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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Churches, members eligible for FEMA grants

CHURCHES FEMA Public Assistance grants are open to Houses of Worship located within presidentially-declared disaster areas (Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Vernon Parishes) and typically reimburse 75 percent of eligible costs for Permanent Work—repair, replacement or restoration of certain disaster-damaged facilities. Houses of Worship must have in excess of $3,300 of damages related to Hurricane Laura; produce an IRS nonprofit letter; and, must have received insufficient funding or no funding after applying for a Small Business Administration disaster loan, www.sba.gov/disaster. Time is of the essence (deadline: 9/27/2020), and Houses of Worship do not have to wait for an SBA decision to apply to FEMA, www. LousianaPA.com. Houses of Worship may apply directly to FEMA for Emergency Work—debris removal and emergency protective measures (also 75 percent of eligible costs)—and an expanded area is eligible (Acadia, Grant, Natchitoches, Vermilion, Winn are eligible along with the six parishes above). Call or write state FEMA contact Joe Costello, (225) 339-3724 or joseph.costello@la.gov, for assistance or information. INDIVIDUALS Individuals in Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Caddo, Calcasieu, … [Read more...]

Gifts come in, go out to help churches destroyed by Laura

Jeannie Saylor and Jill Morrow, who work for Louisiana Baptists in the central mission office in Alexandria, prepare letters with checks to send to 36 congregations whose facilities were destroyed by Hurricane Laura. The emergency gifts were possible because of donations to the Georgia Barnette State Mission Offering as well as funds given by state convention partners in the South, special offerings from churches and contributions by individuals. Steve Horn, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, said that at the appropriate time he will publicly thank those who made these emergency gifts possible. But he offered an anecdote to the Baptist Message as a way to describe the kindness, generosity and sacrifice that is befitting the whole of the effort to help these churches. “One elderly lady called her pastor to indicate that though she did not have much to give, she had to do something,” he shared. “When that pastor arrived, that which she described as ‘not much’ was $10,000.” … [Read more...]

NAMB officials say state leaders’ complaints are flattering

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALPHARETTA, Ga. (LBM) – The three officers of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention have casually dismissed a list of concerns about a lack of partnership – views expressed by six state executive directors who stated specific complaints in a Aug. 12 letter to Kevin Ezell, NAMB president, and his trustees, and to the SBC Executive Committee and its president, Ronnie Floyd. Five Western and one Midwestern state convention leaders wrote that chief among their issues was the unilateral approach NAMB has taken with state conventions outside the South with regard to NAMB’s new Strategic Partnership Agreement. Randy Adams (Northwest Baptist Convention), Bill Agee (California Southern Baptist Convention), Joe Bunce (Baptist Convention of New Mexico), Randy Covington (Alaska Baptist Resource Network), Jack Kwok (State Convention of Baptists in Ohio) and Chris Martin (Hawaii-Pacific Baptist Convention), were unanimous in their view that “our longstanding partnerships with NAMB may finally be coming to an end in any meaningful sense.” A news report on that letter can be accessed using the link, baptistmessage.com/six-state-execs. The Aug. 17 reply … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Weston Lindsay was ordained on August 9 and is the new pastor at Pinehurst Baptist Church, Ball. Stuart, wife Angie, Sasser became the new pastor at Philadelphia Baptist Church at Horseshoe Drive, Alexandria on August 2. Brad Delaughter has resigned as pastor of Satsuma Baptist Church. Brian Hevrin has resigned as pastor of Ida Baptist Church to First Baptist Church Vega, Texas. Joe Stutson is the new pastor to Calvary Baptist Church, Slidell. HOMECOMING Alto Baptist Church, Alto: Homecoming, Sunday, September 27, 10:30 a.m. Speaker: Dianne Abraham will share her testimony. Worship: Brothers In Christ. A barbeque lunch will be served following the service. Music Minister: Jay Ellerman. Pastor: Alan Miller. Wallace Baptist Church, Pelican: Homecoming, October 4, 10:30 a.m. Lunch will … [Read more...]

Remembering Bro. Paul Carter

By Rubin Weaver FARMERVILLE, La. – There aren’t many people in this world who pass and the world feels like it’s immediately a worse place because of their absence. ­ This was my first thought the day I got the call Paul Carter had stepped into eternity. “Preach”, as he was known by those close to him, stepped into heaven while on a trip with his family to visit his son. He was a family man, husband of 62 years to Mrs. Audie, a father second to none to his 3 sons, a minister of the gospel for 65 years, a mentor, a pastor, and a friend to all. He was an outstanding gospel preacher. I heard a funeral outline once that said “He Lived. He Loved. And He Left.” He pastored numerous churches in our area. He served in evangelism in states all over our country. God used him to start churches as near as Rocky Branch, La., and as far as Wasilla, Alaska. He served in various leadership roles in our state, our convention, and each association he was a part of during his pastorate. He was also a commercial fisherman. ­This was how he often made his living pastoring bi-vocational Churches, starting new works, or in seasons of full time evangelism. He was a tremendous fisherman who fi shed for fun, fished for a living, and fi shed … [Read more...]

EDITORIAL: Biden pulls a Hillary, ignores Louisiana’s storm victims

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – It’s a presidential election year, Louisiana has suffered another devastating natural disaster, and as Yogi Berra has said, “It's déjà vu all over again." In 2016, presidential candidate Donald Trump came to Louisiana just days after the August floods (at that time, the worst natural disaster in the nation since Hurricane Sandy hit the United States four years earlier), and he even made a personal donation to the relief effort. However, his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continued with her fundraising soirees in the tony Hamptons of New York, sending a social media note, instead, that she was “closely monitoring” the situation. Her campaign promised she would visit the victims “at a time when the presence of a political campaign will not disrupt the response.” But Louisianans are still waiting. Now President Trump, running for reelection, has again prioritized getting help to the state, visiting just two days after Hurricane Laura’s landfall. Meanwhile, his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, has issued a statement saying, “we will come back and we will be there to help you build back better.” Biden had campaigned in … [Read more...]

2020 Commission update: Create mentoring and ministry networks

By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists are in the final year of implementing the President’s 2020 Commission Report, an initiative undertaken during the leadership of Waylon Bailey, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Covington, and the LBC president in 2012-2013. The 2020 recommendations were crafted collaboratively by a commission of 400 Louisiana Baptist leaders, staff members and laypeople, working in 20 subcommittees of 20 members each. Ten “key actions in reaching our state” – known as KAIROS – were developed to engage two audiences – the next generation and every people group. These measures for improving the spiritual health and growth of the state were adopted by messengers at the 2013 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. This article is the ninth in a series published by the Baptist Message to report what successes have been achieved toward the ambitious goals of the statewide initiative, as well as to note what objectives remain to be done. KAIROS EIGHT Create mentoring and ministry networks. Since 2012, the number of networks and fellowships has grown from two to 10, according to James Jenkins, director of church planting for Louisiana Baptists. Using ethnic … [Read more...]

Trinity is hub for disaster relief, ministry, sharing the Gospel

By Norm Miller, Baptist Message correspondent LAKE CHARLES, LA. (LBM) — When a hurricane leaves town, the ensuing days evoke whirlwinds of activity for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles is a hub of such ministry, reaching into the community with clean up efforts, 20,000 meals a day, tons of food and other life necessities, and sharing the gospel. As of September 10, the site had registered 115 professions of faith. Food, cleaning supples, personal hygiene items, diapers, paper towels, pallets loaded with cases of water, flashlights, bug spray, tarps are among the needs donated by church members and the community. “Just about as quickly as we can get it, it empties out,” said Trinity member Amy Langley. “The halls are full right now, but by the time we leave today, it all may be gone.” Amy’s husband Keith is Trinity’s director for buildings and grounds. “Donations to this ministry have been just as intense as the hurricane — even more,” said one worker who preferred anonymity. “The people share their stories as we help them, and that gives us the chance to pray with them and offer them the hope of Jesus. Just make them feel like they’re loved and that we’re walking … [Read more...]

Governor anounces Phase 3 for opening the economy

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana officially has headed into the next phase of reopening the state’s economy -- with the exception of New Orleans. Gov. John Bel Edwards, during a news conference Friday, said while the mask mandate will remain in place in Phase 3, businesses and churches will be allowed to operate at 75 percent capacity, an increase from 50 percent under Phase 2 that expired earlier in the day. The new order will remain in effect until it expires Oct. 9. Under the new guidance issued jointly from the Governor's office with the state fire marshal and the Department of Health, indoor social gatherings like weddings and birthday parties can operate at 50 percent capacity, up to 250 people, and sporting event venues can open at 25 percent capacity. Nursing home visits still are not allowed in Phase 3, although the LDH soon will start a pilot program for some nursing homes in parishes which experience no new cases of COVID-19 for two weeks. Parishes without high case numbers also will be included in the trial run. “We have seen some improvement in decreased COVID-like illness, new COVID cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks, as our strong mitigation measures are working,” Edwards … [Read more...]