By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
POLLOCK, La. (LBM) – Twenty-eight men from Franklin Parish recently committed to step-up and follow Jesus during a men’s retreat at Camp Grant Walker in Pollock.
On the final day of the spiritual encounter, March 27-29, the men rejoiced as they were baptized in Big Creek on the camp property.
“When people just bear their soul, they get honest, and God takes a hold of them; there’s nothing more exciting than seeing the change,” retreat co-organizer Marc Kelly told the Baptist Message. “And we never get tired of it.”
Bubba Smith, another member of the retreat leadership team, added: “The very first time we walked into the camp area, I looked at Big Creek and said ‘It would be cool if God allowed us to baptize men right there in this creek.’ It has become a special place for our retreat guests, and we have seen many baptized there.”
BACKGROUND
The retreat was one of two Central Louisiana men’s retreat ministries hosted in March. The other, held March 20-22 at Clara Springs Baptist Camp in Pelican, resulted in 11 men coming to Christ and later being baptized in their home churches.
CENLA women recently completed a retreat, April 2-4, at Clara Springs where 17 women surrendered their lives to Jesus.
For the past two years, retreat ministry leaders have hosted men’s and women’s events in the spring and fall at Camp Grant Walker and Clara Springs, respectively.
The Franklin Parish Retreat was established as a ministry on Feb. 9, 2023, and that event birthed the CENLA Retreat ministry, which hosted its first event in April 2023. Since those original events, both ministries have hosted five retreats for men and five for women, catalyzing obvious changes in their respective communities.
The original retreat in Franklin Parish sparked a revival that has continued to this day, as the participants have reported growth in their congregations and significant increases in the number of people coming to Christ through salvation, Kelly said.
The CENLA retreat ministry has recorded more than 75 baptisms of men and women. Kelly said the ministry has impacted many throughout central Louisiana, and it is not uncommon for more than 30 churches of various denominations to have members attend a retreat at one time.
“Over the past two years, many have come to Christ through the efforts of the volunteers, commonly referred to as ‘teamers’ in addition to those who have repented and began to walk in Christ. Marriages have been restored, and church attendance has increased as men and women realized they were created for a purpose in the Kingdom of God,” Kelly said.
CELEBRATING COMMITMENTS
While most of the details of what takes place at the retreat are not disclosed, the men and women do get to celebrate their commitments to Christ at the end with baptism either at the camp or by their home church.
“For those who do not have church homes, we look at their address and try to link them up with a Bible believing and teaching church or have one of the teamers invite them to attend church with them,” Kelly said. “The goal after the retreat experience has ended is to plug them in a church so they can begin the discipleship and sanctification process.” As Jamie Slade from Franklin Parish always says, “Just give us one more Lord for the Kingdom.”
“God does not call men or women to stay on the sidelines, but to get in the game of life. No football coach ever schemed against the players on the bench, and neither does Satan. If that is you as a Christian, you are right where he wants you to be. We are trying to encourage guys and gals to take that next step,” he continued. “I thank the Lord Jesus every day for Franklin Parish taking that step of faith with their first retreat and that Philip Robertson saw the potential in this ministry and gave us the ‘green light’ to attend as guests and then establish the CENLA Retreat Ministry.”
Robertson, pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville, echoed the far-reaching impact of the retreat.
“I have never seen a man or woman from Philadelphia Baptist Church attend a CENLA retreat and regret the decision,” he said.
CENLA retreats at Clara Springs: Men’s Sept 18-20, 2025, marc.kelly@suddenlink.net; Women’s Oct 2-4, 2025, manquin5683@yahoo.com.
Franklin Parish at Camp Grant Walker: Men’s Oct 9-11, 2025, sladej1971@gmail.com; Women’s 17-19, 2025, baskinraised@yahoo.com .
