The phrase “a picture is worth a thou-sand words” certainly can
be said for First Baptist Church of Floriens missions picture collage.
The phrase “a picture is worth a thou-sand words” certainly can
be said for First Baptist Church of Floriens missions picture collage.
“It acts as a stimulant to encourage others to do missions,” Pastor
Bobby Franklin says of the two-sided, 4 foot-by-4 foot board filled with photographs
from church members missions trips.
Eighteen states and 12 foreign missions trips are represented on the board.
Past trips include efforts in New Mexico, Washington, D.C., Colorado, Brazil,
Mexico, Canada, Ukraine and Russia.
The idea originated earlier this year.
Franklin says the church originally planned to post names of military personnel
serving overseas. However, when church member Claire Thompson proposed the idea
of placing pictures of past missions trips on the board, the missions collage
was born.
After collecting pictures from various church members, Thompson says she improved
the “look” of the older pictures with a photo editing computer program.
The entire process took four months.
“I have no earthly idea how many hours I spent on this,” Thompson
recalls. “But it was well worth it.”
The number of pictures Thompson received ranged from one photograph for a handful
of trips to 50 for others.
In fact, the response was so great that she was unable to include pictures
from every trip. Thompson says she plans to rotate the photos that are not part
of the collage at the present time.
“I chose a variety of pictures to show the different missions projects
we did on each trip,” Thompson adds.
Though 20 missions trips are spotlighted on the board, one country in particular
is a passion of Franklins – Mexico.
He has participated in missions there for the past 19 years, including the
last eight years in the countrys Yucatan Peninsula. Franklins passion
for Hispanics is one reason First Baptist Church of Florien is involved with
reaching that ethnic group in their community.
In fact, the churchs Hispanic pastor is a native of the Yucatan.
Three years ago, Franklin says the church developed a burden to reach the Hispanics
in the community. The Hispanics worked in the logging industry and chicken processing
plants, but only a small number had accepted Christ as personal savior.
So, the church began to pray about starting a Hispanic church. Today, under
the leadership of Pastor Jose Arturo, there are two Hispanic churches, with
another one in the planning stages.
One of the churches meets in the First Baptist Church family life center on
Sunday mornings, while another worships at Memorial Baptist Church in Zwolle
on Sunday evenings.
“It was kind of difficult at first to start a church for the Hispanics,”
Franklin recalls. “Most of them are Catholic and are hesitant about coming
to a non-Catholic church. So, we talked to them and told them this was just
an opportunity to worship.”
God has blessed the efforts, Franklin says. Since Arturo began his ministry
in the area, 62 Hispanics have accepted Christ as their personal savior.
“Im excited because Gods working,” says Arturo, who leads
11 weekly Bible studies. “People who have been on drugs and drank heavily
are now attending one of the churches.”
Yet another series of pictures displayed on the mission board also tells of
the churchs commitment to its community.
Church members lead Vacation Bible Schools at nearby Toledo Bend lake each
summer, and the churchs Womans Missionary Union delivers 50 meals
to the elderly in the community once a month.
Franklins missions philosophy is simple, Franklin insists.
“Missions is something you do – not just study or throw money at,”
he explains.
He says missions trips open doors so Christians can witness and experience
what God can do through them.
“Missions is hands-on and can allow God to use us,” Franklin adds.
“It enlarges our vision, and theres something for everyone to do.”
Each missions trip is done cost effectively, Franklin says.
Whenever the members visit another state or country, they eat the same food
and live in the same homes as the local population, he says. His philosophy
is that missions trips participants should live the same way as the countrys
residents.
“That establishes a rapport with the people,” Franklin explains.
“(The Apostle) Paul said, Im all things to all people.
You shouldnt set yourself above the people you minister to.”