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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Dry Prong is spiritually abundant

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer DRY PRONG, La. (LBM) - Chris Smeltzer assumed he was a follower of Jesus because of the many years he attended worship services with his family. But, recently, Smeltzer realized growing up in a Christ-centered home would not get him into Heaven. He not only accepted the Lord after a conversation with Pastor Trey Lewis, but chose to celebrate his freedom in Jesus through baptism Independence Day weekend. “I truly believe that it is God and his Son Jesus Christ who have given me the strength and will to be a better version of myself,” Smeltzer told the Baptist Message. “He gave me courage to talk with Pastor Trey about becoming a member Prospect Baptist church and to stand up for everyone to see how Jesus has filled my heart. “I look back now and realize something had been missing in my life, like a void of sorts that has now been filled,” he continued. “I’m proud to be a part of a new family at Prospect Baptist Church and I’m so glad that I asked Jesus to come into my heart and life. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.” Smeltzer’s baptism, July 5, was the first for New Prospect Baptist, which averages 90 in worship, since they resumed services June 7 after state COVID-19 … [Read more...]

Masks mandatory, Phase 2 restrictions remain in force for churches

By Message Staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) - Gov. John Bel Edwards announced a statewide mask mandate during a Saturday afternoon news conference. Citing a record high number of novel coronavirus related cases Friday and an increase in hospitalizations statewide, Edwards said the decision was necessary so Louisiana does not have to revert back to Phase One or Phase Zero of reopening the state’s economy. Anyone eight years or older must wear a mask when the mandate goes into effect 12:01 a.m. Monday, unless individuals have a major health condition. Face coverings should be worn in outdoor settings when social distancing is not possible, Edwards said. The new mandate also limits bars to curbside food service only and reduces indoor social gatherings to 50 people. Edwards said bars especially have posed a higher public health risk than other types of restaurants because customers are socializing and do not wear masks while consuming alcohol. Under the order, the state will remain in Phase Two until at least July 24. Businesses and churches will continue to be restricted to 50 percent capacity. While the mask mandate applies to all 64 parishes, those with a COVID-19 incidence of less than 100 cases per 100,000 people for the last … [Read more...]

During June COVID spiked among young people, 78 percent of deaths took place in nursing homes

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – June COVID data shows that deaths of Louisianans from this disease were concentrated among nursing home residents and not among the tens of thousands of young people who were being counted as part of a surge in infections. End of month information provided on the Louisiana Department of Health website indicates 78 percent of the deaths across the state took place in these group facilities, even though these elderly residents compose less than one percent of the total state population. There have been 3,113 total deaths among Louisianans since the first COVID-19 data was collected in March. But 348 of these deaths happened in June during the surge of cases among young people in the state. Of these deaths last month, 272 occurred in nursing homes. At the end of June there were 23,058 nursing home residents among a state population of 4,645,180 men, women, boys and girls, combined. … [Read more...]

MIKE STONE Part 2: My final word on being chairman of the SBC Executive Committee

By Mike Stone NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Last week, I issued a press release concerning matters related to the SBCEC. I indicated there would be a short series of similar releases addressing several items. This, however, will be my final press release on my chairmanship as far as I intend. That will make this statement a bit longer than I would prefer but I think this is a better approach. I recognize that for some, no amount of information will ever be sufficient. More information will keep things agitated. Therefore, others will be free to have the last word, even if it is predictably an unfair, untrue, or unfavorable word. Here are some final facts about the more controversial issues of the last few months. The Election of Officers The June 16 election of officers occurred within both the spirit and the letter of our bylaws. The last-minute attempted bylaw change was a really bad idea presented in a really poor way. Its rejection required only common sense, not a conspiracy or manipulation of parliamentary procedure. Our new chairman, Mr. Slade, has acknowledged publicly that the confusion was on his part. That’s the bottom line. Regarding the accusations of impropriety, everyone has a right to his own perspective. Nobody has a … [Read more...]

MIKE STONE Part 1: Outgoing SBC Executive Committee chairman addresses concerns

By Mike Stone NASHVILLE, Tenn. - An old adage advises, “Don’t defend yourself. Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it.” That is generally excellent counsel but it fails to envision a majority of people who comprise a third category. Namely, those who are neither friend nor enemy but who are merely uninformed. Such is the case with the recent accusations made regarding my final meeting as chairman of the SBC Executive Committee (SBCEC). These are serious matters and I believe they warrant a detailed response. I plan to speak further to these items in the immediate days ahead but there are three central items I wish to address briefly today. The process of the election of SBCEC officers on June 16th The election of officers affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Network The reasons for my belief that the Conservative Baptist Network is needed within the life of the Southern Baptist Convention  First, the outgoing chairman of the SBCEC has the duty to nominate the chairpersons of what are essentially subcommittees. These various chairpersons become officers of the board, if elected following nominations from the floor. This is not some parting “power grab” by the outgoing chairman.  It is … [Read more...]

Retired NFL All-Pro denounces ‘Marxist’ BLM for its attacks on traditional family

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Marcellus Wiley, a retired all-pro NFL defensive end, a former co-host of ESPN’s Sports Nation, and now a sports analyst with Fox Sports 1, has rebuked the NBA’s plan to paint “Black Lives Matter” on its courts, calling the proposal “not a good idea.” In a June 30 discussion on Speak for Yourself, Wiley said the league was giving in to identity politics and that "it divides and it polarizes.” He specifically objected to the Marxist nature of the Black Lives Matter mission statement, which he quoted as stating its goals as to “dismantle the patriarchy practice” and “disrupt the Western prescribed nuclear family structure requirement.” Wiley said this attack on the traditional family structure was important to him because of the family he grew up in and “the one I’m trying to create right now.” “Being a father and husband – that’s my mission in life,” he explained. “How do I reconcile that with what I just told you with this [BLM] mission statement that says, “We dismantle the patriarchal practice … We disrupt the Western prescribed nuclear family structure requirement.” Several days later, Wiley tweeted that the BLM mission statement also spoke about … [Read more...]

Which seminary? The first spiritual milestone in our marriage

By Chuck Kelley Rhonda and I met on our first Sunday at Baylor University. We began dating during that freshman year, became an exclusive couple our sophomore year, publicly committed to a serious relationship in our junior year, became engaged in our senior year, and were married in June after graduation. We stayed in college one more year for Rhonda to earn a Master’s degree to qualify for the work she expected to do, while I continued studying philosophy and working in collegiate ministry on our campus. It was in the middle of the summer, forty-five years ago this week, when we faced our first spiritual milestone as husband and wife. The issue was where to go to seminary, our first major life decision we had to make as husband and wife. Rhonda and I began the process in the ordinary way. We prayed about it regularly. We explored the options and talked through them. Fortunately, we both agreed on what appeared to be God’s clear, obvious choice. We would go to Fort Worth, TX to attend Southwestern Seminary. My calling was evangelism, and Southwestern had the most famous evangelism professor in SBC history and a great academic program in evangelism. I was already preaching all over Texas in revivals, conferences, and youth … [Read more...]