By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
DRY PRONG, La. (LBM) – More than 200 volunteers from 12 churches showed the love of Christ in their Jerusalem through a weekend of acts of service, Sept. 18-19.
Held on Sept. 18-19, the Grant Parish Reach Project was an effort that involved volunteers from Big Creek Baptist Association and other denominations who participated in 32 service projects throughout Grant Parish that served as a basis for Gospel seed planting. Projects included installation of two metal roofs, replacement of plumbing, building four wheelchair ramps, removing a subfloor, yard work and tree removal.
Additionally, several churches provided meals for volunteers: Hebron Baptist Church, Dry Prong; Bethel Baptist Church, Colfax; New Prospect Baptist Church, Dry Prong; Fairfield Baptist Church, Dry Prong;
Colfax Baptist Church; and Liberty Christian Church, Colfax.
Kenny Bratton, pastor with Bethel Baptist Church, said he was thankful for those who helped during Grant Reach.
“The biggest thing I noticed was the power of unity,” Bratton told the Baptist Message. “I told men from other churches that they are not from their own church that weekend but are just a church moving in a direction to help others in need.
“It allowed us to see we can take on projects and be able to help people and have a lasting effect on their lives,” he said. “The power of unity was amazing and we saw we were able to do so much together for the Kingdom.”
Lloyd Whitman, pastor with New Friendship Baptist Church, Pollock, worked alongside four others who removed a giant limb that fell on the property of First Baptist Church, Montgomery. He enjoyed the fellowship and helping a fellow church.
“The joy is just serving people,” Whitman said. “There are people out there that need us.
“It’s just a joy to be able to share with people and touch their lives,” he continued. “You can touch others by meeting a need for Christ. Not only did the people we served get a lot out of it but we got a joy out of doing it. That’s a blessing that we forever will have.”
David Carr, a member with First Baptist Church, Pollock, worked with nine others to remove 10 downed trees and mow the lawn of a home in Colfax.
“We’re just trying to bring Jesus to the community and show His love,” Carr said. “We wanted to let them know His Spirit is alive and well in us today.
“We came together as a team,” he added. “It wasn’t about an individual. It was about what we could do as a community, as a body of believers, to show God working through us.”
Big Creek Baptist Association Mission Strategist Dick DeBusk was moved by how so many rallied around one purpose.
“This was a vision of what God says we must do,” he said. “He says in scripture that the believers were of one accord. And this is one example of being in one accord, one agreement, to reach our parish.”
Looking to the future, associational leaders already are planning another Grant Parish Reach Project early 2027.
“This is something we want to do once a quarter as another way to reach our Jerusalem,” Bratton said. “We saw a few people whose homes we worked on who showed up the next Sunday in our churches. I still remember the tears that were shed on the behalf of an elderly lady whose home we worked on in Colfax and she told me how she thought she was forgotten about. The weekend was a move in the right direction for the churches in our association and we know it was a move from God.”
