By Stacey Tinsley, Bossier Press-Tribune
The campus of First Baptist Church Haughton became more than a place of worship on May 2 — it became a launching point for something deeper.
Hundreds of volunteers stepped into neighborhoods across Haughton for the church’s annual Serve Day, transforming the day into a powerful expression of faith in motion. What unfolded was not simply a community cleanup, but a living testimony of unity, compassion and purpose.
Armed with gloves, trash bags and willing hearts, volunteers spread throughout the area picking up roadside litter, clearing debris and assisting residents with large item removal through organized truck and trailer teams. In other corners of the community, quieter acts of service were taking place — prayer teams walking neighborhood streets, lifting up families and homes, while others remained behind at the church in continuous prayer.
At the center of the effort was First Baptist Church Haughton Senior Pastor Gevan Spinney, who said the mission of Serve Day reflects a calling that has deep roots in the church’s history.
“We feel a big obligation as the church to Haughton and the community,” Spinney said. “I feel like God planted this church here in 1885 to be a lighthouse to Haughton. We just feel an obligation to love and be the hands and feet of Jesus and to reach and meet needs. We want the community to know that First Baptist Haughton cares about them, loves them and wants to help out in any way we can.”
The impact of Serve Day has grown steadily in recent years. In 2024, volunteers filled 30 dumpsters with trash as 128 people participated in the effort. That momentum carried into 2025, when 136 volunteers helped fill 38 dumpsters, collected 235 bags of roadside trash and prayed over 467 homes throughout the community.
Church leaders say those numbers tell only part of the story.
Back on church grounds, a hospitality team welcomed volunteers returning from the field with meals, encouragement and a place to rest. As trucks and trailers rolled in loaded with debris, another small but meaningful act of service unfolded. The daughter of the church’s worship pastor, Hunter Brobst, set up a lemonade stand to serve volunteers and residents passing through. The lemonade was offered free of charge, but donations were accepted to support missions — turning a simple gesture into an opportunity to give back.
Organizers emphasized that Serve Day is rooted in a simple but powerful idea: faith is meant to be lived, not just spoken.
“Serve Day is about more than cleaning streets,” one volunteer shared. “It’s about showing people they are seen, they are valued and they are loved.”
For many, the day echoed the words of Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” In Haughton, that light was visible in every act of kindness — from lifting heavy debris to offering a cup of lemonade or a quiet prayer.
Residents expressed gratitude, noting that the impact went far beyond cleaner streets. For some, it was a reminder that they were not alone; for others, it was a glimpse of hope during challenging times.
By day’s end, the physical results were clear — cleaner roads, cleared yards and piles of collected debris ready for removal. But the deeper impact was less tangible and far more lasting: strengthened relationships, renewed faith and a shared sense of purpose.
In a world often marked by division, Serve Day offered a different narrative — one where people came together, not out of obligation, but out of love.
As the final volunteers gathered and the last prayers were spoken, one message remained: the church is not confined to a building. It is a people, moving together with intention.
And in Haughton, on this day, that movement reflected something timeless — that when faith is put into action, it has the power to transform not only a community, but the hearts within it.
Stacey Tinsley, Bossier Press-Tribune — Volunteers unload trailers filled with debris collected across Haughton at First Baptist Church Haughton on Saturday, May 2, as part of the church’s annual Serve Day cleanup effort.
Stacey Tinsley, Bossier Press-Tribune — Volunteers from First Baptist Church Haughton pick up roadside trash throughout the Haughton community on Saturday, May 2, as part of the church’s annual Serve Day outreach initiative.