By Brian Blackwell Message staff writer
WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – During a Sept. 27 meeting, Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board members approved the 2023 Cooperative Program giving plan and were updated on the ongoing work by the Convention’s four entities.
BUDGET APPROVAL
Board members approved the business and finance committee’s 2023 financial plan based on Cooperative Program contributions of $17,578,009, a decrease of $48,127, or 0.27 percent. Cooperative Program projections are based on actual receipts from August 2021 through July 2022. The allocation formula for distributing CP gifts between the Southern Baptist Convention and Louisiana Baptist causes remains unchanged, 63.26 percent to support ministries in the state and 36.74 percent forwarded to fund national entities.
The budget will be presented to messengers for approval during the 2022 LBC Annual Meeting, Nov. 15, in the facilities of the Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria.
ENTITY REPORTS
Louisiana Baptist Foundation President Jeff Steed said in the last 12 months more than $2.2 million in special gifts have been established that benefit churches and other ministries, and that the Foundation’s short-term fund during that same timeframe yielded more than $1.9 million for church and other ministry accounts.
Furthermore, $20.9 million in ministry support overall has been realized since the July 2020 launch of the LBF’s Vision200 (impacting the Kingdom with $200 million through the LBF in 20 years or less).
Through LBF’s ChurchBiz services, the entity recently added church loans, payroll services, a computer support help line and capital campaigns, Steed added. The foundation soon will offer accounting services and online giving.
“What drives us on a daily basis is advancing the Kingdom,” Steed said. “Thank you, Louisiana Baptists, for the opportunity to advance the Kingdom, one dollar at a time, one ministry at a time, one life at a time.”
Baptist Message Executive Editor Will Hall said the newspaper remains on solid ground financially, which helps the entity continue reporting good news taking place in Louisiana. “We are trying to keep Louisiana Baptists informed about the good news of our cooperative missions and ministries as well as being informed so that you can fully participate as a member of the community faith that we call the Louisiana Baptist Convention and as a member of the larger community of faith that we call the Southern Baptist Convention,” he said.
Hall, who also serves as the director of the Convention’s Office of Public Policy, said Louisiana Baptists enjoyed some “wins” such as passage of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act and several pro-life pieces of legislation.
“I’m very proud of your Louisiana Baptist legislators who helped support our work,” Hall said. “We have 15 Louisiana Baptists who are members the House and eight who are members of the senate in Louisiana. Most of them worked with us, diligently, to represent your voices in the public policy which is enacted in this state.”
Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries President and CEO Perry Hancock shared that in 2021 the entity ministered to more than 8,000 children, families and individuals in need.
He explained that the entity continues to reach others with the Gospel through its HomePlace ministry for homeless women and their children, Granberry Counseling Centers, the partnership with a Haitian children’s village built by Louisiana Baptists and its campus in Monroe.
Hancock said more information about the impact LBCHFM ministries’ impact is detailed in its 2022 annual report, which can be found at lbch.org.
“Louisiana Baptists care,” he said. “Thank you so much for caring.”
Louisiana Christian University President Rick Brewer encouraged Board members to bring prospective students to the school’s upcoming Preview Day. Held Oct. 8, “Preview Day” allowed guests to tour the campus, gain details about classes and degree majors from professors, interact with students who will share why they chose LCU for their undergraduate degrees and learn about student clubs and organizations, athletics and residential life.
He shared that LCU is a Christ-centered university that is intentional about teaching students to make a difference for Christ in the culture through coursework, seminars and professors who are passionate about Jesus.
“Your college is being intentional about integrating faith in learning,” he said. “We are a Great Commandment school. We teach them to love God, love others with your heart, soul, mind and strength. And we’re a Great Commission school, challenging students to be on mission.”
EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDENT MESSAGE
Executive Board President Dustin Stockstill, (pastor, Bedico Baptist Church, Ponchatoula), encouraged board members to be unified around the Gospel.
Preaching from Acts 4:32, he underscored how the early church was concerned about sharing the love of Christ.
“Their unity was wrapped up in Jesus,” he said. “Unity is built on the Gospel, not common affinities. If we’re trying to build our churches on common affinities, our churches already are well behind what we are supposed to be doing, and disunity already has wedged its way in there.”
LBC PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Louisiana Baptist Convention President Reggie Bridges (pastor, Temple Baptist Church, Ruston) encouraged board members to meditate on the things of God.
Drawing from Philippians 4:8-9, Bridges encouraged Board members to have their minds dwell in the praise of God, feet dwell in the path of God and hearts dwell in the peace of God. He offered this encouragement to frame mindsets for the upcoming LBC Annual Meeting.
“When we come together, Nov. 15, there are going to be some things, some challenges that we are going to work through and we need to do that,” Bridges said. “But I hope when we come away from that day, we will have allowed our minds to dwell also on the praise that we have in God for what we are doing through our entities, through what we are doing through our Convention, through the good things of God.”
