By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional Reporter
PLAUCHEVILLE (LBM) – God’s provision through the Georgia Barnette State Mission Offering is being felt at every step of way in building Point of Life Community Church, the first evangelical church to be established in the Plaucheville community.
“We didn’t have any money, but we had faith,” said Norris Landry, the founding pastor.
He was thankful for the many contributions from sister churches and individuals, but expressed special appreciation for the $35,000 Point of Life received from the Georgia Barnette Offering.
Jacob Crawford, the newly commissioned director of missions for the Louisiana Baptist Association which includes Point of Life Community Church, said the Georgia Barnette Offering gift was not
was not just a help to a local congregation, but also a strategic investment in reaching the lost.
“Often, when you think of communities with no evangelical witness, you immediately think of other areas of our nation or world,” Crawford offered. “Few people would think of Louisiana communities in this case. Yet there are many towns in South Louisiana that have no Gospel witness.
“Plaucheville literally is an unreached people group in our backyard,” he added. “It was founded in the 1840s, and as far as are aware there has never been an evangelical Protestant church of any type in Plaucheville.
“If not for grants that Point of Life received through the Georgia Barnette Offering, it would have been almost impossible to construct the first building unit for this new church plant,” Crawford continued, “which is breaking new ground in the Gospel harvest.”
LOOKING FORWARD
Norris said the church’s new building is about 75 percent complete and that the end of construction “is in sight.”
But he said there still are several projects – sheetrock, gutters, concrete, and cover – yet to be done and he is looking for volunteers and about another $35,000 to finish up the last bit of work.
“God has provided so much already and He will provide the volunteers and the funds needed to complete our church,” said a confident Landry. “So many have done so much already, I believe God will answer all of our needs as we make this final push.”
LOOKING BACK
For years, it had been in Landry’s heart to plant a church, and he said it was clearly God’s will that led him to Plaucheville.
At 67 years old, Landry retired from pastoring Hessmer Baptist Church, where he had served since 1996.
But his retirement from ministry was short lived.
The same day he retired, he was asked by Life Point Church Pastor Jacob Crawford to serve as his associate pastor at the Mansura church.
When Crawford told Landry of his vision to plant a church in Plaucheville, it was a confirmation to him this is where God wanted him to be.
“We started praying about starting a home Bible study and that God would send a family from Plaucheville to us,” Landry recalled.
It was not long until his prayers were answered as a family from Plaucheville began attending Life Point Church in Mansura and Landry began talking to them about starting a Bible study in their home.
They agreed and the study began in January of 2015 on Tuesday nights.
“We met in their home for a year and a half. Then we felt it was time to buy land to build a church,” Landry said. So after two years as associate pastor at Life Point, it was time to plant the church.
Through a friend, Landry learned of a 5.45-acre plot of land in Plaucheville for sale at 316 Hwy 1181.
“The asking price for the property was $26,000, but we didn’t have a penny to our name,” Landry said, “No problem, God provided.”
Several years earlier, Longview Baptist Church in Deville had sent Josh Sikes, their youth pastor, to Plaucheville in an attempt to start up a church but it never got off the ground.
COOPERATIVE MINISTRIES
“They did have a Bible study in the senior apartments. But after a year and a half of trying, they were not able to develop anything,” Landry said. “But they had raised some money, and let us know they had funds for us.”
Longview provided $13,000, which was half the amount needed, and East Jena Baptist Church provided an additional $12,000. They were still $1,000 short of their goal, so Landry issued a challenged.
“I challenged our folks; and, we raised over $1,000. God provided, and we bought the property in Plaucheville. We then were alerted about a small building for sale in Marksville. It was a 20 foot by 30 foot building for sale for $6,000. First Baptist Church Blanchard agreed to buy it for us,” Landry added.
The original church building consisted of two rooms for an adult Sunday school class and a room for the children. God “provided the funding” to move the building to the Plaucheville property, and by the end of 2016, the Bible study was meeting in their own building.
The group grew to about 15 people for Bible study. Then once a month, the church group would have a dinner and an outreach at the Plaucheville Community Center, where 25 to 30 people attended.
COOPERATIVE MISSIONS
“God began to bring everyone together,” Landry said, adding that in November 2016, the group applied for Georgia Barnette State Mission Offering funds to start construction on their property.
They received $35,000 from the Georgia Barnette Offering and were approved for a $50,000 bank loan to build the main facility.
Mission Builders and Kingdom Builders teams helped develop the plans, and in mid-June, volunteers showed up to help start the work.
Within a few days, the Kingdom Builders took the foundation slab to an enclosed structure, and, despite some minor delays caused by a tropical storm, put the metal roofing up in short order.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
“There is still a lot of work to be done,” Landry added.
Help is needed to hang and finish the last of the sheetrock in the worship center, and $35,000 still is needed to fund the purchase of a steeple, and the work on the flooring, gutters, front and side porches, paint for interior, furnishings and a sound system, he said.
When completed, the 40 foot by 66 foot structure will seat about 50 for worship and include a small kitchen, two bathrooms, three classrooms and an office.
Landry hopes the entire project will be done by October.
Landry, now 70, and his wife, Donna, both agree it takes time to develop relationships and trust in the Plaucheville community, and they feel they have made good progress.
“We have a physical presence. People know we are here,” he said. For the last three years, the church has conducted a music and arts camp for children as an outreach at the community center. More than 50 children attended this summer, and three of the children gave their hearts to Jesus.
Gloster Baptist Church paid for all of the camp’s expenses.
“There were 37 children from Plaucheville and from the families and homes we’ve been praying for. God is using this music and art camp,” said Landry.
“Everything this church does is based on faith, Landry said. “God has been faithful in taking care of us and our needs.”
Crawford was equally confident about God’s favor in this evangelistic mission and expressed gratitude for the state missions offering gift that had helped launch Point of Life Community Church.
“Thank you Louisiana Baptists for your faithfulness in giving to the Georgia Barnette Offering,” Crawford shared. “Your generosity is impacting Louisiana for the Gospel.”
