MONROE -- A construction company has started to move dirt today in preparation of pouring a foundation for the new $1.2 million University of Louisiana at Monroe BCM. An official groundbreaking is scheduled but no date has been released yet. The cost of project is $1.2 million but includes volunteer labor. The new BCM will be located at 1005 University Avenue and is scheduled for completion July 1, 2017. The new 10,000-square-foot BCM will feature expansive worship, office and meeting room space, lobby and student apartments. "We have already raised about 80-85 percent of the $1.2 million," said Chad McClurg, BCM campus director. "We were at a point that it would have cost just as much to renovate our old building what with the problems to our roof, heating and cooling system than to go ahead and build a new building. "This building will be functionable for at least the next 50 years and will allow us to impact students for a long, long time," McClurg continued. "We will be across the street from two dorms and two blocks away for a new international center. So, we are strategically placed to reach the campus. We are excited to get started. "As the university is growing, the sky is the limit for what we can accomplish because … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- The suicide death of a beloved colleague after a sexual addiction came to light drove the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary community to their knees in prayer last August. They rose determined to help others caught in pornography and sexual addiction. "Recalibrate," a campus-wide conference with Greg Miller of Faithful & True, a ministry to those impacted by sexual addictions, came together as a response to the death of John Gibson, longtime professor at NOBTS' Leavell College on the opening day of classes on Aug. 24, 2015. Thomas Strong, Leavell College dean, encouraged the seminary community to attend the April 28 conference in an NOBTS weekly publication. "We have come to the realization through a most tragic event here on our campus that secret sin has a devastating impact," Strong wrote. "We want to start a conversation on breaking the power of secret sin" -- a conversation "seasoned with redemption and hope." Miller, speaking to a full audience in Leavell Chapel, said 50 percent of Christian men and 20 percent of Christian women self-report they are "addicted to porn." Self-reported statistics, he added, typically skew low. By age 18, "virtually all" … [Read more...]

By Staff, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Communications NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary experienced a small fire just before noon April 27, impacting the John T. Christian Library. The fire was quickly extinguished and no one was injured during the event. The fire started in the motor of an exterior air condition chiller unit and never spread to the structure of the library building. Thanks to quick responses from the New Orleans Fire Department and the NOBTS facilities department, the fire was quickly contained and extinguished. Preliminary assessments indicate that the damage was confined to the chiller unit motor. Due to the nature of the fire, the air conditioning unit pushed smoke into the library and library occupants were evacuated without injury. After extinguishing the fire, the NOFD deployed fans in the building to help dissipate the smoke. The NOFD completed its work and left campus at approximately 1:45 p.m. At that time the NOBTS facilities department began its full assessment of the damage. The library stayed closed the rest of the day and reopened the next morning at 7:30 a.m. … [Read more...]

BATON ROUGE -- Two key pro-life bills in Louisiana Right to Life's 2016 Legislative Package overwhelmingly passed the Louisiana Senate May 3. The Women's Enhanced Reflection Act (HB 386) and the Compassionate Burial Options Act (HB 618) will soon head to Gov. John Bel Edwards' desk for his signature. Authored by Rep. Frank Hoffmann (R-West Monroe), HB 386 would increase the current time for reflection between pre-abortion counseling and the actual abortion procedure from 24 hours to 72 hours. The bill passed the Senate floor by a 34-4 margin and now heads back to the House of Representatives for technical concurrence before going to Gov. Edwards, who has expressed his support for the legislation. "Reflection periods longer than 24 hours are common across major decisions people must make in America, including getting married, signing a mortgage, and more,” said Louisiana Right to Life Legislative Director Deanna Wallace. “It is appropriate to allow women to have extra reflection time before abortion because of the magnitude of the decision in a woman's life. As testimony has shown, many women regret their abortion decision and now wish they had been given a longer reflection period. "We must also remember that abortion … [Read more...]