By Jerry Love, LBF Director of Planned Giving ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) - When Congress passed the CARES Act, it offered incentives to promote charitable giving that are being overlooked because of the emphasis given to the federal government’s $1,200 relief payments  to taxpayers and Payroll Protection Program forgivable loans to small businesses and nonprofits, including churches. But, the provisions relating to charitable giving are critically important to churches and other nonprofits because they encourage donors to give more. $300 AGI DEDUCTION For the 2020 tax year, filers may claim a $300 deduction for cash contributions to churches, ministry organization and other charitable organizations. This applies only to those who take the standard deduction when filing their tax returns. Those who itemize their deductions are not able to claim additional amount. There is some question as to the term of the provision, but it likely applies only to 2020 filing year (returns filed in 2021). The $300 deduction may seem like a relatively small amount, but it is an “above-the-line” deduction, meaning a taxpayer may subtract the amount from gross income to arrive at a lower “adjusted gross income” for the tax year. LIMITS … [Read more...]

By Message Staff MONROE, La. (LBM)--Powerful storms produced damaging winds and hail, and spawned tornadoes to leave behind widespread destruction in Louisiana, late on Sunday, April 12. Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo said in a press statement that a tornado heavily damaged more than 200-300 homes, combined, in his city, West Monroe and the rest of Ouachita Parish. The tornado also caused an estimated $30 million in damage at the Monroe Regional Airport, located just 200 yards from the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home. There have been no confirmed fatalities in Louisiana. “Please cooperate with emergency responders and repair crews as they assess and repair damages,” Mayo wrote on his Facebook page. “By the grace of God, early reports show only a few minor injuries.  Please pray for our city! Many of our neighbors and friends have suffered catastrophic damage.  We are hurting; but we are not broken.  Times like this remind us WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER!  Together we are responding.  Together we will rebuild.” Monroe Regional Airport was especially hit hard, with at least one hangar collapsed on multi-engine jets stored inside, and heavy debris scattered across the runways, causing the cancellation of flights until further … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)--Louisiana Baptists are urged to pray for evangelists, whose collective ministries are among the most negatively impacted by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 crisis. “Pray for our evangelists,” Keith Manuel posted on his Facebook page. He is the director of the Louisiana Baptist evangelism and church growth team. “So many people will not be aware of the potential economic hardship they are facing. Most, if not all of them, are having months of meetings cancelled. If you are a partner with them, maybe the Lord will put it on your heart to help financially or in another way,” Manuel explained. “Most of our evangelists are living on a very small income. Pray for their needs to be met as you pray for so many others who will lose their incomes during this crisis.” Louisiana Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists President Gary Bowlin said the cancellation of revivals due to COVID-19 come at what is traditionally the busiest time of the year for evangelists. “The biggest thing is that we are not able to share the Gospel and see people saved,” Bowlin, founder of Gary Bowlin Evangelistic Association in Summit, Miss., told the Baptist Message. “Cancellations have … [Read more...]