By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAKE CHARLES – The sale of facilities that formerly belonged to a struggling Anglo church in Lake Charles has breathed new life into an African- American congregation in the city. The property, located at 3007 Enterprise Boulevard and which used to house the once-thriving Boulevard Baptist Church, was sold Feb. 22 to Mount Olive Baptist Church. At one time Boulevard Baptist Church had as many as 1,320 members, according to Annual Church Profile statistics. But as the demographics of the neighborhood changed, attendance steadily declined, with fewer than 15 members attending in late 2017. Rather than close the doors, Boulevard Baptist chose to sell the property to Carey Baptist Association the following year. The association continued to allow the congregation to worship in the facilities while a new buyer was found. Meanwhile, Mt. Olive Baptist was praying about its vision for the future when the Holy Spirit orchestrated a conversation in October 2017 between Carey Association Director of Missions Bruce Baker and Pastor Braylon Harris about a possible relocation to Boulevard Baptist’s property. Instead of focusing on adding onto its existing facilities at its 37-acre property, … [Read more...]