September 7, 2024
LONDON, Ky. (KT) — A small church in the Laurel River Baptist Association had a unique experience earlier this month when a 93-year-old man was baptized. Baldrock Baptist Church Pastor Vince Mullins said Guy Black’s profession of faith leading to his baptism has “so excited our little church.”
Mullins said that Black, a long-time resident in the community, had gone to church with his wife for years, but never been saved or baptized, and told Mullins “it had always bothered him.”
Then on a recent Sunday, Black said he felt he needed to go to church that day. “He showed up, and it happened that I was preaching on heaven,” Mullins recalled.
After leaving the church, Black visited a couple who had been members of the church for about a year. “They asked him whether he had ever been saved, and he told them ‘No.’” They proceeded to witness to Black, and encouraged him to attend church the following Wednesday night.
On that night, the church had a business meeting. When Mullins asked about business anyone had, Black said, “Yes, I have business. I need to be saved and baptized.” After the service, Mullins talked at length with Black, who said he knew something was missing in his life. He trusted Christ and was baptized the next Sunday.
A week after the baptism, Black said to Mullins, “That was miraculous, wasn’t it!” Mullins replied, “At your age it’s a rare thing.” Black then said, “I am glad I have the peace of mind that I haven’t had.”
“There’s such a sweet spirit in the church, and things are starting to come along. We’ve been rebuilding from scratch.”
The church went without a pastor from 2016 until Mullins took the position in May 2021.
“The church was down to four or five people,” recalls Mullins. It has experienced steady growth during his time there. “If we get everybody there at the same time, we’ll have 40 or more, and if it’s a special event we’ll have a full house,” he said.
“Every Sunday it seems like we have visitors, and every Sunday you can feel the Lord getting ready to do something special. The people are so kind and sweet, and they are inviting people.
We have done door-to-door work, we have an outdoor movie on Friday night, and we do a lot of gospel singings — anything we can do to draw people in.”
Sharing in the excitement at Baldrock is Tommy Tapscott, Laurel River’s associational mission strategist.
“I believe Bro. Vince is a good fit for the sweet people of Baldrock,” Tapscott said. “I know that Vince loves them, and they love Bro Vince.”
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This story first appeared in Kentucky Today.
