By Norm Miller, Baptist Message correspondent VINTON, La. (LBM) — Like many churches in Louisiana, First Baptist Church, Vinton, had the interior of its facilities deluged after Hurricane Laura ripped off a section of roof and blew away large potions of metal sheeting. The auditorium is now completely under tarp, but the damage was not limited to that area. “Our church will have to be completely gutted,” said Pastor Bobby Daniel, whose office carpet squishes underfoot. Soaked but salvageable items are being wiped with an anti-mold solution, catalogued, and safely stored by a disaster recovery company, he said. However, Hurricane Laura’s downpours did nothing to quench the congregation’s desire to worship on Sunday, Sept. 13, when about 40 people gathered on the lawn. With sweat rolling down his back and face with the heat index topping 100 degrees, Daniel poured out his heart while preaching from Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” God’s strength, protection, and provision have shown up in many ways, Daniel said, including several sizable monetary gifts from friends and relatives. … [Read more...]

Jeannie Saylor and Jill Morrow, who work for Louisiana Baptists in the central mission office in Alexandria, prepare letters with checks to send to 36 congregations whose facilities were destroyed by Hurricane Laura. The emergency gifts were possible because of donations to the Georgia Barnette State Mission Offering as well as funds given by state convention partners in the South, special offerings from churches and contributions by individuals. Steve Horn, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, said that at the appropriate time he will publicly thank those who made these emergency gifts possible. But he offered an anecdote to the Baptist Message as a way to describe the kindness, generosity and sacrifice that is befitting the whole of the effort to help these churches. “One elderly lady called her pastor to indicate that though she did not have much to give, she had to do something,” he shared. “When that pastor arrived, that which she described as ‘not much’ was $10,000.” … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana officially has headed into the next phase of reopening the state’s economy -- with the exception of New Orleans. Gov. John Bel Edwards, during a news conference Friday, said while the mask mandate will remain in place in Phase 3, businesses and churches will be allowed to operate at 75 percent capacity, an increase from 50 percent under Phase 2 that expired earlier in the day. The new order will remain in effect until it expires Oct. 9. Under the new guidance issued jointly from the Governor's office with the state fire marshal and the Department of Health, indoor social gatherings like weddings and birthday parties can operate at 50 percent capacity, up to 250 people, and sporting event venues can open at 25 percent capacity. Nursing home visits still are not allowed in Phase 3, although the LDH soon will start a pilot program for some nursing homes in parishes which experience no new cases of COVID-19 for two weeks. Parishes without high case numbers also will be included in the trial run. “We have seen some improvement in decreased COVID-like illness, new COVID cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks, as our strong mitigation measures are working,” Edwards … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff HAMMOND, La. (LBM) – Lonnie Wascom, director of missions from Northshore Baptist Association from 2011-2018, died Thursday, Sept. 10. He was 72. Born in Baton Rouge, Wascom was baptized at New Bethlehem Baptist Church near Live Oak when he was nine years old. When he turned 15, he began his service in vocational ministry as the assistant music director at Judson Baptist Church in Walker. During the years that followed, Wascom served churches in California and Louisiana, and earned degrees from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, California State University in San Francisco, California, and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, California (now Gateway Seminary in Fremont, California). After 40 years of serving churches, he was called as the director of missions for Chappapeela, LaTangi and St. Tammany Baptist Associations in 2004. Seven years later, the three associations voted to merge. Two months after his Oct. 1, 2018, retirement, Wascom became pastor of Walker Baptist Church. Wascom said in a Sept. 7, 2018, article in the Baptist Message he wanted to finish strong in his faith journey after his retirement. “If God favors me, He’ll let me go out like … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Robert Lynn, president of Louisiana College from 1975 to 1997, died Tuesday, Sept. 8 in Norman, Oklahoma. He was 88. Born Nov. 19, 1931, in Fox, Oklahoma, Lynn was a faithful servant to Baptists and higher education. Prior to his presidency at LC, Lynn served as a chairman of deacons at First Baptist Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma, vice president for administration at Oklahoma Baptist University, and administrative committee member of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board), according to archived Baptist Message articles. Lynn, who was the sixth president in school history, succeeded G. Earl Guinn. According to a June 5, 1997 article in the Baptist Message, Lynn instituted a strategic planning process for which the college engaged in for five-year periods. During his tenure, almost 85 percent of the five-year goals were met. Additionally, he led the college to unprecedented financial growth. While he was president, the school was never in the red operationally. Lynn also established the President’s Club to recognize donors who gave $1,000 or more to the school in a calendar year. In a 20-year span, beginning in 1976, almost 6,000 … [Read more...]