April 7, 1999
Retirees build 20-year record
of constructive Texas ministry
___By Orville Scott
___Texas Baptist Communications
___Springtime's blossoming symphony of new life across Texas is accompanied by the staccato of hammers and saws in the hands of Texas Baptist Men Builders beginning another record-breaking year constructing new church buildings.
___Since their beginning in 1979--when the late Olen Miles and his wife, Morene, led about a dozen couples to erect new facilities for Knobbs Springs Baptist Church in Central Texas--Retiree Church Builders and its offspring groups have built or remodeled facilities for more than 500 churches and encampments.
CUTTING ACROSS THE GRAIN is no problem for Retiree Builders like Wes Johnson, Reagan McDonald and Howard Coe, who demonstrate flexibility in church building projects like this one at Seven Oaks Baptist Church near Tawakoni. (Photo by Orville Scott/BGCT)
___"They have saved Texas Baptists at least $25 million in labor costs," said Wilton Davis, Texas Bap-tist Men vice president for special projects.
___From the original 13 enthusiastic couples building at Knobbs Springs, the list of volunteers has grown to more than 800 couples and is increasing at the rate of six to 12 couples a month, Davis said.
___Davis, a member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, became vice president for Texas Baptist Men Builders after the death of Miles, but the growing response of volunteers soon necessitated the selection of other vice presidents. Now Davis is vice president of Special Projects Builders, who often build outside Texas. James Butler of Manor is vice president of the original Church Builders. Glenn Smith of Sundown is vice president of Camp Builders. Also, there are specialist crews for building cabinets, laying bricks and doing stucco work.
___Each crew has tool trailers and tools provided by the annual Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas missions. The volunteers pay their own way and live in their trailers at the construction site. The church must show that it needs a new building and is not able to build without help, must have a slab poured before the builders arrive, must provide a hookup-site for their trailers and must provide the noon meal each day for the volunteers.
___Perhaps the volunteers' most important requirement is that they be allowed to lead a revival in the new building. This often results in new converts, many of whom become members of the congregation for whom the retirees are building.
___The building sites can be identified by the assembly of trailers and a sign which reads: "This Building Being Built for the Glory and Honor of God by the Texas Baptist Men."
___Their work day begins early with a devotional and singing. Often they close by singing "I'll Fly Away" as they move to the building site. Only three times during the work day does the steady whir of saws and staccato of hammers become silent--at the noon meal and refreshment breaks at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
___While the men are building, their wives, affectionately called "Grandmas on Wheels," visit homes in the church field, share Christ with the people and invite them to the upcoming revival.
___In addition to remodeling hundreds of churches, the retirees have marked some unusual milestones along the way. In 1986, they captured the eyes of Texas and launched a new era in Texas Baptist prison ministry when 270 volunteers built a Hospitality House near state penitentiaries in Huntsville in 24 hours, working around the clock.
___The Hospitality House, under direction of Bob and Nelda Norris, has provided affordable housing for more than 65,000 family members of inmates and has resulted in about 500 professions of faith in Christ. Since 1986, other Hospitality Houses have been built across the state. The newest such facility to be completed by retirees and other volunteers is the Eunice Chambless Hospitality House near Abilene, named for a Texas Baptist missions and prison ministry leader.
___In a "Labor Day Workathon" in 1987, the Retiree Builders joined forces with Mennonites and other volunteers to rebuild Saragosa, a West Texas Hispanic community that had been almost leveled by a tornado. By the end of the Labor Day weekend, covered by media nationwide, the volunteers had repaired 30 homes, completely built two new houses and brought 19 others to within 20 percent of completion. The impact of their efforts, physically and spiritually, resulted in 29 people at Saragosa coming to know Jesus Christ as Savior.
___In 1997, Retiree Builders and other volunteers built six residences, an administration building and a vocational building near Tyler for Breckenridge Village, Texas Baptists' first campus for mentally challenged adults.
___This year, Retiree Builders will construct facilities for 45 to 50 churches and encampments, Davis said. "By the end of next year, we will have eight or nine crews working simultaneously," he added.
___"They are builders, but first and foremost, they are prayer warriors who witness at every opportunity. All we need is to be available, and God will use us."
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