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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Man at Bellevue Easter service with guns arrested for ’emergency commitment’

By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner MEMPHIS (Christian Examiner) – Church security officers and police averted tragedy at the 4,500-member Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis today when a man entered the church with several weapons. According to police, church security officers saw the man in the church and contacted police during the Easter Sunday Service. He was armed with a semi-automatic rifle, 40-caliber Beretta handgun and was carrying a backpack, the contents of which were not reported. Officers arrived at the church and took the man into custody without incident. A local television station reported the man, Marcus Donald, 31, was "arrested for emergency commitment." Donald reportedly told police "people in society are a threat to him and that he must be vigilant." Emergency commitment is the "only time a mentally ill person can be taken into custody solely for being mentally ill," a spokesman for the University of Memphis Crisis Intervention Team told another local news station. After the morning services, Jim Barnwell, a Bellevue spokesman, said in a statement no one was injured in the incident: "A heavily armed man entered our building today about 11:00 a.m. He was stopped by our security people … [Read more...]

Court ponders religious liberty in HHS mandate

By Tom Strode, Baptist Press Washington Bureau WASHINGTON (BP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court considered arguments Wednesday (March 23) that the federal government is intent on forcing Christian and other religious ministries to violate their consciences by accepting a rule that makes them complicit in abortion. Lawyers for the objecting institutions -- including some Southern Baptist-related entities -- and the Obama administration made their cases before the justices regarding the abortion/contraception mandate, a federal regulation issued to help implement the 2010 health-care reform law. The mandate requires employers to provide for their workers not only contraceptives but drugs and devices that can potentially cause abortions. Those who refuse to abide by the requirement face fines in the millions of dollars. GuideStone Financial Resources, the Southern Baptist Convention's health and financial benefits entity, and two of the ministries it serves, as well as three Baptist universities, are among the challengers to a mandate accommodation provided by the federal government to religious nonprofits. During the arguments, Paul Clement, representing those challenging the accommodation, told the justices the Little Sisters … [Read more...]

GuideStone expresses appreciation for oral arguments before high court March 23

By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Communications DALLAS — Attorneys for GuideStone Financial Resources made oral arguments in its litigation against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its so-called contraceptive mandate Wednesday at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. “We are thankful for the opportunity to make our case before the High Court and pray for wisdom for the justices and favor in the outcome,” said GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins, who attended the hearing. “We are thankful for the prayers of so many in our Southern Baptist and broader evangelical family; this is the time to continue praying for these men and women who will render the verdict.” The mandate would require certain ministries served by GuideStone to provide abortion-causing drugs or devices as part of their health plan or face crippling penalties. Churches and integrated auxiliaries of churches are exempt from the mandate. “The justices were very engaged and questioned the government closely,” said Mark Rienzi, counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents GuideStone. “But once again, the government had no clear explanation for why it needs to use religious ministries to deliver services that are … [Read more...]

ANALYSIS: Brussels, terror & Easter

By Erich Bridges, IMB Global Correspondent BRUSSELS, Belgium (BP) -- Once again, innocent blood stains the ground and fear fills the air in Europe. The March 22 airport and subway bombings in Brussels, claimed by the ISIS Islamic terror group, killed more than 30 people, wounded at least 170 -- and traumatized a region still reeling from the November massacre in Paris, multiple bombings in NATO member Turkey and warnings of more attacks to come. (Regular ISIS -- or Al Qaeda-inspired attacks continue to kill hundreds in the Middle East, Central and South Asia and Africa, with far less notice in Western media.) The still-unfolding refugee crisis created by the Syrian civil war is straining European unity. The 28-nation European Union (EU), of which Brussels is the unofficial capital, is struggling to maintain stability as its members question whether the concept of Europe as an interconnected economic and political entity will survive the "long war" with Islamic terrorism. Following the Brussels bombings, EU heads of state publicly vowed to fight terrorism with "all necessary means," claiming the latest tragedy "only strengthens our resolve to defend European values and tolerance from the attacks of the intolerant." But … [Read more...]

Supreme Court challenge has been years in the making; GuideStone litigation a ‘reluctant’ step in multifaceted attempt to address grievances

By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Financial Resources DALLAS — On March 23, attorneys for GuideStone Financial Resources, Reaching Souls International and Truett-McConnell College, along with more than 30 other ministry organizations, will present oral arguments in the ministries’ litigation against a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ mandate that would require these ministries to participate in the government’s efforts to provide abortion-causing drugs and devices through their health programs or face crippling penalties. The high court is being asked to determine whether the government can compel the ministries to participate in providing access to these drugs and devices that it could easily provide — without violating the conscience of the ministries — through its own health care exchanges. The case will be among the first argued without Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. History “GuideStone began working alongside many large and historic denominational health plans when the Obama Administration first signaled that comprehensive health care insurance reform was a top legislative priority,” said Harold R. Loftin, Jr., GuideStone’s general counsel. “We recognized that the unique nature of church … [Read more...]

IMB baptisms hit lowest level since 1969

By Will Hall, Baptist Message Editor ALEXANDRIA – Overseas baptisms for 2015 dropped to 54,762 from the 190,957 reported for 2014, according to information submitted by the International Mission Board in response to a request by the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. Likewise, the number of new churches fell from 13,824 to 3,842 over the same one-year period. The baptism figure represents the lowest level reported in 46 years. A note explaining the declines states the decrease is “due to one large CPM no longer reported” (CPM refers to “church planting movement”). Since 2009, the IMB has changed data gathering procedures to “no longer include reports from partner conventions and unions,” but to report information about “work related to IMB personnel only,” according to annotations in the SBC Annual. A table provided by IMB, in item 22 of 25 replies to “Ministry Inquiries,” shows an even larger four-year downturn. Baptisms fell by 211,689 since 2012 and the number of new churches declined 20,231 during the same time frame. For perspective about the drop to 54,762 annual baptisms, according to data in SBC Annuals and information posted on the IMB’s website, the 50,003 baptisms for 1969 were achieved with … [Read more...]

GuideStone trustees hear reports, congratulate retiring CFO

By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Financial Resources DALLAS — Referring to 2 Corinthians 10:13, GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins told trustees that each person is assigned an area of influence by God. To be a person of influence, one must possess vision, integrity and purpose. With that in mind, Hawkins declared 2016 the “year of influence” at GuideStone. In addition to the annual theme, trustees heard reports from ministry areas and celebrated the retirement of Jeff Billinger, who leaves GuideStone after 22 years of service, primarily as chief financial officer. Trustees met February 29–March 1 in Dallas. “Every one of us has been assigned an area of influence,” Hawkins told trustees. “To be people of influence, we must possess a clear, God-sized vision, be people of integrity in all that we do and have a God-ordained purpose.” The verse and the theme are two-fold in importance, marking the annual theme that guides GuideStone’s work in 2016, as well as the subject of a new book, VIP: How to Influence with Vision, Integrity and Purpose, released March 8, whose proceeds benefit Mission:Dignity. In his report to trustees, Chief Operating Officer John R. Jones described 2015 as a challenging year. “Even so, … [Read more...]

Search committee moves forward in search of next executive director for national WMU

By WMU communications The WMU search committee met March 2-4 to begin the process of seeking a new executive director-treasurer for national WMU following Wanda Lee’s announcement of her intentions to retire. According to Joy Bolton, executive director of Kentucky WMU and committee chairperson, the committee gathered at national WMU in Birmingham and spent time in prayer and Bible study about seeking leaders. “The search committee is following a very prayerful, very deliberate process in seeking the next executive director-treasurer for national WMU,” Bolton said. “As a committee we have come to understand that there is great value in the process itself, and the amount of time spent in prayer by this committee was a deeply spiritual experience and one we would have missed without the process.” In addition to much prayer and preparation, the committee developed a profile questionnaire of the types of characteristics, skills, and experience the next executive director should possess in order to best lead WMU into the future and is seeking input from various audiences. “We ask for your continued prayer for the committee, for the candidate that God has for us, and for Wanda and the national WMU staff during these days,” … [Read more...]

Washington Supreme Court will hear case over floral artist’s freedom

By Alliance Defending Freedom staff OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to hear the case of floral artist Barronelle Stutzman, whom the state attorney general and the American Civil Liberties Union sued for acting consistently with her faith. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing Stutzman filed a brief with the high court last month to challenge the state’s and the ACLU’s arguments in favor of government discrimination against her. A lower court ruled that Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, must pay penalties and attorneys’ fees for declining to use her artistic abilities to design custom floral arrangements for a long-time customer’s same-sex ceremony. Rather than participate in the ceremony, Stutzman referred Rob Ingersoll, whom she considers a friend and had served for nearly 10 years, to several other florists in the area who would provide high-quality arrangements and wedding support. “Barronelle and many others like her around the country have been willing to serve any and all customers, but they are understandably not willing to promote any and all messages,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kristen Waggoner. “We hope the Washington Supreme Court will affirm the broad … [Read more...]

WorldCrafts adds new artisan group and products

By WMU Communications BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — WorldCrafts has partnered with impoverished artisans all over the world, from Myanmar to Kenya to New York, to offer 25 new products this spring. These new products are among more than 200 items featured in the spring/summer catalog that was released Mar. 1. “We are thrilled to introduce 25 new products, a new artisan partner, and a beautiful new catalog,” said Emily Swader, WorldCrafts representative. “Adding new WorldCrafts products and artisans is not only exciting but life-changing when you know each one represents individuals who have, maybe for the first time, the opportunity to earn an income with dignity and hear the offer of everlasting life. It is exciting to see WorldCrafts’ impact grow and expand around the world.” WorldCrafts is honored to welcome Sak Saum in Cambodia as a new artisan group this spring. Sak Saum helps equip former victims of sex trafficking and exploitation in their care with skills, employment and a fair wage in a safe, loving environment. They also seek to pre-empt exploitation by equipping and hiring the most vulnerable in the local community before they fall prey to traffickers. Every Sak Saum product is made by someone who now has skills and works … [Read more...]