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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Louisiana College to reopen in August with safety precautions in place

By Elizabeth Christian, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Louisiana College President Rick Brewer has announced fall semester plans, outlining the overarching measures the school is undertaking to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “LC will begin welcoming our incoming freshmen Aug. 12, and other students will return the rest of the week,” Brewer said. Classes will begin Aug. 17. “We will be following a modified academic calendar to allow for completion of all classes and final exams by Nov. 23,” he said. “This includes eliminating the traditional Labor Day holiday and fall break, but it greatly reduces the risk of exposure to students who travel during those times.” Since the spring, Louisiana College has had a COVID-response Task Force, chaired by Mark Shoemaker, vice president for IT and Facilities/CIO. “We have been constantly gathering and reviewing the latest information from state and national governmental and medical organizations, specifically related to ensuring the college is proactive in preparing for the fall semester,” Shoemaker said. “Each division and each building will have extensive procedures for ensuring safety and sanitation.” Brewer said work has been done in earnest since March to prepare and train … [Read more...]

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...]

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...]

What do we do when we need a win?

By Steve Horn ALEXANDRIA, La. - At the risk of sounding like the cartoon character, The Born Loser, I confess to you that I’ve had my share of losing. In four seasons as a high school football player for example, we won 6 of 40 games and 2 of those 6 were taken away for using an ineligible player. I’m not sure how you’re feeling, but as we reach the midpoint of 2020, it sure seems like we could use a win right now. Recent statistical research among Southern Baptists and Louisiana Baptists reminds us we are losing ground on almost every number we count. The recent Supreme Court decisions regarding the redefinition of “sex” and the striking down of a Louisiana law mandating abortion providers have hospital admitting privileges feel like big losses. The escalation of racial tensions driven by injustices cause us to wonder if we have lost ground as it relates to race relations in America. And, if you believe many of the news reports, we seem to be falling behind in the fight against COVID-19. I don’t know about you, but I sure could use a “win.” So, this begs the question, what do we do when we need a win? I want to encourage us today to do at least three things. Watch your words. Blaming somebody else is not going … [Read more...]

Technological innovations position Louisiana College for future success

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message, staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) –Louisiana College President Rick Brewer is upbeat about the technological innovations put in place by his faculty and staff since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, saying the school is well positioned for the future because of their hard work. Last year, LC was awarded a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, and that has helped students finish the semester through remote learning, he said. The move saved the college more than $100,000 in costs to launch Internet classes that are part of the school’s Center for Online Innovation and Development. Faculty are able to learn, train and record lectures from inside the newly renovated Faculty Development Center located in the Norton Library. “We face the most challenging period ever in the history of Louisiana College,” Brewer told the Baptist Message. “We can get there. It’s going to take the Lord’s help. It’s going to Louisiana Baptists’ help. “We are the only college supported by Louisiana Baptists, through the Cooperative Program, and we are pleased to serve,” he added. “We are a place that’s preparing graduates, transforming lives, and we hope Louisiana Baptists will … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist senator urges end of Columbus Day

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor WASHINGTON (LBM) – U.S. Senator James Lankford, a Southern Baptist who previously worked as director of the Falls Creek Youth Camp for Oklahoma Baptists before being elected to Congress, has proposed legislation that would eliminate Columbus Day and replace it with Juneteenth, in recognition of the end of slavery in this country. Juneteenth dates back to June 19, 1865, when Texas recognized the Emancipation Proclamation issued by the United States in 1862, and that date was celebrated as “Emancipation Day.” Since then Juneteenth has been recognized by a growing number of states as a holiday. Lankford submitted an amendment, along with Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., to legislation being offered by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Cornyn’s legislation simply would add Juneteenth as a national holiday. Lankford, on the other hand, wants to end Columbus Day and replace it with Juneteenth, calling it “a second Independence Day,” referring to July 4. He said making the swap instead of just adding another federal holiday would save businesses lost revenue and the federal government added costs of about $600 million in paid time off for federal employees. Lankford did not address the impact on … [Read more...]

Half of new COVID cases among the young, but two-thirds of deaths among elderly, infirm

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Data from the Louisiana Department of Health as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate the state is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases among those who are relatively young adults, but with few deaths resulting in this age group. However, morbidity from the disease is surging among the elderly and those residing in nursing homes. Graphoc: http://ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus/ On Monday, the LDH reported nearly half of new cases affected 18-29 years old. However, the data pertaining to deaths on the LDH website indicate the disease is most profound in its impact primarily among the elderly and infirm. ELDERLY/NURSING HOME RESIDENTS AT RISK In the chart "Additional Data on COVID-19 Deaths in Louisiana" the median age of death is identified as 76 years old. This means half of the deaths caused by COVID-19 occur among those older than 76 years of age. Furthermore, the chart "Cases/Deaths by Age Group" show COVID-19 adds to that information to show that COVID-19 has taken the lives of 2,157 persons age 70 and older, or 68 percent of the 3,170 COVID-19 deaths in the state as of July 3. Moreover, supplemental information on … [Read more...]