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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Another 62,000 veterans face expulsion due to vaccine mandate

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor WASHINGTON (LBM)—The U.S. military continues to negatively impact operational readiness with the continuing purge of active-duty members and now 40,000 Guardsmen and 22,000 Reservists who have declined the COVID-19 vaccines – many asking for religious exemption. The four FDA-approved drugs that are available to service men and women are tainted by use of tissue from an aborted child either in one or more of the development, production and testing phases. According to military.com, U.S. Army officials announced, July 8, that these 62,000 veterans will be blocked from service for rejecting COVID vaccines. An estimated 20,000 Guardsmen and Reservists combined have asked for religious exemptions. Already, about 20,000 active-duty personnel have asked for religious accommodation: Army (api.army.mil) -- As of July 7, only 19 of 4,782 religious exemption requests have been approved. -- Already, 1,300 soldiers have been separated from military service. Air Force (airforcemag.com) -- Just 118 religious exemption requests (all to airmen already leaving voluntarily) have been approved out of more than 9,000 that have been submitted. -- More than 3,000 non-religious exemption … [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 Brian, wife Joy, Rankin is the new pastor at Converse First Baptist Church. Tim, wife Kim, Keith is the new pastor at Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge. Jarrett Fix is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Swartz Jody, wife Emily, Dean is the new interim pastor at Mandeville First Baptist Church. Richard, wife Lee, Ainsworth is the new traditional worship leader at First Baptist Church, Ruston. Ashley Young is the new children director and Cassidy Richardson is the new children/family associate at Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport. Paul Maddox resigns as music director from Rose Park Baptist Church, Shreveport to go to Dallas, Texas. Phillip Green ris the new music director at Rose Park Baptist Church, Rose Park. Chad Hardbarger resigned as pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, … [Read more...]

Lyons tapped to lead CENLA Pregnancy Center

By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. - The CENLA Pregnancy Center has named Kim Lyons as its next executive director. Lyons, who will assume the role Aug. 1, has for the last two years served as a teacher at Holy Savior Menard Central High School in Alexandria. She also has worked in management roles at Rapides Regional Medical Center and Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital (both in Alexandria) and has supported the pregnancy center through prayer and donations. Lyons will follow Claire Lemoine, who is stepping down as executive director. Lemoine will continue working there until Sept. 15, according to a news release the pregnancy center. Ed Tarpley, president of the pregnancy center board of directors, said Lyons was unanimously approved after an extensive search. “The board is grateful for the five years of outstanding leadership and dedicated service by Claire Lemoine,” Tarpley said. “Her commitment to the cause of life and protection of the unborn is an example for everyone to follow. She has helped build a solid foundation for this ministry which will touch the lives of young women and their babies for years to come.” Lemoine expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as executive director since the … [Read more...]

Thieves ransack Immanuel Community Church

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Thieves have stolen valuable construction materials and tools meant for the construction of the new Immanuel Community Church multi-purpose facility in New Orleans. Pastor Matt Delaughter told the Baptist Message that shortly after concrete was poured for the foundation in early June, thieves took plywood sheets valued at $3,500. Two weeks later, vandals struck again, breaking into the Louisiana Baptist Mission Builders trailer and looting tools ($5,700) and more plywood ($5,000). That same day they sacked the vehicle of a church member, working on the project, and took a 9 mm handgun. Delaughter said insurance will cover only a small amount of the stolen materials, but despite the difficulties, his congregation will remain steadfast in their mission to reach the community and city for Christ. Importantly, he said he is encouraged by the attitude of his church, who has prayed continuously for those who stole the items. “Those things that we have experienced recently have been disheartening,” Delaughter said. “There have been mornings when I asked the Lord, ‘Why is this happening?’ and confessed, ‘I don’t understand.’ But I realize now the Lord is … [Read more...]

BNF clinic plants 200 Gospel seeds at New Orleans predominantly Hispanic church

By Baptist Message staff NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – Baptist Nursing Fellowship volunteers recently teamed up with members of Iglesia Bautista Horeb Church to plant Gospel seeds in more than 200 Hispanics who received care at a medical screenings and educational health information. Held June 4 at Iglesia Bautisa Horeb Church, the event allowed the team to connect with members of the community. The team, which included 60 church members, visited homes within in several city blocks surrounding the church to share more about the clinic. While no one accepted Christ on site, BNF member Barbara Goodman said each participant was exposed to the Gospel through a Gideon Bible provided and by the Gideons and the plan of salvation shared by several church members. “Just to know we touched lives was amazing,” said Goodman, wife of Dale Goodman, pastor of Chase Baptist Church. “Every meeting leading up to the event, we prayed before we started and ended asking God to provide workers and a vision. Everything fell into place and I could not have asked for it to go better.” The clinic is one of several outreach events BNF coordinates each year. These events can be coordinated with any church or organization who would like help in … [Read more...]

Baton Rouge ministry attacked, Louisiana’s abortion ban halted

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – The Women’s New Life Center in Baton Rouge was vandalized, and an East Baton Rouge judge issued a temporary halt to the state’s abortion ban, July 12. CLINIC ATTACK Woman’s New Life Clinic (WNLC) is a professional medical and mental health clinic with locations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge providing free, nurturing care to women in unplanned pregnancies as well as additional low-cost women’s health services, such as STI testing and treatment, well-woman care, urgent gynecologic care, and more. According to a press release from Louisiana Right to Life, the clinic was vandalized “allegedly by Jane’s Revenge, a pro-abortion group that targets pregnancy centers across the country.” The vandalism consisted of spray-painting windows and signs in red with the number “1312,” the phrase “ACAB” (an acronym for “All Cops Are B—tards”), “fake clinic,” “not safe,” and “abortion is a right.” The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate reported, July 12, that Baton Rouge police officers were dispatched to the Women's New Life Center to investigate reports of the vandalism just before 6:30 a.m. According to Baton Rouge police spokesman Lt. Don Coppola no arrests have been made in the … [Read more...]

Shreveport babies saved by NOLA judge’s ruling

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM)—In a July 8 hearing, Judge Ethel Simms Julien, a Democrat, ruled that she did not have jurisdiction over the case which had been filed in New Orleans to stop enforcement of a trigger law that now bans abortion in Louisiana. She also declined to extend the temporary restraining order granted, June 27, by Orleans Parish Civil District Judge Robin Giarrusso, also a Democrat, that stopped the law from going into effect. Julien’s decisions spared the lives of an estimated 40-50 babies scheduled to be aborted during the weekend by a plaintiff in the case, Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport. Medical Students for Hope, a pro-abortion group, which has a chapter with Tulane University, New Orleans, is the other plaintiff in the case. BACKDROP Louisiana’s abortion ban went into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned, June 24, its previous rulings in Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) and returned “the authority to regulate abortion … to the people and their elected representatives.” The lawsuit to stop the abortion ban was filed, June 27, by the two pro-abortion groups, and named Louisiana Department of Health … [Read more...]

Miss-Lou Pregnancy Center plans July 18 ribbon cutting

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer VIDALIA, La. (LBM) – The pro-life movement will get a shot in the arm in the Vidalia, La.-Natchez, Miss., area when the Miss-Lou Pregnancy Center opens July 18. The 1,500 square-foot facility, located at 4951 Hwy. 84 West in Vidalia, will be the first of its kind in that area. The center, the second satellite of the CENLA Pregnancy Center in Alexandria, will operate Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. It will offer free pregnancy tests as well as information about pregnancy options, maternity resources and post-decision support including parenting education and post-abortive healing. Kimberly DeLoach Butler, who has worked as client advocate coordinator with the CENLA Pregnancy Center since 2018, will be at the helm when the center opens. Butler is among those who will share more about the center at a ribbon cutting, scheduled for 11 a.m., July 18. State Sen. Glen Womack, CENLA Pregnancy Center Executive Director Claire Lemoine and CENLA Pregnancy Center Board President Ed Tarpley (a member of Kingsville Baptist Church, Ball) also will deliver remarks. “We’re excited to be able to open the Miss-Lou Pregnancy Center providing support to women in unplanned pregnancies in … [Read more...]

Waites’ America’s Got Talent episode slated for July 12

By Staff PIONEER, Louisiana (LBM) -- Five weeks after announcing he was selected to be on the current season of America’s Got Talent, Christian musical recording artist Ben Waites shared that he will appear on next week’s show. A 2010 graduate of Louisiana Christian University, Waites posted on his Facebook page that the episode will air July 12, 7 p.m. on NBC. “Tune in to see what the judges have to say about me,” Waites said. According to its website, the 17th season of America’s Got Talent features acts of all ages who compete in a series of rounds for a $1 million prize. … [Read more...]

With state abortion ban, Children’s Home preps to meet more adoption, foster care needs

By Staff MONROE, La. (LBM)—Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries is preparing for an expected increase in needs for adoption and foster care following the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson which permitted Louisiana to enact a ban on abortions. “We know that more babies will be placed in state foster care and more babies will need adoptive, forever families,” said Perry Hancock, LBCHFM president and CEO. “We want to be ready to meet those needs.” Hancock described how the ministry’s Connect1Child program (connect1child.org) assists foster and adoptive families and helps Louisiana Baptist churches and associations to develop ministries that support the foster care/adoption community (e.g., support groups, respite care services, life essential ministries, etc.). “We provide an introduction and orientation for families sensing God’s call to foster or adopt,” Hancock explained. “Our adoption specialists also provide training and certification services for those Louisiana Baptist families. In addition, the Children’s Home provides ongoing and in-home support.” Also, he said, the Children’s Home assists mothers with the adoption process and provides referrals to local agencies for services that it does not … [Read more...]