Changes

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/>

Upon his retirement, Lowery was succeeded as pastor by the Reverend Brad Jurkovich, formerly of [[Lubbock, Texas]].

Upon his retirement, Lowery was succeeded as pastor by the Reverend Brad Jurkovich, who came to Bossier City from Lubbock, Texas

   

   

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>

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>