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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Strong spring storm hammers state, causes extensive damage

By Baptist Message staff HALL SUMMIT, La. (LBM) – Fifteen members of a Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief team spent Tuesday, May 11, clearing debris from around homes in Hall Summit that sustained damaged from a storm that came through the area the prior day. Marvin Leleux, incident commander for the team comprised of members from Natchitoches, Red River and Sabine parishes, and Keith Bryant and Matt Trahan with the Shreveport Volunteer Network, removed trees that fell on or near three homes in the community. Leleux, who is also a pastor of Springhill Baptist Church in Ringgold, said the team was grateful to be a part of being Christ’s hands and feet to those in need. “We were thankful in getting those people back on their feet as soon as possible,” Leleux told the Baptist Message. “You can’t pay me enough to do this, but in Jesus’ name I would do this all day long.” The storm destroyed at least one home, ripped off roofs from other homes, damaged vehicles and downed utility trees and poles throughout Red River Parish, KSLA News 12 reported. Hail produced from the storm also knocked out car windows in Caspiano and vehicles at the Joe D. Waggoner Jr. Lock and Dam No. 5, located on Red River south of the … [Read more...]

Kennedy, Paul renew call for investigation of Planned Parenthood affiliates for illegally obtaining PPP funds

By Office of Sen. John Kennedy WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Small Business Committee, joined Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and other Republican committee members in urging Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Guzman to investigate Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s unlawful participation in the Paycheck Protection Program. The senators originally asked Guzman to investigate this issue in April, yet SBA has continued to approve additional PPP loans to PPFA affiliates. “In fact, since our April 15 letter to you, SBA approved PPP loans for at least two additional PPFA affiliates according to the most recent public data posted to the Agency’s website. This includes a $10 million dollar loan, the maximum loan amount, to a PPFA affiliate just last week. This is unacceptable. As members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, we expect transparency and cooperation with requests for information from your agency,” wrote the senators. The senators renewed and expanded their April 15 call for an investigation into PPFA affiliates’ PPP loans, requesting the following information: A detailed explanation of how two PPFA affiliates were approved … [Read more...]

FRC plans Baton Rouge expansion of its nationwide operations

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – The Family Research Council has purchased the former Trinity Lutheran Church and Christian school campus in Baton Rouge to use as an additional location for its nationwide operations. FRC President Tony Perkins told the Baptist Message that COVID-19 restrictions, the “tense and turbulent atmosphere” in Washington, D.C., and a need for additional studio and video production space prompted the acquisition. The organization still will use its other office, headquartered in Washington, D.C., and Perkins plans to have a presence at both locations. He has commuted from his home in Baton Rouge to Washington, D.C., for the last 18 years. “The nation has experienced a lot over the last year and we should not be quick to dismiss it as a one-time occurrence,” Perkins said. “What this last year did was expose vulnerabilities and opportunities going forward. In a conversation I had with Dr. Ben Carson, who served on President Trump’s coronavirus taskforce, he predicted that it was very improbable that life would return to the way it was pre-pandemic.” Perkins, who shared the news with a roomful of 25 pastors at the Baton Rouge location May 7, said the FRC’s future … [Read more...]