Click to Login or Sign Up

Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Louisiana College to launch virtual preview day

By Norm Miller, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews)—Louisiana College is ready for its Preview Day on April 17. But the commute has changed from a drive to the Pineville campus to a reach for the phone. Virtual Preview Day begins at noon with technology effortlessly transporting interested students and parents to the information needed for exploring the award-winning campus, hearing from professors and students, and gathering financial aid information. “Our virtual Preview Day is one among many adjustments we have made in response to the pandemic,” said Louisiana College President Dr. Rick Brewer. “I am grateful for the technology that will enable me to engage with new people and talk about what makes us unique among peer institutions.” Visitors may engage in a live Q and A session via web chat, as well as experience a virtual tour of the campus, gain details about classes and degree majors from professors, and view videos of current students sharing why they chose Louisiana College for their undergraduate degree. “Our students consistently say how much they value personal attention from their professors and the sense of a close-knit family,” Brewer said. “Parents also appreciate our commitment to traditional family … [Read more...]

CARES Act changes help promote charitable giving

By Jerry Love, LBF Director of Planned Giving ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) - When Congress passed the CARES Act, it offered incentives to promote charitable giving that are being overlooked because of the emphasis given to the federal government’s $1,200 relief payments  to taxpayers and Payroll Protection Program forgivable loans to small businesses and nonprofits, including churches. But, the provisions relating to charitable giving are critically important to churches and other nonprofits because they encourage donors to give more. $300 AGI DEDUCTION For the 2020 tax year, filers may claim a $300 deduction for cash contributions to churches, ministry organization and other charitable organizations. This applies only to those who take the standard deduction when filing their tax returns. Those who itemize their deductions are not able to claim additional amount. There is some question as to the term of the provision, but it likely applies only to 2020 filing year (returns filed in 2021). The $300 deduction may seem like a relatively small amount, but it is an “above-the-line” deduction, meaning a taxpayer may subtract the amount from gross income to arrive at a lower “adjusted gross income” for the tax year. LIMITS … [Read more...]

LC’s Miller contributes to COVID-19 ebook by Toalston

Special to the Message NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Hope amid the COVID-19 crisis is the focus of a new ebook, “A Pandemic Proposal: Viral Vitality … Hope for the Human Soul” by former Baptist Press editor Art Toalston, with Norm Miller of Louisiana College among 42 individuals providing brief reflections. Even amid the horrors of a global pandemic, Toalston writes, “a distinct vitality” can be experienced “in our souls, in our circumstances, in our relationships, in the world within our sphere of influence, and in how we each move into the future beyond the sorrows of the present.” Such an assertion “may seem glib or audacious,” Toalston acknowledges but believes a vitality in Christ “can enhance our daily lives even in a time of social upheaval and widespread grief. A coronavirus pandemic cannot alter God’s creation of the human soul.” Miller, LC’s vice president for communications and integrative marketing, drew from Psalm 23 in his reflection, writing, “Few in history have lived in more triumph and tumult than King David, the one who wrote: ‘Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life’ as recorded in Psalm 23, verse 6 (NKJV). His life traversed the vast distance between holiness and accursedness. Yet, he … [Read more...]

LSU BCM ‘Meals to Go’ helps international students

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – The Louisiana State University Baptist Collegiate Ministry has implemented a “Meals to Go” program that provides international students with rice, noodles, cans of vegetables, cans of canned meat, peanut butter, jelly and snacks, to help them during the COVID-19 ordeal. “There are over a million international students attending colleges and universities in the US, including 1,500 at LSU, and many were unable to go home, are stuck in their apartments and are facing financial hardships,” BCM Director Steve Masters told the Baptist Message. “We feel like we should try to help them and are asking other people to join us. We are providing them with food.” The effort began when an international student texted Masters with a plea for help. While the BCM did not have funding to assist individual students, Masters found money to place in an envelope that was picked up eight minutes later outside the BCM building. Masters, his wife, Pam, Associate Director Haley Spell and Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge Director of Missions Tommy Middleton then came up with a plan. Since the effort began on April 7, the feedback has been overwhelmingly … [Read more...]

President Brewer announces free tuition through Governor Jimmie Davis Scholarship

By Norm Miller, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews)--Responding to pandemic-induced financial strains, Louisiana College will offer free tuition to eligible, incoming freshmen through its newly established Governor Jimmie Davis Scholarship. Louisiana College’s President Dr. Rick Brewer made the announcement on KALB-TV’s Good Day Cenla morning program, April 13. “We recognize the Coronavirus impact has curtailed and even stopped certain activities in our state,” Brewer said in an interview prior to the show. “But we do not intend to stop offering the quality liberal arts education that has typified the College since 1906.” Travel restrictions and social distancing advisories prompted Louisiana College to shift its curricula to online, remote learning on March 30 – a move facilitated by a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Brewer told Good Day Cenla host Mark Hamblen the pandemic accentuates the need “to make a college education accessible and affordable” for families especially in these challenging times. Named in honor of two-time governor of Louisiana, the Governor Jimmie Davis Scholarship honors “our emblematic, most famous alum,” Brewer said. Davis completed his undergraduate degree at … [Read more...]

Storms damage homes, airport in northern Louisiana

By Message Staff MONROE, La. (LBM)--Powerful storms produced damaging winds and hail, and spawned tornadoes to leave behind widespread destruction in Louisiana, late on Sunday, April 12. Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo said in a press statement that a tornado heavily damaged more than 200-300 homes, combined, in his city, West Monroe and the rest of Ouachita Parish. The tornado also caused an estimated $30 million in damage at the Monroe Regional Airport, located just 200 yards from the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home. There have been no confirmed fatalities in Louisiana. “Please cooperate with emergency responders and repair crews as they assess and repair damages,” Mayo wrote on his Facebook page. “By the grace of God, early reports show only a few minor injuries.  Please pray for our city! Many of our neighbors and friends have suffered catastrophic damage.  We are hurting; but we are not broken.  Times like this remind us WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER!  Together we are responding.  Together we will rebuild.” Monroe Regional Airport was especially hit hard, with at least one hangar collapsed on multi-engine jets stored inside, and heavy debris scattered across the runways, causing the cancellation of flights until further … [Read more...]

Baptist Message suspends print edition until state stay-at-home order is lifted

By Will Hall, Message, executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)—The Baptist Message has suspended print operations until the state lifts the stay-at-home order that is creating an economic strain on individuals and churches. The decision, announced by Executive Editor Will Hall, was supported by the officers of the Baptist Message trustee board. All subscriptions will be honored by extending the dates of each equal to the length of the suspension of the print edition. Online operations will continue, www.BaptistMessage.com, with updates during the day as news happens. Subscribers may contact Hall regarding any questions or to offer comments, by phone, (318) 449-4348, or by email, Will@BaptistMessage.com. … [Read more...]

LC president summarizes COVID-19 responses

By LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews)--These are difficult days for families, businesses, schools, and churches. And Louisiana College has adjusted to meet the challenges. “Louisiana College’s administration, faculty, staff, and students face similar situations as everyone else, and we have employed good sense while praying for God’s wisdom in navigating these waters,” said Louisiana College President Dr. Rick Brewer. “Our people have worked tirelessly to safeguard the health and well-being of our campus family, and my hat is off to all of them,” Brewer said. “Most students have returned home, and only necessary staff remain on campus. Other staff members are teleworking.” In coping with what some are calling the new normal, Brewer summarized in a letter to Louisiana College faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders the measures enacted in response to COVID-19. “Rest assured, Louisiana College remains open. We also remain open-minded in looking for ways to enhance current efforts or add new ones,” Brewer said. Louisiana College postponed its May 9 Commencement to August 8. Other actions include: STUDENT HEALTH On March 30, LC launched Campus.Health, which offers free medical and mental telehealth visits for … [Read more...]

Skills of a church planter: building team cohesion

By John Hebert ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) — Unity is a key spiritual principle expressed in the Bible: two who walk together are in agreement (Amos 3:3); it is better to have two working together so that one can pick up the other if the other stumbles (Ecc. 9-12); and, a strand of rope consisting of three cords has great strength (Ecc. 3:12). Cohesion, working together for a single purpose, is an element of unity, which Jesus prayed about in His plea to the Father for you and me, living today (John 17:20-23). Building cohesion within a group is a primary task every leader must perform, so it is critically important to learn and develop this leadership skill. POWER OF COHESION Draft horses are a good example for explaining the power that is created by building cohesion. These animals are bred especially for pulling heavy loads. They are amazing beasts of burden with huge muscles, large hearts and lungs. A single draft horse weighing about 1,700 pounds can pull almost five times his body weight or 8,000 pounds. Moreover, yoked together, two of these herculean creatures can pull even more. Most people likely would guess the tandem could pull up to 16,000 pounds, but they would be wrong. Typically, two good draft … [Read more...]

Wooden yard crosses help Highland, others to send Easter message

By Message Staff NEW IBERIA, La. (LBM) – Just days before Easter, members of Highland Baptist Church and others in New Iberia have placed wooden crosses in yards to proclaim Christ’s victory over death. Using materials from their homes, participants have constructed the crosses to display in yards and then have shared a photo on Facebook using the hashtag #projectcross. “This has grown far beyond our church family,” Pastor David Denton told the Baptist Message. “We used this to prepare for Easter week and to remain connected. Judging from the comments we have received, Project Cross has been something that everyone has really embraced leading up Thursday evening when we take the Lord’s Supper online.” The effort is one of many ways the church has continued to minister since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 forced congregations to change their methods. They have streamed services for the past four Sundays on Facebook and posted daily devotionals from staff. Additionally, members have met in small groups through Zoom and viewed an adult Sunday school lesson online. Other ministry opportunities have included outreach to families by the deacons and staff, and distribution of more than 250 breakfasts to-go to local … [Read more...]