By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – With the availability of COVID-19 vaccines widely accessible and a continued reduction in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday, April 27, the end to the state’s mask mandate. While masks still will be required at colleges and universities, early childhood education centers, healthcare facilities, on public transit and most state government buildings, local leaders and business owners will now be able to set their own mask policies starting today, April 28. Social distancing still is recommended. “Many Louisianans have been wearing masks for more than a year now and the statewide mask mandate has been in place for nearly 10 months,” said Edwards, who has kept a mask mandate in place since July 2020. “We know masks work – the science is clear and we’ve seen the positive impact in our own state. “It’s intuitive for people to protect themselves with masks in higher risk situations, and this important mitigation measure should continue,” he continued. “But we have many more tools for slowing the spread of COVID than we did not have even a few months ago, including better treatments and, most importantly, several highly … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – Eighty young men from nine churches were joined by 43 adult leaders for the Royal Ambassador Congress, April 9-10, at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth. The theme for the weekend was “Cowboy Church,” using a creative take on Psalm 20:7. The weekend featured Paul Daily, founder of Wild Horse Ministries in Trout, and his daughter Lenora, who used the taming of an unbroken wild horse to help present the Gospel. Throughout the two-day camp, the youngsters grew deeper in their faith while learning how to rope cattle and ride a mechanical bull, organizers said. By the closing session, nine of the boys had made salvation decisions. Mike Collie, an RA consultant for Louisiana Baptists, said the decisions resulted from seeds being intentionally planted, cultivated, and harvested throughout the weekend. “It was so exciting to be able to host an event after a year of COVID,” he said. “Using horses from Paul Daily’s Wild Horse Ministry, the boys and their dads got to see what it meant to submit to God’s will. The boys also learned how cowboy churches are helping to further the Gospel in their communities.” “The true highlights of the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – For the last 15 years, Gibbie McMillan has been the face of Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief, serving on the frontlines of LBDR-led responses that helped rebuild homes, and, also, offered the hope found in Christ to thousands impacted by floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. McMillan is set to retire, April 30, as men’s ministry and disaster relief strategist for Louisiana Baptists. But he will continue to pursue his passion for disaster relief as the leader of a newly formed chainsaw team affiliated with Two Rivers Baptist Association. “Working for Louisiana Baptists has been one of the most rewarding opportunities I have ever had,” McMillan told the Baptist Message. “Being the hands and feet of Jesus enabled me to meet needs because of the generous giving of the churches of Louisiana. Our Georgia Barnett State Missions offering each year provided the funds needed for a quick response in times of disaster. Not every church in Louisiana is involved in disaster relief -- but they can be when they support the Georgia Barnett State Missions offering.” Stan Statham will succeed McMillan, May 1. He currently serves as associational missions strategist … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer BOSSIER CITY, La. (LBM) – Three candidates for Southern Baptist Convention offices urged messengers to turn out the vote for the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, June 15-16 in Nashville, Tennessee, during a luncheon April 26 at First Baptist Church in Bossier City,   “2021 is set to be a watershed year for the Southern Baptist Convention,” SBC presidential candidate Mike Stone said. “There are going to be some critical, vitally important decisions made that are going to help set a trajectory one way or the other for the future, at least the immediate future, of the Southern Baptist Convention. “The only votes that will count are those of the messengers who go from your church to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention,” he continued. “So, the way you address this is not on Twitter. The future is not changed by retweets and likes. You don’t address it on social media. You address it by contacting your local association, your state convention, and you find out what is the maximum amount of messengers that your church is qualified to take. And you set aside money in your church budget if necessary. And you do whatever it takes to get the maximum … [Read more...]