By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
MONROE, La. (LBM) – A weekend of block parties, door-to-door witnessing, compassion projects and other evangelistic efforts produced a spiritual harvest of at least 81 known decisions for Christ during the Serve Tour in Morehouse, Ouachita and Richland parishes, Aug. 21-22.
The SEND Relief Serve Tour in partnership with the Northeast Louisiana Baptist Association and Louisiana Baptist Convention was an effort that involved 1,070 volunteers who participated in 48 service projects throughout northeast Louisiana as the foundation for evangelism. Projects included 10 block parties, eight grill walks, several church building upgrades, numerous school improvement projects and paying for others’ laundry at four laundromats.
Steven Kelly, associational mission strategist with Northeast Louisiana Baptist Association, said he was thankful for those who helped during Serve Tour, which resulted in 1,350 Gospel conversations.
“Serve Tour defines what we have said for years about the importance of cooperation,” Kelly told the Baptist Message. “What we have spoken of theoretically, we saw practically. Cooperative dollars from around the country poured into northeast Louisiana and made an impact. Volunteers from more than 10 states paid their own way to serve here. This gives us a mandate as churches to not just receive but to go.”
Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn said the Serve Tour exceeded all expectations.
“Any time we can get that many churches involved in one common effort, we are going to have wins,” he said. “We rejoice in the eighty people that moved from life to death. Heaven celebrates and so do we.
“The partnership with local churches, the Northeast Louisiana Baptist Association, our state convention and NAMB through Send Relief is a wonderful example of our strength when we cooperate.”
A team from First Baptist Church, Rayville, helped prepare and deliver hamburgers to RV parks in Richland Parsh during a grill walk (an outreach effort where team members delivered food that was cooked on portable grills and used that as an inroads for a Gospel conversation).
Many of those in the RV park work at a multi-billion dollar Meta artificial intelligence facility that is being built at the 2,250-acre former Franklin Farm mega-site that sits between Rayville and Delhi.
Justin Clark, pastor with FBC Rayville, said he is aware of at least one decision for Christ through the grill walks at the RV park.
“What an absolutely incredible day,” Clark said. “Our church is trying to see the Meta workers as God bringing the nations to our own backyard and we want to do everything we can to make sure they hear and respond to the Gospel.”
Gene Ford, a member with Lakeside Baptist Church, Monroe, led two women to the Lord in an apartment parking lot near the church. Shortly after, two of their neighbors turned to Jesus during an in-home visit. In both instances, Ford explained that good works and being a good person would not get them to heaven but rather they had to trust in Christ.
“Both times were very special,” Ford said. “It’s just a blessing to me to be able to go out and then see people receive Jesus.”
Teams from Bonita Road Baptist Church, Bastrop, and Hill Station Baptist Church, Goshen, Ohio, helped members of Pine Grove Baptist Church, Bastrop, renovate their building. The teams recarpeted the worship center, installed new flooring in the foyer and prayer room and expanded and updated a bathroom, including a new ceiling and Sheetrock installation.
John McKenzie, pastor with Pine Grove Baptist, said it was an example of how Christ followers can unite around a common purpose.
“The whole group was just a blessing to me and I watch them worked hard to see the work complete,” he said. “It was just a pleasure to see how God works and the on Sunday morning our people came in and were amazed at the transformation of our building.”
For their part, teams with North Monroe Baptist Church served at various projects including multiple block parties and construction projects.
Bob Webber, a member with North Monroe Baptist, enjoyed seeing people from multiple states join Louisianans as they served the community.
“There’s something special about people coming together and trying to give glory to God,” he said. “It was not about us, but about showing our love for the Lord by doing projects to help in our community. Even though it was hot, everyone had a great attitude and a smile on their face.”
Teams with Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria, helped members of Memorial Baptist Church, Monroe, install carpet inside their worship center. The nursery also received a fresh coat of paint, along with new blinds and carpet.
Additionally, members of Memorial Baptist distributed Bibles, bottled water and crosses while praying with those who received them in the parking lot.
Pastor Albert Kerr said he was overwhelmed by the generosity of the churches who volunteered.
“By Saturday afternoon I couldn’t even look at people or speak to them without crying,” he said. “It was a total outpouring of the Holy Spirit in God’s love and mercy.
“God sent people to our little church and they poured the love of God into us,” he continued. “We will be forever grateful and humbled by the way God used the Serve Tour experience to show us that. With God, all things are possible.”
For their part, Grayson Baptist Church members shared the Gospel at several grill walks, helped with block parties at multiple locations, served food at a luncheon at the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries and renovated the stage inside the University of Louisiana-Monroe Baptist Collegiate Ministry building.
“One of the coolest stories was meeting the pastor of Loch Arbor Baptist Church, Stan Wyant, only to realize he has family who are members at Grayson Baptist Church and that his first staff position in a church was as youth minister at Grayson Baptist Church,” he said. “I am always proud to pastor GBC and this weekend was a reminder of why I am proud to be a Southern Baptist. Cooperating together for the Gospel is what we do best.”
