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By Bob Adams, Special to the Message
BOGALUSA – It is one thing to go to church, or even to belong to a church. It is quite another to be the church.
Twice each year, in the spring and fall, men and women from the Southern Baptist churches of Washington Parish spend a week intentionally being the church.
“Be the Church Week” began in 2009, but its roots extend back several years.
Before Hurricane Katrina paid her devastating visit to Washington Parish in August 2005, a group of men at one of the Southern Baptist churches in Franklinton came together to do some upkeep and repair work on their church buildings and property.
After caring for their church facilities for some time, they decided to offer their skills and time to some people in their church who needed repair work done on their homes – primarily elderly persons living on small, fixed incomes. Taking their ministry beyond the church facilities brought an increased sense of mission and fulfillment to them.
In Katrina’s aftermath many groups and agencies came to Washington Parish to help with the recovery. “World Changers,” a mission program of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, was one of these groups. World Changers brought 200 young people and adults to the parish, along with truckloads of building materials. They rebuilt dozens of storm-damaged homes, while asking nothing of the homeowners except the opportunity to serve them in Jesus’ name.
The men who came together to help their church and some of its needy members saw this larger work from World Changers and thought, “We ought to do that! We can involve servant-hearted believers in other churches and together help people all across our parish.”
Working through the leadership and organization of the Washington Baptist Association, the first “Be the Church Week” took place in the spring of 2010. As many as 50 men and women spent the week repairing roofs, porches, bathrooms, kitchens, foundations. Whatever the need, “Be the Church” had people who knew what to do, and lots of people who weren’t so skilled but ready to help.
For the last four years “Be the Church” has done its work for a week each spring and fall. The spring week focuses on helping people in the western portion of the parish, while the fall week concentrates on the eastern part. At a total cost of more than $100,000 in building materials, some 40 homes have been repaired through the efforts of more than 300 people “reporting for duty.” The money for materials comes from the Washington Baptist Association, local Southern Baptist churches, and individuals.
As impressive and important as such numbers are for a small, out of the way, mostly rural parish, the real story unfolds in the men, women, and children amazed and encouraged by a group of strangers showing up to repair their homes – without question, without cost, without any demand. The team members trust that those receiving their care will understand that the real Author and Provider of the care is Jesus moving in love and compassion through people in whom He lives.
The spring 2013 “Be the Church” week took place April 1-5. Team members gathered in early morning light (and sometimes fog) at a Southern Baptist church in Franklinton. After a cup of coffee or glass of juice, and perhaps a donut or two, they prayed together, listened to an encouraging word from the Bible, got their assignments and headed out to spend the day working for someone they did not know and might not ever see or meet again.
Others provided the coffee and donuts, prepared and distributed lunches to the workers, and hurried across the parish delivering building materials.
During this week one team tore off and replaced the roof of a home where an aging, recently widowed grandfather lived with his three small grandchildren. His small home nestled back in the piney woods north of Franklinton leaked terribly and he had no way to repair it. In addition to replacing the roof the team removed dead trees, cut back damaging brush and took care of the yard – all without cost to the grandfather. The team came as servants in Jesus’ name to the grandfather and the children.
Another home north of Franklinton held a young family with a child who was the victim of a stroke and battling a debilitating disease. They desperately needed a bathroom that would accommodate their handicapped son and a ramp to help get him in and out of the house. The “Be the Church” team not only built a ramp, but also added an entirely new bathroom to the home
This year a group of middle and high school students took their Monday off school and spent it in the southern part of the parish, up against the Bogue Chitto River, painting a house that was flooded during hurricane Isaac.
Both the husband and wife lost their jobs after the flood and had no means do this work.
Another Be the Church example: A young adult woman’s grandfather suffered a stroke. He had been in the hospital for a month but was coming home in just a few days.
The little home they lived in was raised several feet off the ground, but the stroke left the grandfather unable to negotiate the steps.
Someone who knew of their need referred the family to leaders of “Be the Church.”
Monday morning, April 1, a team of strong, able men arrived to build a spacious porch and graciously sloping ramp into the home.
When the grandfather arrives home he will find his house welcoming him – all because of some of Jesus’ followers who went out to be His hands and feet to some of His sacred children in need.
In heaven the Father watches the work and reads the good hearts of His children, and is pleased by the way they are growing to be like His Son, Jesus.