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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Archives for 2021

ANALYSIS: The truth about gambling

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Late last year, The Advocate reported John Alario, the immediate past president of the state Senate, as saying that it “would take a crowbar” to get rid of gambling in the state now. Unfortunately, he is right. Too many budgets in the state have been tied to gambling taxes as a key source of revenue –revenues that have been flagging for at least a decade (aside from the nearly billion-dollar pandemic losses in 2020), causing regular budget crises for the state, local governments, schools, and law enforcement. Furthermore, there is a whitewashing about gambling when budget notes are developed in the legislature. Potential tax revenue payouts are touted in testimony to legislators, but there is a near blackout of information about the actual costs to taxpayers on the expense side of the ledger. Importantly, public discussions and policy decisions about gambling in this state ignore the crippling human costs of gambling as well. CASINOS In general, casinos are not created for casual entertainment. Instead, they are designed to exploit the weakest among us. Most are windowless facilities that offer no clocks -- to avoid triggering a patron’s … [Read more...]

Lawmakers address election integrity, gambling, fairness in women’s sports

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Although 2021 is a budget year for the legislature, which by policy limits lawmakers to submitting only five bills each on other matters, civic and social issues are poised to dominate the agenda during the regular session which convened April 12. FAIRNESS IN SPORTS Sen. Beth Mizell, a member of First Baptist Church, Franklinton, submitted S.B. 156 “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” as an attempt to level the playing field for women athletes, according to statements she made to the Baptist Message. The bill is in response to the H.R. 5 “Equality Act,” passed by the U.S. House and awaiting a vote in the Senate, that would allow biological males to compete as female athletes. Regardless of the outcome of that legislation, an executive mandate promoting transgender rights that was issued by President Joe Biden calls for a review of federal policies that likely will produce the same result. In opposing such changes in Louisiana, Mizell drew heavily from Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 in drafting her protections for women athletes. This legal precedent ensures that women receive equal opportunities with men to participate in sports … [Read more...]

Bill would ban ‘critical race theory’ from Louisiana schools

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Rep. Ray Garofalo has introduced H.B. 564 which would prohibit the teaching of divisive concepts relative to race and sex at publicly funded K-12 schools and postsecondary education institutions. His legislation addresses a growing push to teach radical ideologies such as the “1619 Project” as well as “critical race theory” and “intersectionality,” even on Christian school campuses: -- The 1619 Project was launched by the New York Times as an effort to redefine the birth of the United States from a fight for liberty in 1776 to an expansion of slavery in 1619 (when a British ship brought 20 Africans captive to Jamestown). -- “Critical race theory” and “intersectionality” are both rooted in Marxist thought (“dethrone God”) and argue that white supremacy is persistent in our country. The first condemns all human systems (law, education, finance) as oppressing people of color, and the second claims all human relationships (intersections of lives) discriminate against people of color, especially LGBT women. Both are used to declare all whites as racists whether they are aware of it (intentional in their actions) or not. In the abstract of the … [Read more...]

LC names new dean of College of Missions and Ministries

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Justin Langford has been named dean of the College of Missions and Ministries at Louisiana College. Langford has been a faculty member for eight years, most recently serving as interim dean. Langford is a 2003 graduate of Louisiana College in sociology. He earned his Master of Divinity in biblical languages, Master of Theology and Ph.D. in New Testament from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, finishing in 2012. He served churches while in seminary as both music minister and youth minister. In 2013, he returned to LC to teach in the then-called Division of Christian Studies. “I am honored and grateful to Dr. Rick Brewer and Dr. Cheryl Clark for this wonderful opportunity to serve my alma mater,” Langford said. “I am eager to work with the excellent faculty we have in our area. I firmly believe that our role is to model servant leadership to our students. We hope and pray that, upon graduating, they will then enter our churches and mission fields equipped with the knowledge, experience, and servant mindset that is needed to impact our world for Christ. President Rick Brewer said Langford has been an excellent faculty member during his time at LC’s … [Read more...]

Louisiana College awarded two Board of Regents grants for theatre, business

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Louisiana College has been chosen to receive two department enhancement grants from the Louisiana Board of Regents. The grants totaling more than $135,000 will provide for a business analytics classroom and a new stage for the theatre program. The Louisiana Board of Regents received 114 grant applications for department enhancement grants this year and recommended funding for 32 proposals. The business proposal ranked 7 and theatre ranked 13, which were high in the statewide competition, said Henry Robertson, LC director of institutional effectiveness and grants coordinator. The Board of Regents Enhancement grants will provide for a business analytics classroom in Alexandria Hall at an investment of $79, 972, and $55,802 comes for new stages in the Martin Performing Arts Center to benefit the theatre program. “We are always grateful to the Board of Regents for their financial support of our programs at LC,” President Rick Brewer said. “There are many worthwhile colleges and universities that need support across the state, and money is limited. These two grants will be transformational for the students here.” Adena LeJeune, chair of the Division of Business, wrote … [Read more...]

Second fire in less than a week consumes Trinity Baptist fellowship hall

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – A second fire in less than a week, consumed the fellowship hall at Trinity Baptist Church in Pineville on April 22. Pastor Kevin Roberts told the Baptist Message he was studying in his office on campus around 3:15 pm when a church member who had been cutting the grass on campus alerted him of the fire. Crews from Pineville/Holiday Village responded within 10 minutes and managed to contain the fire to that one facility. The fire took place in the same area of the building that burned on April 18. At the time, Roberts and other church members were visiting in the parking lot when they noticed smoke coming from the roof of the building. Roberts said an electrical fire caused the fire earlier in the week. “Please pray for wisdom as we decide what’s next,” Roberts said. “And also that we have no more fires.” … [Read more...]

First Napoleonville shining example of God’s handiwork

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NAPOLEONVILLE, La. (LBM) – First Baptist Church in Napoleonville, which in 2018 lost its worship center and Sunday school space in a fire, celebrated a new chapter in ministry April 11 when members and guests gathered to dedicate its new facility. More than 100 people were on hand for the service to remember how God brought the church out of the fire and into a very bright future. “What was accomplished here was nothing short of a miracle,” Pastor Chuck Chiasson told the Baptist Message. “I believe the fire and the rebuilding program of the last three years will redefine this church for years to come. Through trust in God, prayerful giving and the hard work of our members along with mission groups and other people, God has blessed us and we praise Him for our new facility.” Chiasson said a feeling of helplessness overcame him when he received the call that the church building was burning after lightning strike on Jan. 7, 2018. However, the next morning Chiasson was heartened when he began receiving calls from so many people offering help as well as encouragement. He soon discovered insurance would cover only half of the estimated $1 million needed to rebuild the … [Read more...]

The SBC truly ‘exists’ only two days per year

By Don F. Mabry ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)--Each year in June, the Southern Baptist Convention holds an annual meeting -- in recent years beginning on the second Tuesday in June and closing the next day. This schedule highlights the reality of the nature of the SBC: It only exists two days every year. During the other 363 days, the SBC Constitution assigns specific duties to the officers, boards, institutions, and commissions of the Convention to conduct the business and execute the budgets approved by the messengers. But, legally, there is no SBC. Indeed, the SBC truly is not a denomination but in effect is merely a meeting, a gathering akin to the conventions held every four years by the two major political parties – a mix of rally and business. While millions of people refer to themselves as Southern Baptists, the truth is that churches are not members of the SBC and most members of these churches are not members of the SBC. According to Article III of the SBC Constitution, “The Convention shall consist of messengers who are members of Baptist churches in cooperation with the Convention.”  This founding document specifies what constitutes a cooperating church and explains how many messengers each cooperating church … [Read more...]