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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

5th US Circuit Court of Appeals rules against NAMB

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – The North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention has received another setback with regard to a lawsuit filed by Will McRaney, former executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, and the decision sends the case back to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi for consideration on three key points. BACKDROP Previously, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 3-0 against NAMB, ruling that McRaney’s lawsuit was wrongly dismissed by the lower federal court. NAMB subsequently asked the full federal appeals court to uphold the dismissal – now denied by the 9-8 vote against rehearing the case. Consequently, the district court will receive, again, McRaney’s case that alleges NAMB President Kevin Ezell played a role in McRaney’s termination from the state convention and in his being “uninvited” from speaking at a conference in Mississippi. The ruling specifically instructs the lower federal court “to determine (1) whether NAMB intentionally and maliciously damaged McRaney’s business relationships by falsely claiming that he refused to meet with Ezell, … (2) whether NAMB’s … [Read more...]

State returns to Phase 2, but churches remain at 75 percent capacity

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Gov. John Bel Edwards announced at a Tuesday afternoon press conference that Louisiana will move back to a modified version of Phase 2 of reopening the state on Wednesday. Citing a continued increase in novel coronavirus related cases and hospitalizations, Edwards said the decision was necessary to keep the state from continuing to move in the wrong direction and for schools to remain open. The state saw 3,266 new cases and 39 deaths on Tuesday, and had 1,052 COVID-19 hospitalizations, an increase from fewer than 600 patients reported on Nov. 1.  Under the order that expires Dec. 23, attendance at churches will continue to be limited to 75 percent of a worship center’s seating capacity and businesses including restaurants, gyms and non-essential retailers will be limited to 50 percent capacity. A statewide mask mandate also remains in place for anyone eight years or older or with a major health condition. Social gatherings will be limited to 25 percent capacity and no more than 75 people indoors and 150 outdoors when physical distancing is not possible, bars in parishes with more than 5 percent test positivity must close to indoor consumption and sporting event venues can have … [Read more...]