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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

By Norm Miller, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) -- The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) approved Louisiana College as a “Course Choice Provider” of dual enrollment courses for college credit for eligible Louisiana high school students. “We are pleased with this acknowledgement as a preferred provider for remote learning,” said Louisiana College President Rick Brewer. “We have a growing family of public, private, and homeschools, and this accolade we hope will move others to discover the excellence we offer.” Another advantage is that Louisiana College provides a superior option for high school education if the pandemic provisos continue into the fall semester, Brewer added. Tioga High School (THS) in Tioga is on board for its second stint with Louisiana College this fall. “My interactions with the students have been excellent,” said Kathleen McGinty-Johnston, who is the Louisiana College online instructor for THS. “I taught a hybrid class there, and I saw the students at least once a week.” The COVID-19 pandemic pre-empted McGinty-Johnston’s visits to THS before the spring semester’s end. Visiting the school “lets me get to know the students better as individuals and allows them to see me as a teacher … [Read more...]

By Message Staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Gov. John Bel Edwards has extended his stay-at-home order through May 15, modifying it slightly but not lifting restrictions against public gatherings such as on-campus church services. During a news conference, Edwards announced that starting May 1 restaurants are allowed to permit customers to eat outdoors on patios but that there cannot be any table service. Similarly, shopping malls may operate curbside retail service, but workers who engage with customers must wear masks. Edwards said the decision was based upon data from the Louisiana Department of Health showing that on average new cases and hospitalizations have decreased statewide, but that there were still some areas of concern. Out of the nine regions in the state, Acadiana, Baton Rouge and Monroe have seen an increase in cases, and the Northshore has seen a plateau. Additionally, Baton Rouge and Monroe also have seen increases in hospitalizations and Shreveport-Bossier and the Southwest regions have seen a plateau. “Thanks to the commitment of the people of Louisiana, our state has made progress in flattening the curve and reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus,” Edwards said. “Unfortunately, we still have a little … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – The Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees has announced Jeffrey Steed as the ninth executive director of the organization. “It’s an honor to serve Louisiana Baptists,” Steed told the Baptist Message. “I have a passion for the work of the foundation that partners in ministry with churches and Baptists around the state to help advance the Kingdom.” The announcement followed a unanimous vote by the board of directors after careful consideration of Steed's nomination by a search committee comprised of board members and chaired by Pat LaCour, and a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria. Steed succeeds Wayne Taylor, who retires as the foundation’s executive director in May. LaCour said Steed’s qualifications set him apart from a number of qualified applicants. “He has worked for two other Baptist foundations over the past two decades,” she said. “He has a heart for working with churches and for planned giving in support of Baptist causes. We look forward to working with him.” Bill Cunningham, president of the board and a member of Norris Ferry Community Church in Shreveport, added his strong approval. “We are most impressed with … [Read more...]