A Caring Congregation on East Tunnel Boulevard
Christ Baptist Church meets at 1700 East Tunnel Boulevard in Houma, Louisiana, a Southern Baptist congregation that has walked the same neighborhood through hurricanes, hard seasons, and ordinary weeks for decades. Members describe themselves as "a very caring congregation that strongly believes in reaching out beyond themselves to spread and apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ." A quarterly newsletter keeps the family connected between Sundays, and inside the building you will find room to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ and with his church.
An Interim Pastor with Deep Roots
The pulpit is held by Rev. Douglas Walling Sr., who serves as bi-vocational interim pastor. Walling is no newcomer to Christ Baptist; he has been a member for more than forty years. He and his wife Faye have seven children, sixteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He calls the church "an awesome family-oriented church" and invites anyone reading to stop in for a visit or to call the church office. Faye Walling also leads Girls in Action for the younger girls of the church, making the pastor's family deeply tied to almost every generation of ministry here.
The Sunday Gathering and Weekly Rhythm
Sunday morning begins with Sunday School at 9:00 AM, followed by the Morning Worship Service at 10:15 AM. The midweek gathers on Wednesdays with a Prayer and Bible Study meeting at 5:00 PM, alongside a youth service in the Upper Room at 5:00 PM and a children's group at 5:00 PM. Tuesdays at 6:00 PM bring the Visitation Ministry out into the community, knocking on doors and inviting neighbors. Discipleship Training meets Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM and runs as an open Bible discussion built around studies like "Experiencing God" and the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations."
Children and Royal Ambassadors
Children's Ministry is led by Sabrina Kimberly. The church runs two long-standing mission-education programs modeled after classic Southern Baptist missions education. Royal Ambassadors is for boys in grades 1 through 9, divided into Lads (1st-3rd), Crusaders (4th-6th), and Challengers (7th-9th). Members earn patches, work on mission projects, and live by the motto "Learning and doing in JESUS' name" and a pledge that calls them to be "a well-informed responsible follower of CHRIST" with "a CHRIST-like concern for all people." Vacation Bible School, the church's biggest summer outreach, is directed by Effie Schilling and held on the church campus each June, with registration paperwork filled out online ahead of time.
Girls in Action
Girls in Action is for girls in grades 1 through 6 and meets Sundays from 5:00 to 6:00 PM during the school year. The girls learn about missionaries from around the world, memorize scripture, and take on hands-on missions projects of their own. Faye Walling leads GA, and the group's stated goal is to help each girl learn to live for Christ by showing them what missions look like up close.
CrossFire Ministries and the Youth
The youth department, branded CrossFire Ministries, connects with the young people of the church and the surrounding community at several touchpoints during the week: Sunday School at 9:00 AM, the 10:15 AM worship service with the whole church, Sunday evening Discipleship Training at 6:00 PM, and Wednesday night services at 6:00 PM in the Upper Room. Jacob Kimberly serves as Youth Director. The department's "Connection x 3" vision calls each young person to first connect with God, then connect with three friends, and then help those friends connect with God. The youth also run Youth Visitation, Youth Overtime twice a month, and Mystery Night once a month, and have produced the GFI Youth Spiritual Journals, a fifty-two-lesson Bible study series. Their theme verse is Matthew 5:16: "Let your light so shine before men."
Christian Men of Service
The men's ministry calls itself CMOS - Christian Men Of Service - and is directed by Deacon Thomas Brunet. Its stated purpose is to help men discover how they are called and shaped by God and to lead Christian men "to be in ministry and on a mission by taking CHRIST to Houma and beyond." John 5:24 is featured as a cornerstone verse: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life."
Women's Ministry and Sassy Seniors
The women's ministry is led by Shirlene Blocker and runs Bible studies along with seasonal gatherings like Secret Santa. Sassy Seniors meets once a month on Thursdays at noon for fellowship, a Bible message, and a shared meal; Janie Cypret leads, and Bro. Herman Callais brings the message. Members watch the monthly calendar for exact dates.
Music and Sermon Recordings
Music is led by Music Director Mary Griffin, supported by a team that includes Donna Blanchard, Andrew Schilling, and Brooke Kimberly. Sermon recordings from Pastor Doug are posted to the church's YouTube channel, christbaptistchurchhouma, for those who want to revisit a message or catch up after missing a Sunday.
Deacons and a Long-Running Jail Ministry
The deacon body serves the congregation under Deacon Chairman Thomas Brunet, with Phil Breaux, Ben Howard, and Robert Quinealty (Bob) rounding out the team. One of the church's most distinctive ministries has been its Jail Ministry, a long-running Bible study series called "The Faith Evangelism" held inside the local detention center. A posted tally credits the program with thousands of recorded professions of faith between 2000 and 2020, with year-by-year highs that include 113 in 2018 and a dip to 13 in 2020 before the program paused for COVID. The ministry partners with L.P.S.O. Work Release and is supported by Enes Trahan, Mark Windham, and Rev. Doug Walling Sr.
Rebuilding After Hurricane Ida
A quarterly newsletter note from Pastor Doug describes the church as still rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Ida and frames the season around the theme of God's grace, with studies and events built around that focus. The same newsletter invites readers to "be a part of what our awesome GOD is doing in our youth group" and to respond to the calling of Christ.