By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday, March 30, the easing of additional restrictions as the state continues moving forward in reopening the economy. Citing continued positive trends in low COVID-19 cases counts and hospitalizations, Edwards said during a news conference that while the mask mandate will remain in place and social distancing will be required, restaurants, bars, gyms, salons and beauty shops, malls and retail establishments no longer will have occupancy limits once the current proclamation expires on Wednesday, March 31. Edwards added that capacity for event centers and reception halls will remain at 50 percent, with a maximum size of 500 people. Attendance at sporting events will still be capped at 50 percent. Also, churches will be allowed to continue to operate at full capacity. The new proclamation Edwards will sign on Wednesday will remain in effect through April 28. “Today marks a big step forward,” Edwards said. “But we all are going to have a role today and do have a role to play in making sure that cases don’t spike again.” The LDH reported 499 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to 444,414, and an … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, special assignments editor DERIDDER, La. (LBM) - New Life Baptist Church in DeRidder suffered no damage from Hurricanes Laura or Delta but had to meet without electricity for several weeks. But, acting as a hub for responding to others’ needs, the church opened its doors to host four church groups that came to serve the community with food and other supplies. Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Jonesville, sent about 20 members who spent just one day to gut out the home of New Life’s worship leader, Jennifer Stark. The roof was destroyed, and the interior was completely soaked. Still wrestling with their insurance company, the Starks’s home is not yet completely repaired. Pastor Keith Manuel expressed deep gratitude for all the churches that sent help. “We are thankful for those who came into this devastated area to give their time and resources to help people who were suffering through the most desperate days of the disaster. They helped our community, and they shared the Gospel.” Manuel said the church saw four professions of faith from among five unexpected visitors to the church in January. A mother and her son committed their lives to Christ. Three teens who work at a local pizza restaurant owned by a … [Read more...]

By Elizabeth Christian, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Louisiana College has learned that two former students have been charged in a federal indictment in connection with alleged fraudulent use of grant money made available to students as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to the Justice Department press release, Hayden Philip Breaux, 21, of Houma, and D’Quincy Marquis Jones, 23, of Baton Rouge, have both been charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury with one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft and five counts of identity theft. The indictment alleges that in June 2020 Breaux and Jones and other co-conspirators used LC students’ personal information and passwords to gain access to the Louisiana College Online Student Portal to apply for these emergency funds and direct the money into their accounts. “Louisiana College has and will continue to cooperate fully with the federal investigation,” said Elizabeth Clarke, LC college communications director. “Once college officials discovered possible fraudulent activity by grant recipients in June 2020, we immediately notified law enforcement officials and an investigation ensued.” LC received the … [Read more...]

Louisiana College President Rick Brewer signs a memorandum of understanding with Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin during the school's chapel service March 18. Earlier in the month, LC signed a similar agreement with Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary that will allow students to apply college credits toward a seminary degree. The memorandums of understanding between the institutions will allow LC graduates to earn their seminary degrees more quickly to pursue God’s calling on their lives, Brewer said. He explained that students who successfully complete certain senior-level courses in LC’s missions and ministries program may receive at least 15 credit hours toward a Master of Divinity at the two seminaries. … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Baptist Message special assignments reporter SULPHUR, La. (LBM)--Despite the double calamities of a hurricane and the coronavirus, Maplewood First Baptist Church is rebounding. “We’ve been seeing quite a few visitors – new people we’re trying to get to know,” said Pastor Jeremy Blocker. Some had moved to the area before Hurricane Laura and are now looking for a church home, Blocker told the Baptist Message. “Some of them in these hard times -- when things opened back up -- they started searching; we’ve tried to help them find Jesus. Worship’s been awesome, and we’re seeing a lot of answers to prayers.” Blocker said the congregation’s passion for doing ministry never wavered, but “it’s just kind of crazy trying to decide when do we restart and what and how do we restart it.” Such decisions would be easier if the church still had its 13,000 square-foot building that housed its Hope Christian School. Considered irreparable from water damage, all that remains of it after demolition is a concrete slab. The church likely will not rebuild where the school once stood but is looking to maximize their existing footprint. “We’re not going to rebuild for 1950. We’ll use this as an opportunity to build for the … [Read more...]