By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA – Positive economic news, a significant increase in assets, continued progress in a software upgrade and a reception for retiring LBF controller Barbara Bell highlighted the quarterly meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees meeting April 25. INVESTMENT UPDATES E.L. Paulk, trustee from Deville, chaired the morning meeting of the investment committee and had Lee Morris, Investment Consultant with Graystone, give an update on the performance of the LBF portfolio According to Morris, active management is beginning to see traction versus passive management following the 2016 election and thus far in 2017. The overall portfolios are doing well. The expectation is domestic equities along with developed international equity will continue to perform well through the remainder of the year. Fixed income will continue to present a challenge in the current rate environment with this segment of the portfolio performing in line with expectations. The Federal Reserve has indicated it may raise rates two or three times by year end. Alternatives allocation, which includes smaller investment allocations in preferred stock, convertible securities and other types of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MONROE – The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home has established the newest Trail Life USA troop in the state. “Trail Life enhances what we do here at the Children’s Home,” said Children’s Home President Perry Hancock, who shared the news during the entity’s board of trustees meeting May 5. “It’s all about Christian character and principles, which we teach at devotionals on campus and in churches they attend.” A faith-based alternative to the Boy Scouts of America, Trail Life USA teaches biblically-based character, adventure and leadership skills to thousands of young men in troops throughout the U.S. The Children’s Home is the eighth troop to be established in Louisiana. Unlike other troops, the one at the Children’s Home will have membership open just to its male residents. Hancock said while the majority of its activities will take place with fellow residents, he expects the troop to join the troop from First Baptist Church in Farmerville for special events, campouts, and other adventure activities. NEW MOBILE PREGNANCY CARE CENTER HOST Since 2011, the Children’s Home has operated a mobile pregnancy care center, which travels statewide with a registered nurse offering … [Read more...]

By Carolina Baptist Church SALINE – Carolina Baptist Church will celebrate its 175th homecoming May 21. Established in 1842, the church was founded when a group from the Carolina region of the U.S. was traveling by wagon and upon reaching Saline Creek discovered the water was too high to cross. The group then set up camp and had a revival, which was the first meeting of Carolina Baptist Church. Many of the founders of the church are buried in the nearby cemetery. The service will begin at 10 a.m., with Carolina Baptist Pastor Ken Roberts delivering the message and music performed by church members. Dinner on the ground will follow. … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Scottie Gray is the new pastor at New Hope Baptist Church, Monroe. Ken Ronaghan is the new pastor at Bonita Baptist Church, Bonita. Brent Avara is the new music minister at Cheniere Baptist Church, West Monroe. Jimmy Brock resigned as student minister at North Monroe Baptist Church, Bastrop. Jeremy Glascock is interim pastor at Colyell Baptist Church, Livingston. Scott (wife Bethany) Shirley is the youth minister at Ellerbe Road Baptist Church, Shreveport. Roy Davis is interim pastor at Woodland Hills Baptist Church, Shreveport. Cecil Marr is interim pastor at North Shreve Baptist Church, Shreveport. Scott Mercer is the new director at Camp Living Waters, Loranger. HOMECOMING Longview Baptist Church, Deville: 94th Homecoming, May 28, 10:30 a.m. Dinner on the Grounds will follow the services. Speaker: Mike Belgard. Pastor: Robby Poole. REVIVAL CORRECTION -- the revival at Lismore Baptist Church, Jonesville scheduled for May 21-24 has been cancelled.  Welcome Home Baptist Church, Hebert: Revival, May 21-24. Evangelist: Lyndon Longoria.  Special music: Kerry Longoria.  Pastor: Jim McKeithen. Red River Baptist Association, Coushatta: Red River Crusade, May 21-28. Evangelist: … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Although no formal report was given on headway made toward the goals outlined in the Report of the President’s 2020 Commission, approved by Louisiana Baptists in 2013, observers did comment on one sign of progress that was apparent during the Executive Board reports, but not formally noted from the floor. Louisiana Baptists Church Planting Director James Jenkins told the Baptist Message that for the first time three black committee chairmen gave reports to the Executive Board: Jeffery Friend, pastor of Suburban Baptist Church in New Orleans, delivered the Missions Support Committee report; Lee Wesley, pastor of Community Bible Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, gave a report from the Convention’s Committee on Nominations; and George Guillory, pastor of Glen Oaks Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, shared the Properties Committee report. Moreover, he beamed at how natural this historic precedence took place, without fanfare or hint of tokenism, just the result of an intentional focus on reaching every people group. “This is an exciting and historic time because it shows the Louisiana Baptist Convention is moving into the future. It represents who we are becoming as a state,” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – With its first enrollment increase in five years, Louisiana College is optimistic it may reach its goal of a 1,500-strong student body by 2020, school President Rick Brewer told Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board members, May 3. “The bleeding has stopped,” Brewer said during the board’s spring meeting. “Finally we had our first uptick.” The school experienced a 14.5 percent year-to-year increase in freshmen and transfer student enrollment, enrolling 255 new freshmen and 61 transfer students in 2016. The college’s new Certificate in Pastoral Ministry and Missiology program also enrolled 21 new students, but they are not reflected in the 14.5 percent increase. Overall headcount was up 1.5 percent from 1,109 to 1,126, and dormitory occupancy is up by 6.5 percent. Brewer also announced that early signs indicate enrollment will be even better this year. “It looks promising moving forward,” he said, particularly with new scholarships, infrastructure improvements and strategic marketing strategies. He said more incoming freshmen and transfer students attended the “Front Of The Line” event – designed to better acclimate students to campus life – this spring … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor WOODWORTH – The Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board has forwarded a letter to the Ethics and Religious Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention acknowledging an apology from the ERLC trustee officers and Russell Moore, the embattled president of the entity, relating to the rift Moore created in the Southern Baptist Convention. The letter is a balance of firmly stated counsel and an attempt “to look for a positive, rather than punitive ways to work with the ERLC going forward,” following a second statement issued by Moore that was more direct than his first attempt in apologizing for controversies that led to a motion, made at the 2016 LBC Annual Meeting by Clark Stewart, pastor of New Zion Baptist Church in Covington, to “study the recent actions of the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission with regard to issues of concern to Louisiana Baptists.” The letter cites Moore’s latest statement as “key in helping the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board arrive at a proper response to the referred motion.” BACKGROUND Moore was a strident opponent of then-candidate Donald J. Trump, and he castigated Trump’s evangelical supporters, calling them drunks and “doctrinally … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COAHUILA, Mexico – Instead of joining classmates on the beach or in the mountains for spring break, Baptist Collegiate Ministry students with Louisiana State University and Southern University, along with other Louisiana Baptists, took a road trip of their own – south of the border for a week of sharing the Gospel with thousands of Mexicans. By the conclusion of the mission trip, April 7-14 in the state of Coahuila near the U.S.-Mexico border, the team saw more than 30 people accept Christ, including two LSU students who thought they were there to minister to the spiritual transformation of others. UNITY & SERVICE LSU BCM Director Steve Masters said he was overjoyed with the students’ attitude of serving others first, no matter the unfamiliar situations they faced. “The vast majority of college students in the United States use their spring break to go on a trip or outing with friends,” Masters said. “I am very proud of our 2017 Mexico mission trip participants for using their spring break to spread the Gospel. They worked long hours, traveled in vans, slept on the floor or in bunk beds, did all this without air conditioning, and loved every minute of it.” The team … [Read more...]