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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Churches urged to apply quickly for loans provided in $2T coronavirus relief bill

By Will Hall, Message Executive Editor NOTE: The original paragraphs 11 and 12 have been replaced with a single paragraph to correct information about loan forgiveness. WASHINGTON (LBM)—The U.S. House has approved a $2 trillion coronavirus impact aid bill that provides economic relief to workers and businesses; and, because of the work of many concerned lawmakers, these provisions extend also to 501(c)(3) entities, which include churches, Christian schools and other religious bodies. Importantly, evangelists are eligible for the payroll protection loans provided in the legislation. WHAT THE LAW MEANS In a summary of the Coronavirus Aid Relief Economic Security (also known as C.A.R.E.S.), U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), a member of the First Baptist Church in Bossier City, said the Small Business Assistance portion of the legislation, passed by voice vote in the House, March 27, after it was approved 96-0 by the Senate, March 25, includes nonprofits with payrolls not exceeding 500 employees per location and caps any single loan at $10 million. “This will be an important lifeline for so many of our churches and ministries here in Louisiana and nationwide, and we are grateful for it,” said Johnson. “This is a time … [Read more...]

Governor Edwards calls for day of prayer and fasting on Tuesdays

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Governor John Bel Edwards, state legislators, other government leaders and pastors have asked Louisianans to devote the noontime hour over the next four Tuesdays to focused prayer and fasting for God’s intervention in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation. “Lunch Fasting Before God on Tuesdays” will begin Tuesday, March 31, and end Tuesday, April 21. “I want to encourage all Louisiana Baptists to join the Governor and many of our legislators in fasting on Tuesdays at lunch,” Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Steve Horn told the Baptist Message. “In fact, what I really want to say is ‘Unless you are medically restricted from fasting, I cannot see why you would not want to participate.’ “We are beginning to see this virus invade the lives of those we know and we are certainly starting to feel the effects of the economic implications of this pandemic,” he continued. “Let us pray with desperation and expectation. Most of all, let us pray that a long-awaited spiritual awakening is the result.” Edwards, who is a devoted Catholic, previously called on others to join him during a Louisiana Public Broadcasting town hall meeting March … [Read more...]

Louisiana argues for state’s abortion law before Supreme Court

By Will Hall, Message Executive Editor WASHINGTON (LBM)—On March 4, Elizabeth Murrill, Louisiana’s solicitor general, argued the state’s position before the U.S. Supreme Court that the medical safety regulations outlined in Act 620, passed in 2014, protect a woman’s health and are not an undue burden or restriction. At issue, in particular, is the law’s requirement that an abortionist obtain hospital admitting privileges to a facility within 30 miles of the abortion facility, in case of complications for the woman patient during or after an abortion. This element of the case, known as June Medical Services LLC v. Russo, was amplified while the legal challenge to the law made its way through the federal court process. In 2019 a woman who endured a botched abortion procedure at a Baton Rouge abortion facility experienced complications that forced her to have emergency surgery which resulted in a total hysterectomy, meaning the killed baby was the last child she could have birthed. Despite this development, Julie Rikelman, attorney for the Shreveport abortion facility, Hope Medical Group for Women, owned by June Medical Services LLC, dismissed the concern about complications, arguing that such missteps are an exception in … [Read more...]

LBC lawmaker plays pivotal role in President Trump’s acquittal

By Will Hall, Message Executive Editor WASHINGTON, D.C. (LBM)—Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA 04), a member of the First Baptist Church in Bossier City, served as a member of President Trump’s defense team that represented him in House proceedings and Senate trial; and, ultimately won the president’s acquittal on the two charges brought forward. The votes were 48 to convict and 52 to acquit on the charge of “abuse of power”; and, 47-53 on the charge of “obstruction of justice.” It takes a two-thirds vote to convict a president on impeachment charges. During the Senate hearing, Johnson told NPR that the impeachment effort was a display of “hyper-partisanship.” “There’s no better way to describe it,” he said. “This is the first single-part impeachment in the history of our republic in 243 years. It’s something that the founders warned against because they were afraid, they were concerned, that if it ever came down to this, it would divide the country bitterly, perhaps irrevocably.” Johnson also said Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, had “manufactured” the idea that the president of the United States asking a foreign country to interfere in a U.S. election. “What the president was after was … [Read more...]

Louisiana pastor lauded at National Prayer Breakfast

By Will Hall, Message Executive Editor WASHINGTON, D.C. (LBM)—While declaring “we are in a fight” because “certain religions are under siege” President Trump took time to honor Pastor Gerald Toussaint of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church which was one of three St. Landry Parish church campuses torched in 2019 by an anti-Baptist arsonist. Recognizing the debt America owes “our nation’s African-American churches,” the president said Toussaint “embodies the miracle of faith and the power of prayer.” Recalling the “fires set by a wicked hate-filled arsonist,” Trump said despite “such shocking evil” our country “witnessed the unshakeable unity, devotion and spirit of Rev. Toussaint and his entire, highly spirited beautiful congregation.” “On Easter Sunday, just days after he lost his church, Rev. Toussaint preached about what it all meant,” the president continued. “The Easter season, he said, is a fitting metaphor for recent events. It was dark the day that Jesus was crucified. It was dark at night when they burned our church. What has happened since is like a resurrection.” Trump added his encouragement to Pastor Troussaint, saying, “Old things are gone, but it’s going to be a brand-new start, and it’s going to be better … [Read more...]