been developing since 2004. That year the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering leapt by more than $20 million and the Annie Armstrong … [Read more...]
First Mandeville’s Schroeder to be nominated for LBC 1st vice-president
By Philip Timothy, Message Managing Editor MANDEVILLE – Kenneth (Ken) Schroeder will be nominated for first vice president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention by Randy Harper, senior pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church, during this year’s LBC Annual Meeting according to a press release from his office. Schroeder is the senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Mandeville where he has served for the past 21 years. “Ken is a godly man…a man of prayer who loves Jesus and Louisiana Baptists,” said Harper. “I have had the pleasure of serving with him on the Louisiana College board of trustees and different committees where he has exhibited grace, patience and a keen understanding of the tasks asked of members.” “He has served on numerous boards and committees in both his association and in the state convention,” continued Harper. “He is faithful to this convention and to whatever committee he has been asked to serve.” “Ken may be a little quiet; but when he speaks, people listen because what he has to say is thoughtful and to the point.” Under Schroeder’s leadership, First Mandeville has undergone significant capital improvements projects, including a15,000-square-foot educational building, a 10,000-square-foot student … [Read more...]
LC inaugurates Brewer as its ninth president
By Brian Blackwell Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – On the stage at Guinn Auditorium, Don Wilton turned and pointed at Louisiana College President Rick Brewer and offered him a charge. He told him to carry on a trait of famed evangelist Billy Graham, a member of Wilton’s church. “What he says he does and what he does he means,” said Wilton, pastor of First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, SC, and a friend of Brewer for more than 20 years. “Are you ready to do the same with Louisiana College?” Wilton, who gave the message during Brewer’s inauguration as the school’s ninth president on Sept. 18, said Louisiana College is needed in today’s culture. “You have to lead us,” Wilton said. “We need you. America really needs you. Louisiana really needs a Christian college.” He then challenged Brewer to provide a distinct Christian education at the school through five ways. Wilton encouraged Brewer to continue to pray, teach so others will “get on fire,” demonstrate by keeping on “living it out,” commit to not stopping despite obstacles that may come and expect results to happen. “God has sure smiled on Louisiana College by calling you to be its president,” said Wilton to his friend. Wilton was among a number of … [Read more...]
Cooperative Program nurtured, climbs in fiscal year
By Art Toalston, Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) - It's been an uplifting year for the Cooperative Program. The church led by SBC President Ronnie Floyd reached the $1-million mark during its 2014-15 budget year in giving to Southern Baptists' cornerstone channel for supporting missions and ministries -- state by state, nationally and internationally. "Increasing your church's support through the Cooperative Program is the greatest way you can forward the work of reaching the world for Christ," Floyd, senior pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, wrote in a Sept. 21 column. Floyd's column preceded the annual Cooperative Program Emphasis Month in the SBC each October. For online CP resources, click here. Noting the Cooperative Program's comprehensiveness in advancing the Gospel during its 90-year history, Floyd wrote: "Not one of us can adequately support any one cause, but all of us together can pray, plan, give, cooperate and support every cause." For the 2014-15 fiscal year, Cooperative Program gifts by Southern Baptist churches -- $189,160,231.41 -- reached 100.62 of the convention's Cooperative Program Allocation Budget to support the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board, the SBC's … [Read more...]
High school senior sent home for wanting to take same-sex date to homecoming
By Kelly Ledbetter, Christian Examiner MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Christian Examiner) – Christian Brothers High School senior Lance Sanderson was sent home earlier this week from school, allegedly for wanting to bring a male date to homecoming. Sanderson says he just wants to be treated like all his classmates, but he is: the CBHS policy against males from other schools attending school events was implemented to prevent fights. Because CBHS administration is enforcing its policy, Sanderson claims it is behaving with discrimination. Sanderson has been openly gay since his freshman year. He says an administrator who is now no longer at the school gave him verbal permission last year to bring a male date to homecoming and prom. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]
Syrian pastor won’t abandon his church, despite ISIS brutality
By Kelly Ledbetter, Christian Examiner SWEIDA, Syria (Christian Examiner) – After a car bomb went off in his city last month, a pastor is faced again with the choice to flee the encroaching reach of ISIS in Syria, but he doesn't want to leave his new church. In a report from Christian Aid Mission, the pastor, whose name has been withheld for security reasons, speaks out about his precarious situation, his fears for his family and church, and why he won't leave. "As ISIS pushes westward inside Syria, Christians are in the crosshairs," said the Middle East director of Christian Aid Mission. "They're running out of places where they can safely flee." To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]
Netanyahu demonstrates ‘deafening silence’ of world on Iran
By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner NEW YORK (Christian Examiner) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood in front of the United Nations 70th General Assembly Oct. 1 and excoriated world leaders for their acceptance of the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the United States and other western powers. The deal, which will grant Iran the right to eventually resume the enrichment of uranium and develop its ballistic missile program after a period of seven years, is now a matter of record at the world body. It is in the United States, as well, as Republicans failed to muster the votes necessary to kill it in the Senate where, according to the Constitution, it should have been handled as a treaty. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]
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