By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WEST MONROE – While state Rep. Frank Hoffmann awaited the birth of his new granddaughter in a Texas hospital July 11, he shared some thoughts with the Baptist Message about his personal mission to protect the unborn. LOUISIANA LEADER A long-time pro-life supporter, Hoffmann has used his tenure in the Louisiana legislature to push through key pro-life bills, for instance, preventing insurance companies in the state from offering coverage of elective abortions, and, requiring abortion clinics in Louisiana to post information informing women about the alternatives to abortion. Most recently, he championed House Bill 891, now Act 498, prohibiting Louisiana from transferring any public funds to an abortion provider, or, to any entity tied “physically [shared facility] or financially” to an abortion provider. The significance of the legislation became clear when Governor John Bel Edwards signed the legislation into law May 23 just hours after a U.S. District judge ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit to force the state Department of Health and Hospitals to issue a license to perform abortions in the same New Orleans facility where Medicaid funded “family planning” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MANDEVILLE – Former University of Kentucky football star Dicky Lyons believed his life was headed in the right direction, that is until he met church planter Sam Cirrincione at a Mandeville coffee shop in early 2017. Lyons quickly discovered through this meeting and follow-up conversations that he needed a Savior. Four months after meeting with Cirrincione for coffee, Lyons and his wife, Mindy, were convicted of their need for Christ, committed their lives to Him and celebrated a new life in Jesus through baptism at the Field Church in Mandeville. Lyons and his wife are two of 54 new converts baptized at the Field Church since its first worship service Sept. 11, 2016. Cirrincione said he is thankful to see how God has used the new believers to bring about a wave of growth at the Field Church. “It’s emotional to see the baptisms,” Cirrincione said. “We are seeing these families raise their own children built on a solid foundation that is centered on Christ. To see them loving and following Jesus is a praise to God.” PERSONAL ENCOUNTER “I had questions about the church plant the day I met Sam and through that process I started to find a relationship with Jesus,” he said. … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor DALLAS (LBM)—Sammy Tippit is a soul winner, doing whatever it takes to bring others to Christ and to grow them in their faith. He continues to do the hard work of door-to-door outreach for one-on-one Gospel conversations, but also is on the cutting edge of technology, using Skype to conduct evangelistic events to remote regions overseas to bring the Good News about Jesus to tens of thousands of lost people. On top of that, his daily discipleship videos generate 6.5 million views each month, reaching men and women around the world in 10 languages, including English, Punjabi, Arabic and Spanish. As the newly elected president of the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, Tippit said he hopes to use his influence to revive the focus on evangelism that once thrived among the denomination’s churches and entities. CAJUN CONNECTIONS Tippit told the Baptist Message his worldwide ministry started in Baton Rouge. “I was saved in 1965 at an evangelistic harvest event at Istrouma Baptist Church and I surrendered to preach two nights later,” he said. “I was a freshman at LSU at the time. My pastor was J. Garland McKee, and I knew nothing about the Bible at the time. I was just this … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter NEW ORLEANS – It takes a lot to fill 5,000 backpacks. But collecting supplies, enlisting hundreds of volunteers, and arranging event details all in a month’s time, might take a miracle. Kay Bennett, director of the Baptist Friendship House (BFH), led 165 volunteers, July 13, to fill 2,000 backpacks for school age children, 1,500 for the homeless, and 1,500 for survivors of human trafficking. With the BFH gym packed with people and supplies, the backpacks were filled in about two hours. “It worked like clockwork,” Bennett said. “I could not have asked for it to work better. It’s just amazing to see what we can do when we work together.” Some backpacks were distributed to the homeless that afternoon. Backpacks filled with school supplies were handed out the next day, July 14, at BFH’s annual Back-to-School Bash. With 600 filled backpacks typical for the back-to-school event, Bennett said she wondered if she had lost her mind after accepting the North American Mission Board’s Send Relief offer of 5,000. “I should have known God would provide,” Bennett chided herself after the successful event. “He’s always faithful.” In assembly-line formation, volunteers from 16 … [Read more...]

By Message Staff CENTRAL LOUISIANA – Visiting America always seemed like an out of reach dream for South Korean teenager Phillip Lee. But Lee was finally given that opportunity when his family signed him up to attend Camp USA on July 14-29. “This camp [which takes place around Central Louisiana and Ponchatoula] is allowing me a chance to explore what the United States has to offer and do a lot of things I had only seen in videos,” Lee said. “The Louisiana people have shown us much hospitality and we always will remember our time here with them.” A partnership of REACH Missions and the Korea Baptist Church Development Board, the camp involves more than 25 churches in Cenla Baptist Association (formerly Central and North Rapides associations) and First Baptist Church in Ponchatoula. The children participate in a Vacation Bible School and experience Louisiana culture during their time at Camp USA. The children participate in a Vacation Bible School, swimming, English classes and fishing at area churches and campsites. They also visit various sites unique to Louisiana. During their time in the state, each camper is assigned a host family. This allows the Koreans and Americans to interact with one another in a … [Read more...]