Posted: 3/31/06

A Texas State University student removes plaster from a New Orleans home. Texas State Baptist Student Ministries brought a team that cleaned this home in less than a day. (Photos by John Hall)

Student mission volunteers spring into action

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

NEW ORLEANS—Thomas Lloyd hopes to move his family back into their home by Thanksgiving—more than a year after Hurricane Katrina forced them to move out. This spring break, he praised God for extra hands that moved him toward that goal.

Lloyd is one of many Louisiana homeowners helped by more than 200 Texas Baptist students from 11 college campuses. Student volunteers stripped storm-damaged homes down to their studs March 13-17.

The Texans were among more than 1,000 college students who served in New Orleans under direction of the Southern Baptist Convention North American Mission Board and New Orleans Baptist churches this spring break.

Rebecca Zuniga, a University of Mary-Hardin Baylor student, pulls a nail from a stud in a New Orleans house.

Those teams will be followed by other groups who want to work in the city. Some groups will clean out homes, while other Baptists will begin the rebuilding process on homes already cleared.

In most cases, a team of college students removed all the furniture, appliances, flooring, sheet rock and plaster from a house within a day and moved on to the next home. The swift progress was a pleasant change for Lloyd, who was doing the same work by himself.

“It means the world to me that they’re caring and sharing,” Lloyd said of the team of University of Houston and Rice University students who worked on his house. “They’re caring for people who were devastated by this natural disaster.”

Spring Break Ministries • HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break • Student mission volunteers spring into action • Aggie BSM tours Texas • DBU students clean homes in New Orleans • KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley • Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure • UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans • Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city • Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

The trip provided an opportunity for college students to help a situation that touched their hearts. Many had opportunities to go other places but felt they needed to come to New Orleans. They know they cannot rebuild the city alone, but they wanted to do what they could, they said.

“I just really wanted the opportunity to come down here and show our support for the people of New Orleans, just do what we can as far as physical labor goes and be here to talk to them and show them we love them,” Caitlin Thomas of Rice said.

The work was bittersweet for the students as they removed a family’s belongings in hopes of helping them put their lives back together.

“In that pile, there are people’s clothes and there are mildewed dolls, children’s toys,” said Jason Harrell, Baptist Student Ministries director at Rice. “There’s a little girl’s room in the back. That’s in the pile. Their entire life is almost represented in this pile.

“Yeah, I see a lot of destruction, and it’s bad, but we’re optimistic because we know we’re tearing out, making way for new things to happen inside the home here. They’re going to rebuild.”

A Texas A&M University at Commerce student pulls a load of lawn supplies from the backyard of a New Orleans home.

As they worked on the construction projects, many students met the homeowners and talked with them about the hurricane experiences. Many people are living on streets surrounded by empty homes. Others live in trailers.

The students provided someone to listen to each person’s story, offering encouragement and prayer.

“I didn’t realize the people are still hurting like they are,” said Lacy Sanders, a student at Texas A&M University at Commerce. “I think it really brought to realization how much they are really hurting and how much healing it’s really going to take.”

In those moments of encouragement, prayer and cleaning, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor student Bonnie Flentge saw hope for the devastated city. She remembered coming to New Orleans with her church before the storm and again in January. Seeing the ravaged homes still breaks her heart, but she also noticed flashes of reconstruction one house at a time.

God is at work in the rubble, she believes. And he has allowed her to be part of it.

“I’m really excited to see how God uses all this devastation for his glory,” she said.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 3/31/06

Aggie BSM tours Texas

By George Henson

Staff Writer

COLLEGE STATION—The Baptist Student Ministry of Texas A&M University used spring break to develop relationships with international students while giving those students a taste of Texas culture.

BSM representatives escorted 15 international students on a four-day tour steeped in Texana. Most of the international students were from China, but the group also included an Indian couple, a man from South Korea and a woman from Iran.

It marked the third year the BSM sponsored a tour of Texas, and the itineraries varied somewhat from year to year for the benefit of international students making return trips.

International students from Texas A&M encounter exotic wildlife at a Hill Country ranch during a tour of Texas sponsored by the campus Baptist Student Ministry.

This year, students took in sights familiar to many Texans—the Alamo and Riverwalk in San Antonio, the capitol, governor’s mansion, state history museum and a rodeo in Austin, and a Hill Country wildlife ranch.

Northridge Park Baptist Church in San Antonio and Crestview Baptist Church in Austin allowed the group to sleep at their facilities to help more students afford the trip.

Texas A&M BSM International Intern Myradel Dubard said the trip was a good way to meet students who had not been connected with the BSM in the past.

“Out of those 15 international students who went with us, we hadn’t had much contact with about half of them, and some of them had never been inside our building,” she explained.

“This gives us an opportunity to start a relationship with these students. Now, when we see these students on campus, we have a background together—a reason to stop and talk and further develop the relationships.”

Spring Break Ministries • HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break • Student mission volunteers spring into action • Aggie BSM tours Texas • DBU students clean homes in New Orleans • KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley • Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure • UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans • Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city • Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

Lives can be changed as these relationships continue to develop, she said.

“Now that they have some American friends at the BSM, we hope that it will extend even beyond our walls to invitations into homes, where things can really happen,” Dubard said.

American students involved in the tour also benefited from the experience, she added.

“It’s great for them, because even though all of them are involved on some level with our ministry to international students, some have a limited role, and this helped many of them grow into a more involved role in the ministry. I think we saw a lot of that on this trip.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 3/31/06

A Dallas Baptist University student cleans a home in New Orleans.

DBU students clean homes in New Orleans

By Tim Gingrich

Dallas Baptist University

NEW ORLEANS—Thirty-nine Dallas Baptist University students celebrated spring break by tearing down debris from Hurricane Katrina and helping New Orleans residents mend their lives.

“It was like a ghost town,” said Angela Sacco, DBU director of student life and a New Orleans native, as vans filled with students and supplies rolled into the Crescent City.

DBU students take a break after working on clearing a house in the 9th Ward of New Orleans. Pictured are (left to right, back row) Chip Luter, Chris Hendricks, (front row) Zach Mehlhaff, Kristi Jarvis, Jamie Simmons, Audrey Cholla, Lyndsey Wharton and John Merrill.

Yuta Motegi, a business major from Japan, brought a unique perspective to the team.

“It was similar to the earthquakes in Japan—but worse,” Motegi said. “Some earthquakes shake the land and cause other problems like fire, but I’ve never seen such a mess like in New Orleans.”

DBU volunteers found the terrain challenging. “It was frustrating getting around, because everything was in shambles,” said Jason Hatch, director of the DBU Baptist Student Ministry. “You’re looking for a street sign and it’s down.”

DBU students worked in New Orleans’ 9th Ward, one of the sections hardest hit last August and home to student volunteer Chip Luter. His father, Fred Luter, is pastor at New Orleans’ Franklin Avenue Baptist Church.

Spring Break Ministries • HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break • Student mission volunteers spring into action • Aggie BSM tours Texas • DBU students clean homes in New Orleans • KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley • Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure • UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans • Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city • Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

Floods severely damaged the church’s sanctuary and many of the congregation’s homes. Many of the church’s members continue to be scattered throughout Texas and Louisiana. Before they return home, houses must be cleared of dangerous debris and readied for repair.

Wearing white hazardous-material suits, DBU student volunteers began the grueling task of gutting homes.

“It’s hot in those suits,” Hatch commented. Damaged home appliances had leaked hazardous chemicals during the flood, and water damage had molded much of the wood and drywall. Breathing through ventilation masks only added to the painstaking task of ripping up floors, tearing down walls and clearing out wreckage. But DBU students persevered, salvaging 14 homes in five days.

Getting down to the foundation helped the team find hope. In one house, Hatch’s team was busy piling old furniture and mildewed carpet on the curb. But in the last room, one piece of paper on the floor would not come off. Looking closer, Hatch realized it was a page from the New Testament book of Galatians. Chemicals in the water and the forces of nature had melded it to the hardwood floor.

CD offering hope Tearing down homes was only half of the students’ mission in New Orleans. Before the relief trip, DBU President Gary Cook commissioned the university’s student worship ministry, Glowing Heart, to record a special CD of hope to distribute to hurricane survivors, along with a package of inspirational literature. Unzipping their hazmat suits, DBU students offered the inspirational CDs to anyone they encountered in the neighborhood where they worked.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 3/31/06

Members of First Baptist Church in Eagle Lake organize clothing for distribution at Sublime Gracia Baptist Church in Progresso during KidsHeart 2006 spring break mission trip.

KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley

By Jenny Pope

Buckner Benevolences

MISSION—More than 100 people gathered in the Rio Grande Valley for the 2006 KidsHeart spring break mission trip, sponsored by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Texas and Buckner Children and Family Services, to minister to families in the colonias along the Mexican border.

Teams served the community by holding Vacation Bible Schools, sports camps and computer classes, distributing food and clothing, and assisting with much-needed construction work.

First Baptist Church in Eagle Lake brought a 45-member team to construct a food pantry and begin work on a new congregation at Sublime Gracia Baptist Church in Progresso. They also distributed Bibles and held a block party for the community.

Members of First Baptist Church in Onalaska peer through the window of a new construction site in the Rio Grande Valley during KidsHeart 2006 spring break mission trip, sponsored by Buckner Children and Family Services in the Valley.

“The community has really embraced this church,” said Louis Herman, member of First Baptist in Eagle Lake and third-year KidsHeart mission trip participant.

Spring Break Ministries • HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break • Student mission volunteers spring into action • Aggie BSM tours Texas • DBU students clean homes in New Orleans • KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley • Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure • UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans • Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city • Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

“This area and the congregation have really grown so much, to the point where they not only needed a new food pantry, but a larger building for church services, too.”

Other churches that participated include the Church at Canyon Creek in Austin, Second Baptist Church in Lubbock, First Baptist Church in Copperas Cove, First Baptist Church in Onalaska and First Baptist Church in Waco.

“Throughout the years, many friendships have been formed between these churches and the Progresso community,” said Monica Skrzypinski, Buckner’s director of community relations for the Rio Grande Valley.

“As the group held hands and prayed together, you could feel the emotions, tears and love running through the circle as hope jumped from one prayer to another.

“It’s wonderful to see these two cultures melt together in one sentiment and really become like family.”

For more information about participating in Kids-Heart or about Buckner Children and Family Services in the Rio Grande Valley, visit www.bucknerchildren.org/rio grandevalley or call (956) 423-7909.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 3/31/06

Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure

By Keith Manuel

Baptist Press

NEW ORLEANS (BP)—After ripping sheetrock from a moldy closet, Trista Wright was removing the debris when a flash of green caught her eye.

Wright, on a spring break mission trip to New Orleans, reached into the debris and pulled out an old, grubby $100 bill. As she dug around in the debris a little more, she discovered that an air conditioning vent secretly had served as a makeshift safe, and she pulled out another $100 bill, then another and another.

“At first, I thought it was Monopoly money. It was just stacks of $100 bills. The money was very old,” said Wright, who was part of a Baptist Collegiate Ministries group from Armstrong Atlantic University in Savannah, Ga.

Spring Break Ministries • HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break • Student mission volunteers spring into action • Aggie BSM tours Texas • DBU students clean homes in New Orleans • KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley • Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure • UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans • Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city • Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

When the students hastily totaled the money, it was more than $30,000. The discovery presented a new problem: “What do we do now?”

After consulting with the leaders of the mission trip, they decided to notify the local authorities. The sheriff’s department came, verified the identity of the homeowner and learned that the home had been in the family for several generations.

The owner of the home, who wanted to remain anonymous, had inherited the house after her mother died a couple of years ago. Wright said the woman was not surprised by the find because her mother hid things around her house all the time. In addition, her father was suspicious of placing money in banks, having grown up during the Great Depression.

Even though finding something hidden was not a surprise, the amount was a shock to the homeowner.

“The lady was speechless,” Wright said. “It was such a blessing to the family. The Lord really blessed the family at the right time because (the owner) had some medical tests done today and was very anxious about the results.”

The collegians’ honesty sparked plenty of media attention, including an Associated Press article that was picked up across the United States and in numerous countries and segments on national TV news broadcasts.

There was never any thought of keeping the money, Wright told the AP. “We were called there to serve people and to be Christ-like.” Otherwise, “I would have regretted it. Nothing good would have come of it.”

“Trista came down here to serve, because Christ served,” said Aaron Arledge, the New Orleans-area coordinator for the many Baptist collegiate teams streaming to the city during their spring break to gut flood-ravaged homes.

“It’s great that an honest group was in the house,” Arledge added. “Someone else might have just taken the money. The family thought it was a miracle. For them to have lost so much and then to find this hidden treasure was just awesome.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 3/31/06

UMHB students don hazmat gear for dirty work in New Orleans.

UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans

By Carol Woodward

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

NEW ORLEANS—A Central Texas college minister and 19 student volunteers from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor spent three days of spring break working to make a difference in the lives of people who lost their homes and possessions to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

Trey Bledsoe, minister to college students at Canyon Creek Baptist Church in Temple and leader of the construction team, characterized as “unbelievable” the damage in New Orleans’ 9th Ward.

Student volunteers from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor work in New Orleans’ 9th Ward, cleaning two homes damaged by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

“It was like a tornado came through or bomb had exploded. Houses were totally destroyed, roofs and/or foundations without houses, cars on top of cars or lodged in what was left of houses, rubble everywhere,” Bledsoe said.

First Baptist Church in New Orleans coordinated the rebuilding efforts. The student focused on cleaning two homes during their three days.

“The students constantly were reminding themselves that no matter what they smelled, felt or saw running across the floor, they were there to serve God. Every swing of a hammer was for God’s glory and a blessing of hope in a place that was hurting beyond anything we had imagined,” Bledsoe said.

Lindsey Harkrider, a UMHB sophomore, said the most meaningful part for her was building new relationships.

“From getting to meet the owners of the two houses we worked on to talking to two homeless men we met in the park, every relationship that was started was totally ordained by the Lord,” she said. “It was also so amazing to see how our whole group clicked. Most of us did not know one another very well when we left on Friday, but by the time we returned to UMHB on Thursday, I felt as if I had know them for years. It was wonderful to see everyone’s different strengths and how we all used them together to get the job done.”

Bledsoe agreed the venture became an opportunity to build new relationships.

“As a minister to students, any time I lead a mission trip with students, the most meaningful part of the trip is always seeing what God does in and through the students,” he said.

Spring Break Ministries • HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break • Student mission volunteers spring into action • Aggie BSM tours Texas • DBU students clean homes in New Orleans • KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley • Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure • UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans • Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city • Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

“I love watching students’ lives change in ways that no one can expect or seeing God affirm his plans in their lives. It is amazing to see preconceived notions and fears melt away into a heart for people and communities that they are not a part of and may never return to.”

Harkrider acknowledged she never had worked so hard, but she found the experience rewarding.

“It was amazing to me that I never felt tired or worn out until it was time to quit or take a break. The Lord gave us so much strength,” she said.

The trip was a time for the students to bring encouragement, hope and God’s grace and mercy to a family of fellow believers, Bledsoe added.

“We helped First Baptist of New Orleans in their mission to be light in a dark time by meeting the overwhelming physical needs of a devastated city,” he said.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 3/31/06

Wayland Baptist University student participants in Beach Reach level a sand sculpture on the beach at South Padre Island before dusk hits. According to students, the city required the sculpture to be torn down daily to avoid riots.

Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city

By Teresa Young

Wayland Baptist University

KENNER, La.—From the storm-ravaged Louisiana Gulf Coast to the shores of South Padre Island, 21 Wayland Baptist University students devoted their spring break to ministry.

Twelve students and three sponsors headed for the New Orleans area to work with victims of Hurricane Katrina in Kenner, La., and nine students and two sponsors journeyed to South Padre Island for the annual Beach Reach effort.

In South Louisiana, the Wayland team worked on homes and businesses damaged by Hurricane Katrina and the flood aftermath, removing furniture and old sheetrock from homes that were salvageable, in preparation for other crews who will repair the homes. Working with a youth group from Weatherford, they also cleaned out a strip mall that had stood in nine feet of water for months.

Students expressed amazement at the devastation caused by the storm and the evidence still remaining. Homes marked with numbers indicating the dead found inside left poignant reminders of the storm’s toll.

“Six months later, you’d think there would be some sense of normalcy, but that’s not the case,” said Joe Hoyle, a sophomore from Perryton. “I’ve never seen devastation like that in my life. The flood damage in this whole community is just amazing. I’m sure New Orleans will never be the same. God has really given me a heart for the people of New Orleans, and my heart goes out to those who were affected.”

Spring Break Ministries • HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break • Student mission volunteers spring into action • Aggie BSM tours Texas • DBU students clean homes in New Orleans • KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley • Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure • UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans • Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city • Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

Though the working conditions were sticky, dirty and foul-smelling at best, the students agreed the trip was an amazing experience, and they saw God at work.

“We were working at one house, and the lady introduced us to a mailman who was known as a local hero,” said Molly Flowers, a freshman from Amarillo. “He lived on a boat and had used his boat to rescue more than 600 people trapped in their homes. But he didn’t really take any credit—just said that God had helped him. That really encouraged me.”

Freshman Zach Hawkins of Burkburnett shared the gospel with a family struggling with drug addiction, and he saw them rededicate their lives to Christ.

“You never know how you can change someone just by talking to them,” he said.

Senior Hugh Ellis of Lovington, N.M., was impressed by the outpouring of love and support that faith-based organizations have provided to the storm-ravaged region. “The Wayland group was always hard at work and never grumbling or complaining. They really lived out true Christianity—loving each other and taking care of each other,” he said.

At South Padre, the Wayland team was part of a 300-student brigade spending their week ministering to their peers in the spring break parties on the beach. The group cleaned beaches, witnessed to students, served free pancake breakfasts at an island church and manned free van rides to hotels, bars and restaurants, sharing the gospel during each ride.

Though the assignment was not easy, team members said God worked mightily, thanks to a strong emphasis on prayer.

“At Beach Reach, I learned the power of prayer. We were on our knees before the Lord all day long, and he answered our prayers. He used us to do his will,” said freshman Sarah Ketchem of Lubbock. “Getting to share with someone how much Christ loves them and what he did for them on the cross, gives me more joy than absolutely anything else in this life.”

Ketchem and others said a series of huge sand sculptures carved by a man from Maryland who makes the trip annually at his own expense served as valuable conversation starters for sharing the gospel. “I was standing near one that was a large picture of Christ’s face, and I asked this girl what she thought of it,” Ketchem recalled. “She told me, ‘I came here to get away from him, and he’s still here.’ I got to really visit with her about her relationship with God, and we exchanged e-mail addresses so we can keep each other accountable.”

Joe Perez, a sophomore from Panhandle, echoed the value of prayer on the trip. “To see how prayer fuels the entire week at Beach Reach was awesome,” he said. “You think sometimes that people aren’t listening when you share the gospel, but they are. We took advantage of every opportunity, and God used everything we did that week.”

Donnie Brown, director of Baptist Student Ministries at Wayland and a sponsor on the Beach Reach trip, admitted the week took him out of his comfort zone, but he saw God work in the lives of young people. He applauded the work students did during the week normally reserved for playtime. “Did the Lord save 30,000 spring breakers? Probably not. We don’t know how many accepted Christ, but we know that seeds were planted and students were obedient to the cause of Christ,” he said.

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Storylist for week of 4/03/06

TAKE ME TO: Top Story |  Texas |  Opinion |  Baptists |  Faith in Action |  Faith & Culture |  Classifieds  |  Departments  |  Bible Study




• Student mission volunteers spring into action


Spring Break Ministries
• Student mission volunteers spring into action

• HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break

• Aggie BSM tours Texas

• DBU students clean homes in New Orleans

• KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley

• Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure

• UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans

• Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city

• Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church


• Two suspects jailed in Orange church arson

• BGCT designed to meet churches' wishes

• From pulpit & pumper, pastor battles blazes

• Foster named BGCT communications director

• Former Baptist Building may house homeless in Dallas

• May men want to see 'house that faith built ' completed

• Prayers enable Texas team's ministry in Spain & Portugal

• Church sees school as avenue to community ministry

• UT-Austin student ministry loses associational funding

• On the Move

• Around the state

• Texas Tidbits


Previously Posted
• Satellite photos fuel controversy about Noah's ark

• Texans named national Acteens panelists

• Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

• Hospice a ministry, not just a service, providers say

• Volunteers help burned-out community reclaim mementos

• Wayland executive VP killed in plane crash

• Schmeltekopf served as top aide to two BGCT directors



• Former WMU leader McCullough dies

• NAMB trustees impose controls on agency's president

• Baptist Briefs

Previously Posted
• IMB won 't seek trustee's removal


• From pulpit & pumper, pastor battles blazes


• Peace activists freed from captivity in Iraq

• Afghan Christian released, finds asylum

• Cuba travel rules protested

• Immigration debate energizes faithful

• Sudan in crisis, commission reports


• Around the state

• On the Move

• Cartoon

• Classified Ads

• Texas Baptist Forum


• EDITORIAL: Rahman case offers lesson in liberty

• DOWN HOME: He wishes she wouldn't speculate

• TOGETHER: Balance church & government duties

• RIGHT OR WRONG? Seniors sealed relationship with a document

• Texas Baptist Forum

• Cybercolumn by Brett Younger: The joy of socks


• BaptistWay Bible Series for April 2: Every choice carries its own consequence

• Family Bible Series for April 2: Honor Christ's suffering with persistent service

• Explore the Bible Series for April 2: Put trust only in God

• BaptistWay Bible Series for April 9: Seek God's will, not his permission or forgiveness

• Family Bible Series for April 9: Praise God for his grace and forgiveness

• Explore the Bible Series for April 9: Pursue a vigorous righteousness


• See articles from our previous 3/20 2006 issue here.

Posted: 4/04/06

Howard Payne University students Brandon Badgely and Tanner Martin talk with university students in Saltillo, Mexico.

HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break

By Kalie Lowrie

Howard Payne University

BROWNWOOD—Four groups of students from Howard Payne University spent their spring break serving in a variety of ways, all with the same goal in mind—building relationships.

Students traveled to Biloxi, Miss.; Saltillo, Mexico; and Houston—as well as serving in Brownwood—to minister to people through construction, sports, fellowship and hospitality.

Howard Payne students Allison White and Sarah Schoel packaging up boxes for refuge families in Houston.

Six students, accompanied by Sergio Herbert, associate director of recruiting for Howard Payne, traveled more than 1,000 miles to Biloxi to help with hurricane relief along the Gulf Coast. When the students arrived, they discovered a city still seriously damaged from the effects of Hurricane Katrina—slabs of concrete where houses once stood, crumbled bridges and devastation around every corner.

Students helped four families repair their homes. The volunteers painted, installed windows, cleaned furniture, and helped in various other ways.

“The thing that changed my life the most was not the funny stories or the bonding that happened within the group. Instead, it was just listening to the people who had lost everything, who were living in FEMA trailers or with their neighbors but still had the joy that only the Lord can give. It just amazed me,” said Amy Bennet, a Howard Payne senior.

Howard Payne Baptist Student Ministry Director Andy Dennis and 10 students traveled to Saltillo, Mexico, where they spent the week with university students around the city. They were able to encourage new believers in their faith and teach them about leadership within their churches.

Spring Break Ministries • HPU students 'build relationships' on spring break • Student mission volunteers spring into action • Aggie BSM tours Texas • DBU students clean homes in New Orleans • KidsHeart draws 100 volunteers to the Valley • Honest student laborers discover hidden treasure • UMHB students assist FBC New Orleans • Wayland students serve in the surf, sun and city • Children's home residents repay kindness to Kokomo church

“We found that even with different cultures, they have a lot of the same struggles, the same worries as college students here,” Dennis said. “Those in other countries struggle with the same issues. It’s a common bond between students. So it was easy for our students to relate to others—in spite of the language differences.”

Nine students and faculty member Grant Reid traveled to Houston to work with Middle Eastern refugees in the area. They served with the United Way during the day, preparing CARE packages for the recent immigrants. Each package contained basic necessities for families that did not have anything as they entered the United States.

In the afternoon, they worked with children in an after-school program. They organized games and activities for the children throughout the week and built relationships with them. They also worked with an Iranian church to minister to the people in the area.

“The students were amazed at the growing influence of Islam in Houston, and in the United States,” Dennis said.

The students found that there were up to 20 mosques within a very small area. Several students in the group hope to be missionaries in Muslim countries following graduation.

Another 15 students from Howard Payne stayed in town and worked with Champs Camp at First Baptist Church of Brownwood. More than 50 college students from around the state joined together to serve as leaders for this all-day sports camp.

The students led groups in activities and Bible studies. They also served as coaches for various sports that were played throughout the week. More 220 children from the area participated in the camp, learning skills in basketball, soccer, tennis, swimming, golf and football.

Cliff Cary, children’s minister at First Baptist in Brownwood and an HPU student, said of the week, “It was truly a blessing to see the children come together to have a good time but also to learn about Christ at Champs Camp.”

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 4/04/06

BaptistWay Bible Series for Easter

Believing in the resurrected Jesus

• Luke 24:1-12; 36-43

By Joseph Matos

Dallas Baptist University, Dallas

In each of the first three Gospels, Jesus had predicted it from the time Peter first confessed him as the Christ. In the Gospel of John, Jesus alluded to it from very early in his confrontation with the Pharisees.

The disciples seemingly hung on every word Jesus spoke. But that did not mean they understood everything he said. In fact, when everything finally occurred as Jesus predicted, the disciples’ disbelief proved they were unprepared for it.

We are speaking, of course, about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. We often are quick to judge the disciples for their disbelief and lack of understanding. Who hasn’t criticized the disciples, possibly even with the phrase, “If I had been there, I would have …”? Even Jesus occasionally rebuked the disciples. Yet, their initial disbelief serves for us today as one of the “many convincing proofs” that Jesus was raised from the dead.

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Luke 24 tells of the disciples’ journey from disbelief (v. 11), to disbelief mixed with “joy and amazement” (v. 41), to Jesus convincing them of his resurrection (vv. 45-46). Their journey serves to encourage our own belief in the resurrection. This chapter offers several proofs of Jesus’ resurrection.

Proof 1: The empty tomb (vv. 1-3)

It was the first day of the week (Sunday) and a number of women went to the tomb to pour spices on the body of Jesus. Already we see they did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. If they had, perhaps they and the disciples would have stayed at the tomb to await the resurrection, though the guards placed there at the request of the scribes and Pharisees might have been a deterrent (Matthew 27:62-66).

Instead, the women went to the tomb and the disciples were huddled together somewhere else. Upon their arrival, the women found the stone to the tomb already rolled away. Missing when they entered, however, was the body of Jesus.

Proof 2: Testimony of the “two men” (vv. 4-8)

Immediately, they were perplexed, wondering what this could mean. They soon found out what had happened. While the women were in the tomb, two men in gleaming appearance stood before the women. The men tried to calm the women’s fear and assured them with the words, “He is not here; he has risen.” To validate this claim, the men reminded the women Jesus had predicted he would be crucified and be raised from the dead. They did remember now.

Proof 3: The testimony of the women (vv. 9-12)

The women then returned to where the disciples and others were and reported what they had experienced. Despite the report coming from several individuals, the disciples did not believe. Verse 11 states they did not believe “because their words seemed to them like nonsense.”

It often has been rightly pointed out that women being the first witnesses really serves as strong support for the resurrection of Jesus. The testimony of women was not admissible in court. If that was the case, why did not the Gospel writers suppress this? They did not because what the women said was true.

While disbelief was the general attitude, Peter did not simply disbelieve; he went to find out for himself. All he saw was the empty tomb and some strips of linen.

Proof 4: Appearance on the road to Emmaus (vv. 13-32)

Later, two who had been among the group earlier in the day began to make their way toward Emmaus. While they were talking to each other about what had happened, Jesus appeared among them, but they did not recognize him. He asked them what they were talking about. In their sadness, they were amazed at how he could not know.

After Jesus heard their story, he rebuked them for their disbelief and proceeded to show them how the Old Testament had predicted the events. At their invitation, Jesus shared a meal with them. As soon as he broke the bread, they recognized him; and no sooner did they recognize him than he left their presence.

Proof 5: The testimony of the two on the road to Emmaus (vv. 33-35)

The two then immediately departed for Jerusalem and appeared before the disciples. They reported, in confirmation of the earlier testimony, that Jesus was risen. They had seen for themselves.

Proof 6: Appearance before the disciples (vv. 36-43)

While these witnesses were sharing with the disciples, Jesus himself appeared in their midst. Those present were frightened, thinking he was a ghost. But this was no ghost, or even an image of Jesus. Jesus offered more proof of his bodily resurrection. He invited them to observe his hands and feet, the places bearing the marks of his wounds from the cross. Then he invited them to touch him. After all, a ghost does not have flesh and blood.

Then, as if that were not enough, and recognizing that despite their joy and amazement, the disciples did not believe, Jesus then asked for some food to eat. He ate the fish presented to him. Jesus reminded them of his own predictions and those of the Old Testament that these things had to take place.

Jesus did not swoon. His appearances were not a hallucination or shared vision. The women did not mistakenly arrive at the wrong tomb. The body was not stolen. The disciples did not make up the whole thing.

The evidence leads to one conclusion: Jesus rose, bodily, fully.

The disciples were convinced of it.

Discussion questions

• What would it have taken for you to believe that Jesus rose from the dead?

• What finally did convince you to believe in the resurrection?

• What would you consider convincing proof of the resurrection?

• How do you respond to those who question the reality of the resurrection?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 4/04/06

Family Bible Series for April 16

Celebrate the resurrection of Christ

• Luke 24:5-8, 36-48

By Greg Ammons

First Baptist Church, Garland

What a wonderful day! I always eagerly anticipate the worship services each Easter Sunday morning. The day always has a special significance.

On this special day, I wonder if that first Easter morning was much like the one I experience now. It appeared to be an average morning when the women went to the tomb to pay their respect to a friend. When they arrived, they received the most wonderful news the world has heard. Jesus is risen!

This wonderful news was not limited just to the women at the tomb. Jesus’ followers are to make the same declaration to everyone today. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we have good news to tell.

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Jesus is alive (Luke 24:5-8)

Very early on Easter morning, certain women took spices to anoint the body of Jesus at his tomb. They were surprised to find the stone rolled away and Jesus not there. Suddenly, two angels appeared to the women and asked a probing question. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen” (23:5-6).

The angels then reminded the women Jesus had spoken with them earlier about this scenario. They remembered the words of the Lord proclaiming he would be raised on the third day.

It is an exciting revelation when you discover Jesus truly is alive. He is the only Savior of the world and his claims are true. Have you discovered this truth and joy? We can know with certainty that Jesus is alive. It is the most important truth a person can embrace. It also is good news to share with others.

A Christian missionary told of a Muslim convert to Christianity whom he knew in Africa. Someone asked the convert why he decided to convert from Islam to Christianity. The African responded: “Suppose you are traveling down a road and the road forks. Located at the fork in the road are two men, one is alive and the other man is dead. Which man do you ask for directions as to which way to go?” The fact of the resurrection distinguishes Christianity from other religions.

Jesus provides peace (Luke 24:36-43)

The disciples were trying to make sense of the news they had heard of Jesus’ resurrection when suddenly he appeared before them. The first words from his lips were, “peace be with you” (v. 36). Obviously, the disciples were frightened. Yet Jesus assured his followers and encouraged them to see and touch his hands and feet (vv. 38-39). The disciples had witnessed these same hands and feet pierced with nails. Now, they viewed them again on their risen Savior.

Next, Jesus asked his followers if they had anything to eat (v. 41). They gave him a piece of broiled fish and he ate it in their presence (vv. 42-43).

A comforting assurance Jesus gives his followers today is one of peace. Jesus provides us peace as we trust him. Yet, peace is not simply the absence of trouble; rather, it is the presence of God in the midst of it. The disciples were still fearful and faced daunting circumstances, but the assurance that Jesus was alive brought them peace.

Matthew Henry was a Presbyterian minister in England in the late 1600s. His family faced hardship when he was growing up, and later he gave up studying law to enter the ministry. Henry once stated: “Possessing peace is like possessing a precious jewel. I would give anything for it, except truth.”

Jesus fulfills Scripture (Luke 24:44-48)

Jesus reminded his disciples he had told them earlier what would happen in Jerusalem. He pointed them to the prophecies from Scripture about his death and resurrection (v. 44). Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures (v. 45). “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day" (v. 46). He was quoting both the psalmist and the prophet Isaiah.

The purpose of the prophecy’s fulfillment Jesus stated was that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name (v. 47). The disciples were witnesses of these events and were to share the good news with others (v. 48).

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies. George Sweeting asserted he believed more than one fourth of the entire Old Testament was prophetic. Jesus fulfilled each prophecy about the Messiah to come.

Just as the first arrival of Jesus was prophesied, so is his second coming. We can know with assurance Jesus will return to earth again. For each biblical prophecy of Jesus’ first advent, there are approximately eight prophecies of his second coming. Praise God for a Savior who keeps his promises. It truly is good news to share.

Discussion questions

• Which portion of the resurrection story excites you the most?

• Do you experience true peace in your daily life?

• Do you find it easy or difficult to share the good news of the resurrection?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

Posted: 4/04/06

Explore the Bible Series for April 16

Live a life filled with resurrection power

• Matthew 28:1-20

By James Adair

Baptist University of the Americas, San Antonio

Easter has long been the high point of the Christian year. Long before Christmas was celebrated, Christians gathered every Sunday to commemorate the day of the week on which Jesus was raised, and the anniversary of the Resurrection every spring was the day when new, baptized Christians entered the church, following a period of instruction.

For those today who follow the Christian calendar, Easter comes at the end of seven weeks of Lent, a time when Christians are encouraged to take a spiritual inventory of their lives and recommit themselves anew to follow Jesus wherever he leads. Though it is a story we are all very familiar with, Easter continues to inspire, amaze and challenge Christians to live lives filled with resurrection power in the 21st century.

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Matthew 28:1-10

One of the most contentious issues in many churches is the question of the role of women in the ministry. Some believe in a sharp separation of men’s and women’s duties, with ordained ministry reserved exclusively for men. Others think the New Testament teaches men and women are equal before God and both are called to a variety of ministries, including pastoral ministries, without regard to gender. Both groups can quote Scripture to back up their claims.

In light of this debate, it is interesting to consider the resurrection appearance of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. The angel at the tomb announces Jesus’ resurrection first to two women, Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” (Mark calls her “Mary the mother of James”) and tells them to go tell the disciples.

Then, on the way from the tomb, Jesus appears to them and entrusts them with a message for the male disciples (Jesus calls them “my brothers”). It is clear from this account, as indeed from the other gospels as well, that the initial message of Jesus’ resurrection was put into the hands of some of Jesus’ most faithful followers, who happened to be women.

Matthew 28:11-15

The story of the empty tomb has been controversial since the earliest days of Christianity. No one could dispute that Jesus had died on the cross, but what was one to make of the contention he had been raised from the dead?

Early Jewish Christians latched onto the story wholeheartedly, while many other Romans and Jews rejected the story as fiction. When confronted with their inability to produce a body, the story circulated in some circles that the disciples had stolen it in order to fool people.

Matthew, uniquely among the gospels, records the preparation to guard the body (Matthew 28:62-66) and the contrivance of the theft story to account for the fact the body was now missing. So what happened to Jesus’ body? Was he raised from the dead, as his followers claimed, or was his body stolen, as the authorities stated?

By the nature of the evidence, people in the first century were going to believe what they wanted to believe, and the same is true today. It is unlikely a person who does not believe will be convinced by logical arguments, but it is a testimony to the power of the gospel that stories like the disciples’ theft of the body were unable to stop the spread of Christianity in the first century.

Matthew 28:16-20

In September 1796, as George Washington prepared to leave the office of president of the United States to which he was elected twice, he delivered a farewell speech to the nation, and particularly to its elected representatives. He urged the people to think of themselves as one nation, united in liberty, and to avoid sectional, sectarian and partisan rivalries.

On a mountain in Galilee, Jesus offered farewell instructions to his followers as well. The disciples were fearful, nervous and even doubtful, but Jesus encouraged them to continue the work he had started.

The Great Commission Matthew records is a succinct overview of the Christians’ mission. First, Jesus commanded them to go. The good news of Jesus Christ does not spread itself. It must be carried by those who believe in it to those who need to hear it.

Second, Jesus commanded them to make disciples of all the nations. Getting people to assent casually to a set of beliefs is relatively meaningless. The gospel can progress only when it is promoted by people who have invested their lives in it. The last phrase, “of all nations,” also is important, for the gospel is directed to all humanity, not just people from a certain geographical region or who hold a certain worldview.

Third, Jesus commanded them to baptize. Baptism is an external sign of an internal change. It is a mysterious picture of the divine-human encounter, whose function as the symbol of unity in Christ—regardless of differences of opinion, social status, ethnic background, or nationality—is paramount.

Fourth, Jesus commanded them to teach their new followers to obey the commands of Jesus. Christianity was first called “The Way,” and it is indeed a way of life more than a set of beliefs. Medieval mystics like Bernard of Clairvaux rediscovered the value of studying and meditating on the life of Jesus, which offers guidance to us in every situation in life.

Washington’s farewell to his country has been preserved, reprinted and read by numerous Americans over the past 200-plus years. Jesus’ words to his disciples have been preached, heard, read and acted upon for almost 2,000 years, and they continue to give us guidance today.

Discussion questions

• What is your favorite Easter tradition? Why?

• In light of the first resurrection appearance of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, what do you believe is the distinction between the roles of men and women in regard to evangelism, if any? How do you regard people or churches whose opinion differs from your own?

• Is your belief in the resurrection more affected by logical arguments or by observation of the power of the gospel? How would you deal with a person who acknowledges the surprising growth of the church throughout the ages but had difficulty accepting a literal resurrection?

• Does your view of evangelism focus on people agreeing to a certain core group of beliefs or on people experiencing life-transforming changes?

• Does the common view of evangelism as inviting people to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior fully encompass all that is meant by the phrase “proclaiming the good news”? What was the content of Jesus’ proclamation of the good news throughout his ministry?

News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.