LAPLACE — David Ford believes God has a plan and a purpose for every person’s life.

So it must have been part of the plan for Ford to land as the new pastor at the fast-growing Celebration Church after serving many years as a volunteer, youth minister and associate pastor.

“God brought us back to LaPlace,” Ford said. “It’s a joy to be back home.”

Ford replaces Pastor Chris “Checkerz” Williams, who left after six years.

“Pastor Checkerz did great things here,” Ford said. “We haven’t made any changes. We’re just doing what is working.”

Ford, who will turn 31 in September, has been in the training system for more than five years but it can’t really make you ready for things of God.

“The person that says they’re ready for what’s next, I think that’s their first mistake,” he said.

Williams, now the pastor at Renew Church, said leaving was bittersweet for him and his family.

“We met so many people who came to know the Lord there, who came to be baptized there,” he said. “We’re certainly going to miss them, but we just felt called to plant a new church in Baton Rouge. We felt like the church was healthy enough for it to continue. Pastor David certainly has the passion to carry on.”

Ford, who was born in Dallas, grew up in Jefferson Parish in a single-parent home with three siblings who used to catch rides to church — any church — whenever they could.

“I believe what the devil intends for harm, God uses for good,” Ford said. “One of the churches we caught rides to was Celebration Church. I was one of those kids sitting in the back laughing at God in church, but it was sitting in those churches that God really got ahold of my life. As a result, the same comfort I received, God put in my heart to comfort others who needed a relationship with God.”

The family was living in Kenner when Hurricane Katrina struck and flooded their apartment.

“We put everything we had in the trunk of a car and started living with others,” he said. “We stayed with eight different families. At one point we lived with a pastor in Destrehan and we are very thankful to them.”

Ford attended Destrehan High School for a time before returning to graduate with his Class of 2006 at Bonnabel High. After that, he struck out on his own.

“I saved up all my money and got in my car and drove 18 hours on I-10 West to El Paso, Texas, then I made one left turn to Juarez, Mexico, the most dangerous city in the world,” Ford said.

He spent the next five and a half years doing missionary work in Mexico, including working in an orphanage.

When he returned to the New Orleans area, he began going back to Celebration Church and volunteering. He also met his wife, Daniela, who joined him as a volunteer, then as a minister at the LaPlace church.

“We were here when Hurricane Isaac hit,” Ford said.

According to Williams, the LaPlace congregation stands at approximately 400.

“When we got there, it was maybe 150 on a good Sunday,” he said. “One of the things we’re proud of is the diversity. We worked hard to make it reflect the demographics of the community.”

Ford said what’s great about Celebration Church, which has nine campuses throughout the New Orleans area, is its diversity.

“It’s a church that I believe looks like heaven,” he said. “With everything going on in the news and everything going on in the world — racism, anger and hate — this church is what heaven looks like. It’s people of different backgrounds and all walks of life coming together and being a family. Everyone is welcome here.”

Longtime member Charles Pray said the transition has been smooth.

“(Ford) is young, but he has spent a long time preparing to become a campus pastor,” Pray said.

“He seeks many counsels. He’s a man of God.”

Celebration Church is located at 3400 U.S. 51 in LaPlace. Services are held at 9 and 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays. Youth Worship Services are held at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. Spiritual Growth classes are held at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

For more information, call 985-652-3113.