Changes

Lowery and his wife, the former Lisabeth Leigh Jones (born ca. 1951), whom he frequently mentions in his sermons, have two daughters, Shelby Lynn Lowery, and Christy Camille Lowery Facianne. He previously lived in Avon Park in Highlands County, in southern [[Florida]], and Inman in Spartanburg County in northwesternn South Carolina.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoplesearch.com/PeopleSearchResults.aspx?utf8=%E2%9C%93&txtfirstname=Fred&txtlastname=Lowery&statepicked=LA&imgPeopleSearch.x=25&imgPeopleSearch.y=34|title=Search Results for Lowery, Fred in LA|publisher=peoplesearch.com|accessdate=June 16, 2012}}</ref>

Lowery and his wife, the former Lisabeth Leigh Jones (born ca. 1951), whom he frequently mentions in his sermons, have two daughters, Shelby Lynn Lowery, and Christy Camille Lowery Facianne. He previously lived in Avon Park in Highlands County, in southern [[Florida]], and Inman in Spartanburg County in northwesternn South Carolina.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peoplesearch.com/PeopleSearchResults.aspx?utf8=%E2%9C%93&txtfirstname=Fred&txtlastname=Lowery&statepicked=LA&imgPeopleSearch.x=25&imgPeopleSearch.y=34|title=Search Results for Lowery, Fred in LA|publisher=peoplesearch.com|accessdate=June 16, 2012}}</ref>

==Pastor and author==

==Pastor and author==

Called to the ministry in 1960 at the age of seventeen, Lowery came to First Baptist Bossier in 1983 at the age of forty. Since that time, FBC has added a 2,500-seat worship center, remodeled each building on campus, purchased additional land, and added a children's addition, and a state-of-the-art preschool building called Tiny Town.<ref>Jane Bokun, "Dr. Fred Lowery celebrates 50 years in ministry", ''Shreveport Times'', September 15, 2010</ref>Lowery bases most of his sermons on the themes: "Faith, Family, and Friends" and "Steps to Restoring Relationsips".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://universityneurosurgery.com/index.php?src=news&submenu=News&srctype=detail&category=Articles%20and%20Columns&refno=9|title=Dr. Anil & Laura Nanda|publisher=''Shreveport Times'', October 30, 2005|accessdate=June 20, 2012}}</ref>

Called to the ministry in 1960 at the age of seventeen, Lowery came to First Baptist Bossier in 1983 at the age of forty. Since that time, FBC has added a 2,500-seat worship center, remodeled each building on campus, purchased additional land, and added a children's addition, and a state-of-the-art preschool building called Tiny Town.<ref>Jane Bokun, "Dr. Fred Lowery celebrates 50 years in ministry", ''Shreveport Times'', September 15, 2010</ref>Lowery bases most of his sermons on the themes: "Faith, Family, and Friends" and "Steps to Restoring Relationsips".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://universityneurosurgery.com/index.php?src=news&submenu=News&srctype=detail&category=Articles%20and%20Columns&refno=9|title=Dr. Anil & Laura Nanda|publisher=''Shreveport Times'', October 30, 2005|accessdate=June 20, 2012}}</ref>

First Baptist Bossier has more than seven thousand members. Lowery's website describes the pastor as having "a wonderful sense of humor, [who] goes straight to God's word and offers fresh insight as he communicates the truth of [[Christianity]] in practical ways. To him, life's bottom line is faith, family and friends."<ref name=lowery>{{cite web|url=http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/the-first-word/read/title=The First Word with Dr. Fred Lowery|publisher=oneplace.com|accessdate=June 16, 2012}}</ref>''The First Word'' broadcasts, which began in June 1983, air at 7 a.m. Central Time Sundays. For a number of years, Lowery's broadcast has been the top-rated Sunday program in the tri-state area of northwestern Louisiana, east [[Texas]], and southwestern [[Arkansas]]. Sermons can also be accessed at SermonSearch.com.<ref name=lowery/>

First Baptist Bossier has more than seven thousand members. Lowery's website describes the pastor as having "a wonderful sense of humor, [who] goes straight to God's word and offers fresh insight as he communicates the truth of [[Christianity]] in practical ways. To him, life's bottom line is faith, family and friends."<ref name=lowery>{{cite web|url=http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/the-first-word/read/title=The First Word with Dr. Fred Lowery|publisher=oneplace.com|accessdate=June 16, 2012}}</ref>''The First Word'' broadcasts, which began in June 1983, air at 7 a.m. Central Time Sundays. For a number of years, Lowery's broadcast has been the top-rated Sunday program in the tri-state area of northwestern Louisiana, east Texas, and southwestern [[Arkansas]]. Sermons can also be accessed at SermonSearch.com.<ref name=lowery/>

   

   

Lowery is a former president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, based in Alexandria, and a former vice president and president of the Pastor's Conference, an influential position, in the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], headquartered in [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]]. At the 1993 Pastor's Conference in Houston, when Lowery was the president, the speakers focused on II Chronicles 7:14 "to encourage and help our pastors as they deal

Lowery is a former president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, based in Alexandria, and a former vice president and president of the Pastor's Conference, an influential position, in the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], headquartered in [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]]. At the 1993 Pastor's Conference in Houston, when Lowery was the president, the speakers focused on II Chronicles 7:14 "to encourage and help our pastors as they deal with hurting people. he path of our society is causing incredible problems in the lives of our people." Lowery said at the conference, "We have a moral and spiritual crisis in America today. ... To me our choices are revival or judgment."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://media.sbhla.org.s3.amazonaws.com/7541,31-Mar-1993.pdf|title=Art Toalston, "Pastors' Conference to focus on America's need for revival|publisher=''Baptist Press'', March 31, 1993|accessdate=June 20, 2012}}</ref>

with hurting people. he path of our society is causing incredible problems in the lives of our people." Lowery said at the conference, "We have a moral and spiritual crisis in America today. ... To me our choices are revival or judgment."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://media.sbhla.org.s3.amazonaws.com/7541,31-Mar-1993.pdf|title=Art Toalston, "Pastors' Conference to focus on America's need for revival|publisher=''Baptist Press'', March 31, 1993|accessdate=June 20, 2012}}</ref>

Lowery is a trustee of [[Louisiana College]] in Pineville and the [[New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary]] in [[New Orleans]],<ref name=okbu/>where he had been a candidate for the chancellorship in the 1990s.

Lowery is a trustee of [[Louisiana College]] in Pineville and the [[New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary]] in [[New Orleans]],<ref name=okbu/>where he had been a candidate for the chancellorship in the 1990s.

Other Lowery books, published before 2000, are ''Jogging Through The Bible'', ''Seven Habits of Highly Successful Marriages'', and ''How to be Happy and Stay Married.''<ref name=okbu/>

Other Lowery books, published before 2000, are ''Jogging Through The Bible'', ''Seven Habits of Highly Successful Marriages'', and ''How to be Happy and Stay Married.''<ref name=okbu/>

==Political activity==

==Political activity==

In 2012, Lowery invited the  [[Repubican]] presidential candidate [[Rick Santorum]], former U.S. senator from [[Pennsylvania]], to speak at First Baptist Bossier. Before Lowery's congregation, Santourm related his personal and emotional story of the loss of his newborn son, Gabriel and the trials of a physically-handicapped daughter, Bella.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/74242.html|title=Juana Summers, "Rick Santorum's faith journey takes center stage", March 20, 2012|publisher=politico.com|accessdate=June 16, 2012}}</ref> On that same Sunday, Santorum delivered a similar address an hour later at the large Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport. Days later, he handily won the Louisiana primary but still withdrew from the race early in April after defeat in [[Wisconsin]].

In 2012, Lowery invited the  [[Republican]] presidential candidate [[Rick Santorum]], former U.S. senator from [[Pennsylvania]], to speak at First Baptist Bossier. Before Lowery's congregation, Santourm related his personal and emotional story of the loss of his newborn son, Gabriel, and the trials of a physically-handicapped daughter, Bella.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/74242.html|title=Juana Summers, "Rick Santorum's faith journey takes center stage", March 20, 2012|publisher=politico.com|accessdate=June 16, 2012}}</ref> On that same Sunday, Santorum delivered a similar address an hour later at the large Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport. Days later, he handily won the Louisiana primary but still withdrew from the race early in April after defeat in [[Wisconsin]].

Lowery called Santorum a politician "who really is a statesman and he believes exactly what I believe about faith and family."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lanewslink.com/print.php?article=24930|title=Kristi Johnston, "For believers, Santorum's the ticket,"|publisher=''Shreveport Times'', March 19, 2012|accessdate=June 20, 2012}}</ref>

Lowery called Santorum a politician "who really is a statesman and he believes exactly what I believe about faith and family."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lanewslink.com/print.php?article=24930|title=Kristi Johnston, "For believers, Santorum's the ticket,"|publisher=''Shreveport Times'', March 19, 2012|accessdate=June 20, 2012}}</ref>