By First Baptist Pineville PINEVILLE, La. - First Baptist Church Pineville, 901 Main Street in Pineville, will host former prison inmate Gene Garland in special July 4 services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. During the service, Garland will sing some of his music written while in prison and share his testimony message entitled “Wouldn’t Change It If I Could.” Garland was convicted of securities fraud, money laundering and mail fraud in 2000 and was given a 23-year sentence. After serving 18 years in federal prison, most recently in Pollock, Garland was released in 2019. Since being released, Garland has married, launched his own landscaping business and started serving a church in Texas, where his son also is on staff. He enjoys ministering to nursing homes by singing and preaching. Stewart Holloway, pastor of First Baptist Pineville, first met Garland while teaching a class for Louisiana College at the Pollock prison. “Gene was assigned to me to make sure I had anything I needed and to answer any questions I might have," Holloway said. "Having him by my side also made me more comfortable during my first few weeks walking into a prison environment. “We became fast friends as I learned of his love for the Lord and watched him … [Read more...]