2 Peter 3:9 2016 Louisiana Baptist Convention ANNUAL REPORT Annual of the Louisiana Baptist Convention 169th Annual Meeting November 14-15, 2016 Calvary Baptist Church Alexandria, Louisiana President ......................................Gevan Spinney ........................Haughton First Vice President .....................Ken Schroeder ......................Mandeville Second Vice President ...................Billy Crosby ........................ Shreveport Secretary/Treasurer .....................David Hankins ......................Alexandria Preacher ........................................David Brooks .......................Alexandria Alternate .........................................John Fream ............................... Benton Worship Leader ............................Jeremy Christ .......................Alexandria November 13-14, 2017 Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Preacher ..........................................John Fream ............................... Benton Alternate ...........................................Jeff Ginn ........................Baton Rouge Worship Leader ........................... Gordon Butler ...................Baton Rouge 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS Articles of Incorporation of Louisiana Baptist Convention ................................... 4 Bylaws of Louisiana Baptist Convention .............................................................. 10 Business and Financial Plan of Louisiana Baptist Convention ............................. 15 Articles of Incorporation of the Executive Board .................................................. 18 Bylaws of Executive Board of Louisiana Baptist Convention .............................. 21 Louisiana Baptist Convention Church Site Plan .................................................... 25 Baptist Faith & Message ........................................................................................ 29 Church-State Relations .......................................................................................... 38 PROCEEDINGS .......................................................................................................... 40 DIRECTORIES AND COMMITTEES Convention Officers ............................................................................................... 48 Convention Committees ......................................................................................... 49 Trustees of Institutions and Agencies .................................................................... 50 Executive Board Members ..................................................................................... 52 Executive Board Committees ................................................................................ 54 State Missions Services ......................................................................................... 56 Collegiate Ministry Directors ................................................................................ 58 Associational Directors of Missions ...................................................................... 59 LBC Institutions and Agencies .............................................................................. 61 Louisiana Baptist Convention Related Ministries ................................................. 61 Lifeway Christian Stores ........................................................................................ 61 SBC Ministries & Auxiliary................................................................................... 62 SBC Seminaries ..................................................................................................... 62 Baptist Camps in Louisiana ................................................................................... 63 Related Ministries .................................................................................................. 64 LOUISIANA BAPTIST CHURCHES, MISSIONS & MINISTERS Churches and Missions .......................................................................................... 65 Vocational Evangelists ........................................................................................... 87 Church Websites .................................................................................................... 89 EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Executive Board ..................................................................................................... 97 Administrative Committee .................................................................................... 99 Business & Finance Committee ............................................................................. 99 Executive Committee ............................................................................................. 99 Missions Support Committee ................................................................................. 99 Nominating Committee .......................................................................................... 99 Properties Committee ............................................................................................. 99 Executive Board Recommendations ...................................................................... 100 Executive Board Statement of Financial Position ................................................. 101 State Mission Services for Churches & Associations ............................................ 102 Cooperative Program Budget ................................................................................. 109 2 INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Baptist Message ................................................................................................... 111 Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries ..................................... 114 Louisiana Baptist Foundation ................................................................................ 116 Louisiana College .................................................................................................. 118 CONVENTION COMMITTEES REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Committee on Moral & Social Concerns ............................................................... 122 Convention Committee on Resolutions ................................................................. 124 ASSOCIATIONS Louisiana Associational Officers and Meetings ..................................................... 130 Associations Statistical Reports ............................................................................. 136 Summary of Associational Statistics ...................................................................... 189 HISTORICAL TABLE Historical Table, LBC ............................................................................................ 192 INDEX ......................................................................................................................... 196 3 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 CORPORATION The Convention is a nonprofit corporation organized under the Louisiana Non-Profit Corporation Act, LSA-R.S. 12:201 et seq. and shall have all of the powers, duties, authorizations and responsibilities as provided therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Convention shall neither have nor exercise any power, nor engage directly or indirectly in any activity that would invalidate its status as an organization exempt from federal income tax and described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the corresponding provision or provisions of any subsequent United States Internal Revenue law or laws. ARTICLE IV. PURPOSE Section 1. The purpose of this Convention is to provide means through which Louisiana Baptist churches and members can cooperate in bringing persons to God throughout the world. Section 2. The Convention will assist churches and associations in the Christ-appointed tasks: to worship God, to proclaim the Gospel, to teach, to nurture Christians, to establish and strengthen churches, and to minister in Christ’s name. Section 3. This Convention desires to carry its programs forward in fraternal concert with other Baptist groups. This Convention will never exercise authority of any type over such groups. Section 4. This Convention recognizes the Southern Baptist Convention as the primary instrument used by Baptists to further the cause of Christ on a worldwide basis. The Convention pledges its loyalty and support to the purposes served by the Southern Baptist Convention. Section 5. This Convention will do all its work in accord with the principle that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God, and is sufficient for all faith and practice, and is truth without any mixture of error in every area of which it speaks (Matthew 22:29). ARTICLE V. REGISTERED OFFICE The registered office of the Convention shall be located at 1250 MacArthur Drive, Alexandria, Louisiana. The location of the Convention may be changed by an affirmative vote of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the messengers of the Convention present and voting. ARTICLE VI. MEMBERSHIP Section 1.This Convention shall be composed of messengers who are members in good standing of Baptist churches cooperating (defined below) with the Convention. Section 2. This Convention shall be organized on