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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Camps take COVID-19 threat, seriously, and are ready to host

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist camps are facing an uncertain summer season but their ministry leaders are confident God will provide. Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth has not hosted any groups since Governor John Bel Edwards issued a stay at home order March 22 that limited gatherings to no more than 10 people. Camp Director Josh Bumgardner told the Baptist Message the only summer camp that has been affected so far is the Champion’s Camp. Because many of the special needs campers have compromised immune systems, Louisiana Baptist Convention children’s ministry strategist David Anderson made the decision to move that camp date from June to Sept. 18-20. “All of us want to have summer camps if conditions are safe to do so,” Bumgardner said. “Summer camps have a huge impact on the spiritual lives of children and youth. We see new Christians born each summer and so many more whose faith matures here. The decision to go ahead or cancel a camp will be made three weeks prior. "If it is safe enough to have a week of camp at that point, we absolutely want to host it,"he said. But he emphasized his commitment to set a good example on behalf of Louisiana … [Read more...]

As the church regathers

By Waylon Bailey Soon churches in America will regather for public worship. We can all be thankful that we have done our best to be good citizens who cooperated with those in authority to “flatten the curve” and not overwhelm our healthcare professionals. We can be very proud to have been a part of that. But now we have the monumental task of doing things that go against our nature and all that we have learned. Not only do we have to refrain from a “holy kiss,” we also have to refrain from what we have taught our sons about a firm handshake. Churches and schools have been greatly affected and will require creative ways to fulfill their mission. Thankfully, I can let other professionals deal with how to open schools safely and to do a high quality job of education. Think with me about the church. What will we need to do this? I can’t say it more simply. We will need God. More than anything, we will need to be completely open to God to see how He will lead. I almost want to write “reimagine,” but we don’t have to reimagine church. God will lead His people. We must be open to God’s Spirit as He shows us how to regather and how to effectively serve our communities. We must adapt, and we must be adaptable. … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist churches look to adapt, again

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer FOREST HILL, La. (LBM)--Louisiana Baptist churches soon will reopen their doors, and Elwood Baptist Church in Forest Hill is among the congregations considering how to adapt, yet again. Pastor Michael Evans told the Baptist Message that drive-in services have been so well received by his members and guests that these might continue, even when Sunday morning services resume in the worship center. Elwood Baptist has averaged 50 vehicles at drive-in services, and has drawn an average of 100 views for the Facebook Live broadcast of worship services. The congregation averaged 125 in the pews on Sunday mornings in early March. “Some can’t come in for various reasons, and may be reluctant to come inside a building with others at first,” Evans said. “Jesus said to go to highways and byways and compel them to come in. This alternative has been a great way to reach others in a new way.” The church also has used other methods to maintain connection with its members and prospects. Elwood posts on its Facebook page a devotional every Tuesday and Friday evening, and utilizes a phone bank to send 60-second messages. The congregation also has formed caravans of 15-20 vehicles to pass by the … [Read more...]

Two LaSalle Parish schools set to celebrate National Day of Prayer

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LASALLE PARISH, La. (LBM) – Residents of LaSalle Parish will celebrate the upcoming National Day of Prayer with events at LaSalle High School in Olla and Jena High School football stadiums starting noon, May 7. Scott Smith, pastor of First Baptist Church in Tullos and organizer of the gathering at LaSalle High School, said he is anticipating a powerful time of prayer with others from multiple denominations. “As I have spoken with pastors and leaders of our communities, one thing has become quite evident,” Smith told the Baptist Message. “Every person that I spoke with seemed eager to come together and pray. “I could sense the sincerity in their voices as each one shared about how God is our only hope,” he continued. “I hope this will lead to a time of revival and spiritual awakening.” According to the Jena Times, both locations will allow ample space for participants to adhere to proper social distancing guidelines of at least six feet apart from one another. Additionally, those attending are asked not to hold hands or form close groups while praying. “It there has ever been a year when all of LaSalle Parish believers should come together to participate in the National Day … [Read more...]

State guidance: In-person, outdoor worship services

By Message Staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Chief H. “Butch” Browning, the state fire marshal, has issued specific guidance for churches regarding how to conduct outdoor, in-person worship services in accordance with state safety directives intended to protect against transmission of the novel coronavirus: In accordance with Governor John Bel Edwards’ COVID-19 proclamation to be released May 1, 2020, any outdoor religious and places of worship venue must adhere to strict mitigation standards in preventing the spread of COVID-19. The general operating matrix will require spacing of groups, limiting concentration of people, strict use of Personal Protective Equipment and frequent sanitizing. The specific requirements are provided below: Life safety and egress Open areas with or without temporary tents, subject to local or parish rules and ordinances, must meet NFPA 101 Life Safety Code and must be open on all sides (no barriers). The tent must not be enclosed. The following conditions are required: The capacity is subject to social distancing requirements and spacing of seated attendees with strict supervision provided by crowd managers Limit group seating to persons who are members of the same household Modify … [Read more...]

A radical environmental proposal: A day of rest

By Will Hall, Message Executive Editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)—Last week as environmentalists around the world celebrated Earth Day, I was intrigued by the potential of a biblical solution to the problem of air pollution: a day of rest. The concept of a day of rest is nothing new to people of faith. We are familiar with God’s six days of creation -- His forming the heavens and the earth and fashioning all the creatures of the air, land and sea, as well as molding man into His image. Likewise, we know our Heavenly Father established the seventh day as a time of rest. But two points about the nature of that first week stood out for me: First, God did not need six days to complete His creation. He did not need to give multiple commands to establish light, the earth’s atmosphere, etc. He simply could have said, “Let there be all” and everything would have been in its place at once. It is obvious that He was providing a cycle, a recurring schedule for mankind. Second, God had no reason to rest. He was not exhausted from His creative endeavors. Nor was He in need of refreshment or restoration of His energy. But He established a day of cessation of work in part for man’s benefit. The day off is meant to be a holy time, set … [Read more...]

Afrikaner farmer finds ‘promised land’ in Louisiana

By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional Reporter THERIOT, La. (LBM) - God’s protection and provision enabled Gerhard Liebenberg and his family to start a new life in America after facing racial conflicts because of land reform in Namibia (a Marxist country in Africa with deep ties to China), where millions of acres farmed by whites (a relatively wealthy minority in the country) are being confiscated to benefit disadvantaged blacks (who were displaced from their ancestral lands 125 years ago). “God took us out of Africa and put us in the swamps of Louisiana. God is blessing us day by day and I hope to tell as many people as possible our story,” Liebenberg, who now lives in Houma, said. Liebenberg said the Lord has blessed him with a job running a sawmill and his wife, Anja, with an office position. They, along with their two daughters, Zita, age 4, and Jana, age 2, have found a church family in the Bayou Dularge Baptist Church. “I had never heard of a Baptist church before we moved here,” Liebenberg revealed. “But they have welcomed us, and they are like a family we’ve had our whole life. We prayed for God to send us to a place where we can do His work, not for us, but for His glory.” Twice Liebenberg has been able to preach at … [Read more...]

Louisiana College to open for fall semester

By Norm Miller PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews)—Louisiana College will open the fall semester with in-person classes August 17. Even though research shows some tension between students’ desires to return to campus and the economic downturn from the pandemic, Louisiana College President Rick Brewer said, “We are beyond ready to see our students again, and we know they are ready to return.”   In response to health and financial concerns, the college will offer all general education courses online, as well as free tuition through the new Governor Jimmie Davis Scholarship. “In all my 33 years in Christian higher education leadership, I never have endured a pandemic and all the taxing challenges it has presented us. However, we are doing what we can to allay apprehensions about COVID-19 with these measures,” Brewer said.   The Jimmie Davis Scholarship is for incoming freshmen and transfer students who are TOPS recipients and PELL eligible. Applicants must have less than $1,000 Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined from the FAFSA for PELL, and the state determines whether a student is TOPS eligible.   “We are doing what we can to help close the affordability gap families are facing,” said Brewer, noting that the college … [Read more...]

Churches given more leeway for in-person worship assemblies

By Message Staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) - Churches may now hold outdoor worship services but still must adhere to proper social distancing guidelines, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday. During his daily news conference, Edwards said tent services also are an option, but warned that flaps must not be released to form an enclosed space. He also emphasized that families should maintain a distance of six feet from others and that masks should be worn at all times; and, he urged anyone with a chronic medical condition and those 65 years or older not to attend. “We again believe that those individuals per the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance and the department of health guidelines here in Louisiana wear a mask,” Edwards said. “And then we would ask that those churches take special precautions about communing service and other parts of the services that would typically bring people within close proximity with one another and to make alternative arrangements for that.” Edwards said the Louisiana Department of Health and the state Fire Marshal’s Office will provide more guidance on Friday. The announcement came hours after state Attorney General Jeff Landry said he sent a letter asking the … [Read more...]