Board members elected last year met in one of their regular sessions to discuss the work of the Louisana Baptist Convention, a $21 million ministry. WOODWORTH – The Louisiana Baptist Convention last November elected 96 people – ministerial staff and laymen/laywomen – to be responsible for the work of the LBC between annual meetings. Those board members met Sept. 25-26 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center for their September meeting, one of three each year. “We’ve been asked to care for and oversee the work of this $21 million ministry,” said James Law, board president and pastor of First Baptist Gonzales. Board members heard staff and agency reports – important information follows – and acted on subcommittee recommendations; they affirmed the direction of Louisiana College; they sat at riveted attention as Executive Director David Hankins described the kingdom of God. But first they heard from Steve Folmar, board member and pastor of First Houma, who presented a devotional thought from Jacob’s restless night, recounted in Genesis 28. “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it,” Folmar read from Genesis 28:16. He spoke of the busyness of life, and how Christians sometimes feel … [Read more...]

Dr. Hankins' message to members of the Executive Board about a new direction. Editor’s note: Dr. Hankins’ message to members of the Executive Board was so clear, concise and visionary that we felt the need to share it with everyone in the LBC. We are developing a strategy for our LBC churches called Empowering Kingdom Growth – Louisiana. You will be hearing more about it in coming days: how it works and how you can be involved. Today, I want to think with you about the theological underpinnings of an emphasis on the kingdom of God. It is not merely a strategy or the latest denominational slogan. We are praying it will be the catalyst for us to evaluate our spiritual health as a convention of Baptist Christians, churches, and organizations. For several years, our leaders have been sounding the alarm that all is not well. They have noted disturbing data such as the large percentage of our churches that are plateaued or declining, the static rate of baptisms in the United States, and the discouraging similarity in lifestyle between the members of our congregations and the secular population at large.  We need a new direction. We need renewal and revival. How can this be achieved? … [Read more...]

Messengers to the 2006 LBC annual meeting can pre-register either online or through the mail this year. Messengers to the 2006 LBC annual meeting can be pre-registered either online or through the mail. Online pre-registration can be completed by messengers themselves, church clerks or other officers of the church. The username and password that enable access to the system is printed on the letter each church should have received at the end of September, said Dale Lingenfelter, director of the LBC Business and Information Services Team. The letter also indicated the maximum number of messengers the church is allowed, based on its membership. “We worked diligently to make this as easy and as efficient a process as possible,” Lingenfelter said.  “Everything we do in advance is done so messengers don’t have to wait in long lines.” “Our goal has been to create a very efficient registration process, getting the convention information in messengers’ hands as quickly as possible,” said Shana Johnson, Information Services Support Supervisor at the Louisiana Baptist Convention. To pre-register your church messengers online, access the website at www.e-lbc.org and log in using the … [Read more...]

Casey Thompson, children's director at Jefferson Baptist, makes it a point to involve the children in giving to the World Hunger Relief Fund. BATON ROUGE— The children’s director at Jefferson Baptist Church, Casey Thomas, makes it a point to involve the children in giving to the World Hunger Relief Fund. “As soon World Hunger Day starts rolling around, we pass out our rice bowls, about a month before,” she said. To begin with, she reads the kids the very short story called “If the World Were a Village of 100,” by David Smith, which among other things, illustrates the huge economic and racial disparities that exist among the nations and peoples of the world. On the Wednesday night before collecting the rice bowls, Thomas engages the children in an activity called the World Feast. Using the story, and ratios indicated in the story, she divides the children by continent or by country, then distributes food to them. Children who represent the U.S. get steak and cola, while kids from Asia get food that is appropriate for that culture, and so on. Not only does she give out appropriate types of food, she also gives out the appropriate amounts.  Some of the children who … [Read more...]

Scripture makes it plain that expecting the perfect life is simply not realistic. “I just don’t know what to do anymore.” “We just can’t get along.” “I am slipping past the end of my rope.” “We’ve tried everything but nothing has worked.” “I’m so depressed.” Most of us have struggled with the aforementioned feelings at one time or another.  Some of those challenges come as we move through the normal stages of life – career choices, marriage decisions, parenting issues, and aging. At other times we are faced with the unexpected – family violence, divorce, unemployment, traumatic childhood events, illness, and more. In some cases we are able to cope well with the circumstances and move on. At times, however, we find ourselves in need of help and in our society today we may not want to admit that need. Feelings of embarrassment, inadequacy, and failure often prevent us from seeking assistance. We don’t want to admit that some of our problems are the result of our own poor choices. And at times we want to protect those who have hurt us. As Christians we live with the added tension of feeling that some will judge us and conclude that we are just not close to the Lord when we are overwhelmed by … [Read more...]

Publicaton of this notice is required twice, one month before the start of the annual meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. It will be repeated in the Oct. 12 issue. PARISH OF CALCASIEU STATE OF LOUISIANA BE IT KNOWN, that on _____Day of November, 2006, before me, the undersigned Notary Public in and for the Parish and State aforesaid, personally came and appeared the undersigned parties of full age of majority whose signatures are subscribed who declare, in the presence of the undersigned competent witnesses that, availing themselves of the provisions of the Louisiana Nonprofit Corporation law, Louisiana Revised Statutes12:201-12:269 (1950 as amended), and upon the instructions of the messengers to the 2006 Louisiana Baptist Convention, they do hereby organize a nonprofit corporation under and in accordance with these articles of incorporation as follows: ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION of the LOUISIANA BAPTIST CONVENTION ARTICLE I. NAME The name of this body is the Louisiana Baptist Convention, hereinafter referred to as “Convention”. ARTICLE II. DURATION The duration of this Convention shall be in perpetuity. ARTICLE III. NON-PROFIT … [Read more...]

Publicaton of this notice is required twice, one month before the start of the annual meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. It will be repeated in the Oct. 12 issue. SUGGESTED RESOLUTION BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE LOUISIANA BAPTIST CONVENTION FOR THE INCORPORATION OF THE CONVENTION WHEREAS, Louisiana law concerning the governance of organizations has changed and evolved over the last 100 years in favor of incorporation; and, WHEREAS, the Louisiana Baptist Convention is an unincorporated association which form of governance is vulnerable to a lack of clear statutory law and jurisprudence as to its method of organization, powers and resolution of issues which it may from time to time face; and, WHEREAS, the Louisiana Baptist Convention can be incorporated in a manner consistent with Baptist Polity and without changing the manner in which it has traditionally operated: BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention does hereby recommend that the Messengers to the Louisiana Baptist Convention adopt the following resolution: “BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Louisiana Baptist Convention hereby directs and authorizes the officers of the Louisiana Baptist … [Read more...]