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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Edwards extends Phase 2 COVID-19 restrictions another three weeks

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana will remain in Phase 2 to stem the spread of COVID for at least three more weeks, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Phase 2 was set to expire Friday, Aug. 7, but will now be extended beginning that day for another 21 days. All restrictions issued under the current restriction will remain in place. This includes: –a 50 percent capacity restriction for businesses and churches –a statewide mask mandate for anyone eight years or older or with a major health condition –limitations of bars to curbside food service only - and a reduction of indoor social gatherings to 50 people. Edwards, in a news conference, noted the state has seen a recent decline in new COVID-19 related cases and hospitalizations. He asked Louisianans to continue wearing masks and observing proper social distancing measures so the state can move toward Phase 3. “There is a bit of good news,” Edwards said. “The data shows that over the past several days we are beginning to move in the right direction. That gives me hope and encouragement, and it should to everyone. “But I do want to caution everybody that it’s still too early to say that we have changed … [Read more...]

Despite challenges, French Corner VBS delivers record donations

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PONCHATOULA, La. (LBM) – French Corner Baptist Church in Ponchatoula faced numerous novel coronavirus pandemic-related challenges for its recent Vacation Bible School, but the week ended on a high note with their largest VBS missions’ project donation ever. By the conclusion of the summertime evangelistic event, July 20-24, 43 children and 26 adult volunteers brought in 2,883 canned goods and other non-perishable items that were packed by members of the church and delivered to Our Daily Bread food bank in Hammond the following week. Some of the items also were placed into gift boxes for delivery to homebound individuals in the community. “This was a tremendous week of giving hearts,” Pastor Eric Hattaway told the Baptist Message. “I told the kids they were showing Jesus’ love by bringing these cans. They were able to see first-hand a great example of how a Christian is to live out his or her life in their community.” Like many other Louisiana Baptist churches, French Corner Baptist did not know if VBS would be possible with the future uncertain. Still, they decided to go ahead and plan and make preparations for the yearly event. With social distancing guidelines in … [Read more...]

Landry declares victory as legal challenge to Louisiana’s pro-life laws dropped

By Baptist Message staff NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – A Shreveport abortion clinic and multiple doctors who perform abortions have voluntarily dropped their lawsuit that challenged the state’s clinic licensing regulations. Hope Medical Group for Women, formerly June Medical Services, originally filed the case in 2016 and sought to invalidate most of the state’s health and safety requirements relating to abortion, including those to ensure informed consent, provide for the reporting of accurate data on abortion complications, require compliance with the sanitary code and require abortion clinic medical staff to meet basic qualifications for competency. The U.S. Fifth Circuit of Appeals reviewed the case in October and called into question both the plaintiffs' standing to bring the challenge the “cumulative effects” theory they argued. The case had returned to the U.S. Middle District Court in Baton Rouge when it was dismissed, and last week Hope Medical Services and the physicians who perform abortions dropped their challenge to the lawsuit. “The abortion industry's voluntary dismissal of their radical lawsuit aimed at dismantling nearly every one of Louisiana’s health and safety requirements related to abortion is further … [Read more...]

The Father’s heart of the lost

By Lane Corley MADISONVILLE, La. - In Luke 15, Jesus gives us a glimpse of the Father’s heart for the lost. 1. Those far from God liked Jesus and he liked them (verse 1). Is that true of me? When was the last time someone far from God approached me? Am I available to them? Building relationships with them? 2. Jesus welcomed and ate with disreputable characters (verse 2). When was the last meal I had with someone far from God? Do I welcome or repel those far from God? 3. Jesus advocated leaving the crowd to “go after the lost one,” celebrating when the one is found (verse 4). Who’s the one that I’m going after right now? Do I celebrate one sinner’s repentance or only the crowd’s faithful participation? 4. Jesus advocated for “carefully” searching for the lost until found (verse 8). Can I say that my search for the lost is careful, deliberate, and diligent? 5. The lost, dishonorable son was met by a heart “filled with compassion” (verse 20). Do I have compassion or contempt for those far from God? Jesus’ words in Luke 15, remind us that following the Father’s heart may mean… --Being misunderstood --Focusing on fewer people, rather than large crowds --Careful, diligent, time consuming … [Read more...]