SULPHUR SPRINGS—If Christians knew when they only had one month to live, what passion to make a difference would be engendered?

That is the question 30 Hopkins County congregations are asking themselves during their One Month to Live campaign.

Bruce Welch (right), minister of education at First Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs, and Joel Tiemeyer, pastor of The Way Bible Church and head of the Hopkins County Christian Alliance, spearheaded the drive to involve churches throughout their area in challenging members to ask, “What if we had just one month to live?” (PHOTO/George Henson)

The Hopkins County effort began last May when Brit Fisher, children’s minister at First Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs, saw a television report of a similar campaign in Clinton, Okla., and told Minister of Education Bruce Welch he thought it was something their church should do.

Welch called the First Baptist Church in Clinton and learned it was a citywide campaign. He thought maybe the same approach should be tried in Sulphur Springs.

When he brought the idea to Joel Tiemeyer, pastor of The Way Bible Church in Sulphur Springs and head of the Hopkins County Christian Alliance, it didn’t take much convincing.

“They were already looking for something to do as a communitywide project, and this fit like a hand in a glove,” Welch said. He also approached Rehoboth Baptist Association, drawing in churches from the surrounding communities of Como, Cumby and Dike.

“When Bruce came to us with this idea, it was kind of like an automatic,” Tiemeyer said. “It wasn’t anything you had to think about and pray about because we had been doing that since January—really praying and asking God, ‘What’s the next step for our city to take for all of us as churches to come together?’”

That was the beginning of what Welch and Tiemeyer pray will spark a life change for Christians throughout the county.

“It’s living every day not as if you are about to die, but living every day as you would if knew you only had 30 days left, and when the campaign is done, to live the rest of your life with that purpose, that meaning, that drive to accomplish those things you’ve always wanted to accomplish” for the kingdom of God, Tiemeyer explained.

One of the most exciting things is to see how God brought together 30 diverse churches for a collaborative effort, he added.

“To get 30 churches on board, all doing the same thing, all at the same time—it’s been an amazing process to see how God has worked in that,” Tiemeyer said.

“It’s not only interdenominational; it’s also interracial,” Welch said of the effort. At least seven denominations, and many stripes of Baptists, as well as nondenominational churches such as Tiemeyer’s, are involved in the effort, which has drawn the participation of African-American and Hispanic congregations.

Welch and Tiemeyer visited with pastors of the various congregations and said most saw the potential of the campaign far outweighed any difference they had.

“By the time we got done, they realized we had the same purpose they did—whether Methodist, Baptist, nondenominational, Assembly of God or Church of God—we all have one focus and that’s to win our city to Jesus Christ,” Tiemeyer said.

“And when they realized that’s the heart we came in with, they were like, ‘Yeah, we want to be a part of something that wins our city to Christ,’ because there is no denomination specification to be involved in this or race specification.

“It’s all about one thing—what can we do for the advancement of the kingdom of God. Pastors just fell in love with it.”

Each participating congregation was asked to do at least two things—members place One Month to Live yard signs on their lawns and the each pastor preach on the assigned topic for each of the six Sundays.

Some churches became even more involved, using materials available to go along with the campaign’s emphases. Resources include a daily devotional book, small-group studies, Sunday school materials for all ages and green silicon wristbands that have been good conversation starters leading to even more contacts.

For example, Tiemeyer said when he sees someone in a store he doesn’t know wearing a green armband, he talks to that person about what church they attend to and their church’s participation.

“People are going to be listening to your conversation as they pass by,” he said. “That’s just the nature of people to do so.”

The youth group at First Baptist Church even designed their own T-shirts to promote the event.

And while pastors are asked to preach on the same topic as the other pastors involved in the campaign, they are not all preaching the same canned message.

“We’re not going to tell you what to preach. We’re not going to tell you how to preach it, because far be it from me to come into your church when I don’t know your parishioners to say you’ve got to teach this with this message and this lesson. So, we just said, ‘We’re asking you to preach on these topics however God leads you,’” Tiemeyer explained. “They have absolute freedom on what they are preaching and how they want to present it to their congregation.”

While the campaign kicked off with a rally at the Hopkins County Rodeo Arena Jan. 31, the effort is local-church oriented.

“It’s not coming to a centered event in the middle of the city where you’re not in a church building. But for six weeks, it’s all about inviting people to your church to take this challenge,” Tiemeyer pointed out.

“The goal is, by the time they’ve been there five or six weeks, the body of Christ will have reached out enough to them and loved them enough to stay actively involved become a participant in that church.”

That church-centeredness is key to Welch.

“The cool thing is, it’s not an event. The center of it, the focus of it is what is going on in the churches,” he said. “So, we don’t have to worry about having an event and after the event is over, trying to get those people touched by the event into the church.”

First Baptist Church recently called Mark Bryant as pastor, but for 90 percent of the preparation of the campaign, the church was without a pastor. Welch didn’t see that as any sort of obstacle.

“We had been praying about doing something that affected our city. Just because we don’t have a pastor, the kingdom work goes on. It doesn’t stop,” Welch said.

While his church was without a pastor, other churches in the area had a variety of struggles of their own, and so they were a part of his thoughts and prayers as well.

“God had placed on my heart a concern for the churches of Sulphur Springs, so as he was dealing with me about that, I just saw this maybe as something that could unite the churches and get our focus on the cause of Christ.” Welch said.

“Whether we had a pastor or not really had nothing to do with it. It had everything to do with: ‘This is the opportunity. This is the time. Let’s go.’”

GALVESTON—A team of Virginia college students used their winter break to make a couple of Galveston homes a bit more livable.

More than a year after Hurricane Ike hit the island city, teams like the one from Broadus Memorial Baptist Church in Mechanicsville, Va., still are needed to help homeowners make the places they live more habitable, said Peter DeWorken of 1 Mission Galveston.

DeWorken’s ministry helps facilitate groups from all over the United States who recognize the great need that still exists in Galveston and want to make a difference. One Mission Galveston not only provides materials and tools needed to do the work, but also feeds and houses mission teams for only $25 a night per person.

Headquartered in a former elementary school centrally located on the island, the ministry provides hot meals, cots and shower and laundry facilities as well as Internet capabilities. While a hotel would provide many of those same functions, it would not provide meals, supplies or tools, or facilitate ministry opportunities, DeWorken pointed out. Also, all the money that comes in addition to expenses is used to buy supplies and other things to continue the ministry for the next group.

In addition to construction teams, other groups provide outreach ministries to the homeless, provide workers for Vacation Bible Schools, work in local food distribution ministry, prayerwalk the city and clean up neighborhoods. There is more than enough work to go around, DeWorken said.

While it has been a more than a year since the hurricane, volunteers still are heeding the call. So far, more than 200 Galveston homes have had teams come to work on them, but some of them need additional attention and many more have yet to be begun, DeWorken said.

Two thousand volunteers were expected to come to the island in January, February and March to minister to the people living in Galveston.

“We’re thrilled about it, and we’re scared to death,” DeWorken said with a broad smile.

Many of the volunteers will be coming from churches throughout Texas, he noted.

Lindsay Turner paints the ceiling of a home in Galveston.

“Without Texans helping Texans, this ministry wouldn’t be near what it is,” he said.

Still, many will travel from much farther, such as the group of 17 college students and sponsors from Virginia.

The young adults were challenged last spring to pursue a mission opportunity during their Christmas break by Gary Bone, minister of education and senior adults at Broadus Memorial Baptist Church.

Bone, who formerly served as minister of education at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, said that after investigating the possibilities, he gave the volunteers a choice between Galveston and Toronto, and they overwhelmingly selected Galveston.

Aaron Hazelgrove, a junior at Virginia Tech, said being in close contact with the family they were helping was one of the best parts of the trip for him.

“They are interesting people, an interesting family,” he said. “It’s fun to work on the house of someone when you have a face to go with it.” The homeowner was so thankful, she made the crew a large batch of brownies, he added.

Emily Gardner, a Virginia Tech student, taped windowpanes before painting. She worked on home repairs in Galveston as part of a mission team from Virginia.

Emily Gardner, another Virginia Tech student who worked on a different house, agreed the people she met made the trip special.

“I have a real heart for missions, and it’s what I plan to do with my life,” she said. “And it has been great to get to know the lady whose house we have been working on and very moving to be able to help her home become a little warmer.”

The house Gardner worked on had a 4-foot by 8-foot hole in the side that allowed the cold and rain to stream into the attic and then sail down a stairway into the rest of the house. The elderly homeowner only had gas heaters to try to fend off the cold.

In addition to covering the opening with a tarp on the inside and outside with plywood in between, the team also replaced 21 windowpanes, removed and replaced water-damaged sheetrock, and painted two rooms in the home.

“I don’t know how I would ever have gotten it done,” homeowner Mary Hall said.

Even her neighbors were thankful the Virginia college students made the trip to help her.

“The lady across the street was so impressed, she brought them a batch of cookies,” Hall said.

For more information about bringing a mission team to Galveston, visit www.onemissiongalveston.org.

DALLAS—Texas Baptists helped a medical team from Baylor Hospital go serve in Haiti and have other small, specialized disaster response groups lined up to do likewise, including a Texas Baptist Men assessment team.

The teams are entering the country on a private jet on loan to Texas Baptists by Mike Roberts, a member of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. The jet has made one trip to Haiti and will make more, dropping volunteers off in Port-Au-Prince.

“We are humbled by the generosity of Texas Baptists,” said Bill Arnold, president of the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation and coordinator of disaster response for the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

“Whether it’s airplanes, time, talent or money, the Texas Baptist family is responding in an incredibly generous way to share the hope of Christ with the people of Haiti. We are continuing to send in medical supplies, water purification equipment and the volunteers to use them.”

Including the team of medical professionals from Baptist Temple in McAllen, nine Baylor Health Care System medical personnel either have been serving in Haiti or are serving now, said Don Sewell, director of the Baylor Health Care System’s new faith-in- action initiatives, which seeks to connect Baylor medical staff with volunteer opportunities.

“Baylor Health Care System realizes the great importance of sharing our personal and material assets with our community and to our world,” he said.

“We’re simply continuing the Christian spirit under which Baylor was established in George Truett’s days, and we’re proud to be part of the Texas Baptist family.”

Trained Texas Baptist Men volunteers left for Haiti on Jan. 27 and with water purification equipment that will provide 75,000 gallons of clean water a day.

Bill Sluder, a TBM volunteer, drives forklift of 5,000 water filters to be sent to Haiti.

Those supplies will be used to provide clean water for a medical clinic and several orphanages, TBM Executive Director Leo Smith said. The children are running out of clean water.

“The orphans are our first priority,” Smith said.

The organization had been waiting for a government plane to take 5,000 water filters to Port-Au-Prince and received that Jan. 26. Each of those water filters, which have been paid for by donations through the Baptist General Convention of Texas, can provide clean water for a family of four for six months.

Financial gifts can be made through Texas Baptists to support disaster response efforts through the convention’s partners, including Texas Baptist Men, at www.texasbaptists.org/give or by sending a check designated disaster response to Texas Baptist Missions Foundation, 333 N. Washington Ave., Dallas 75246.

Texas Baptists also can make donations to support Texas Baptist Men individually at www.texasbaptistmen.org or by sending a check designated disaster relief to Texas Baptist Men, 5351 Catron, Dallas, 75227.

Buckner International has a pair of humanitarian aid shipments scheduled to go to Haiti on Jan. 29. The shipments include medical supplies and cots of the Hope Hospital and Children’s Village in Port-Au-Prince. Nearly 25,000 shoes for orphans is being sent to a Buckner partner church in Florida that will distribute them through agencies in Haiti. Buckner is planning additional humanitarian aid shipments in the future.

To support Buckner’s efforts in Haiti, visit www.buckner.org .

Baptist Child and Family Services’ global division, Children’s Emergency Relief International, has work in progress for long-term recovery efforts in Haiti.

Based on daily briefings from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Texas Division of Emergency Management, “as soon as it is determined that the health and safety of our volunteers will not be compromised and that our efforts will not become a burden to those we seek to help, CERI will lead mission trips to support the rebuilding of impacted orphanages and provide medical care to children in need,” said BCFS President Kevin Dinnin.

To support BCFS’ work in Haiti, visit www.bcfs.net .

Students at Texas Baptist schools, including East Texas Baptist University, Baylor University and Howard Payne University, have participated in a variety of fundraisers to help hurting people in Haiti.

AMARILLO—Paramount Baptist Church in Amarillo gave $63,100 to Texas Baptist Men for disaster relief work following the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti. The congregation sent its full weekend offering to Texas Baptist Men despite running $140,000 behind its annual budget.

Pastor Gil Lain said the congregation has been going through a sermon series about living passionately.

“Part of living passionately is doing something drastic,” he explained. So, the congregation decided to take drastic action to make a difference in the lives of Haitians.

About half of the congregation is trained to serve with Texas Baptist Men disaster relief. The church gave to the men’s organization because members knew the money would help people who are hurting, Lain said. TBM is seeking to send 5,000 water filters to Haiti. Each filter will provide clean water for a family of four.

“Even though times are tough, people still have giving hearts,” Lain said. “They want to take of people. I think that’s a picture of Christianity.”

TBM Executive Director Leo Smith said Paramount Baptist Church’s generosity was an answer to prayer. TBM needed $63,000 to pay for the 5,000 filters before the congregation’s gift.

“God met the financial need for water filters for Haiti through the faith and obedience of Paramount Baptist Church in Amarillo that gave TBM their entire Saturday evening and Sunday morning offering, amounting to $63,000,” Smith said.

Gifts to Texas Baptist Men can be made directly to the group at www.texasbaptistmen.org or by sending a check designated disaster relief to 5351 Catron, Dallas, 75227

More than 40 years after Baylor University in Waco and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston separated, the two institutions have begun talks regarding a strengthened relationship—but not without sparking controversy.

In a Jan. 21 letter to Baylor University faculty, staff and students, Interim President David Garland confirmed the university is “engaged in conversations with the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Texas Children’s Hospital regarding a strengthened affiliation.”

Garland noted the university’s belief the closer relationship with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital could help Baylor University’s continued growth and advancement. But, he insisted, no action would be taken that would “put our campus at undue risk,” and no decision would be made until parties involved completed due diligence.

“What is presently being discussed is a strengthened affiliation between the Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor University. Baylor University and the Baylor College of Medicine are not discussing a merger,” he said.

Reportedly, Baylor College of Medicine unsuccessfully had pursued an affiliation with Rice University in Houston.

Controversy regarding proposed closer ties with Baylor University surfaced about the same time Baylor College of Medicine ran into trouble with the National Institutes of Health for failing to disclose a cardiologist’s $34,000 consulting deal with a drug company—an apparent violation of conflict-of-interest policies for physicians conducting NIH-funded research.

Rumors of a merger between the college and Baylor University prompted some students, faculty, staff and alumni of Baylor College of Medicine to create an online petition to register opposition. More than 500 people have signed the statement, based on their belief Baylor University’s religious mission could stifle scientific research at Baylor College of Medicine.

Baylor University’s stated mission is “to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.”

“As Baylor University is a religion-affiliated institution that promotes values and teachings from religious beliefs throughout its ranks, we cannot overlook the restrictive influence that this potential merger would have on Baylor College of Medicine, a leading biomedical research-oriented college,” the petition states.

“The religious ideologies that permeate throughout Baylor University’s academic policies may adversely affect both scientific progress and the culture at Baylor College of Medicine, particularly in relation to issues such as evolution, embryonic stem cells and sexual orientation. While we respect everyone’s right to religion in his or her own life, we believe that science and medicine must be separate from religion and urge you to reject any such merger.”

Garland responded: “Baylor University has an ambitious mission and vision that are unique among higher educational institutions. There are some who do not fully understand who and what we are.”

In his letter to faculty, staff and students, Garland sought to correct some of the “misstatements” and misunderstandings about the relationship between the university and Baylor College of Medicine.

“Since it originally affiliated with Baylor University in 1903, the Baylor College of Medicine has been a nonsectarian institution,” he wrote.
However, Baylor College of Medicine is affiliated with faith-based St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and Methodist Hospital, as well as Texas Children’s Hospital, DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Harris County Hospital District’s Ben Taub General Hospital, the Menninger Clinic, Memorial Hermann-Institute for Rehabilitation and Research and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Michael DeBakey—the cardiac surgeon and medical researcher who pioneered development of the artificial heart—joined the faculty at what was then the Baylor University College of Medicine in 1948, and he later served as president and chancellor of Baylor College of Medicine.

DeBakey and Abner McCall, then president of Baylor University, led in legally separating Baylor College of Medicine from the university in 1969.

“The university did this so that the college could attract broader, nonsectarian financial support and gain access to state and federal funding,” Garland explained.

At the time, the Baptist General Convention of Texas elected all the members of Baylor University’s governing board and set policy for the school—including a prohibition on accepting government funds.

“Baylor University has always been proud of its sectarian identity, but university regents realized its association with the BGCT could be limiting the college’s access to a range of financial resources. What’s more, regents concluded it was unreasonable to expect that the BGCT could continue to assume the financial burden of a growing medical school.”

Even after the university and Baylor College of Medicine separated, they retained some affiliation. Baylor University has appointed 25 percent of the Baylor College of Medicine board since 1969, Garland noted.

The Carnegie Foundation now classifies Baylor University as a research university with high research activity, and the university enrolls more than 500 Ph.D. candidates, he added. Baylor faculty receive $41 million in research grants, and annual research expenditures exceed $16 million.

“Baylor researchers are no longer prohibited from seeking or accepting federal or state funds to support their work,” Garland said. “Baylor’s tenure decisions include an expectation of academic scholarship and research productivity.”

DALLAS – Albert Reyes was elected as the sixth president in the 131-year history of Buckner International Jan. 22, succeeding Ken Hall, who remains with Buckner as chief executive officer.

Reyes, 51, served previously as president of Buckner Children & Family Services, a position he has held since 2007. Prior to joining Buckner, he was president of Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio.

Albert Reyes

Scott McIlveene, chair of the Buckner board of trustees, said Reyes was the only candidate considered to replace Hall, who was elected to the post in 1993. Reyes will report directly to the board of trustees.

“Dr. Reyes brings the perfect mix of vision, passion and intellect to the task, especially at this point in the history of Buckner,” McIlveene said. “We are uniquely poised as a ministry to move forward like never before, thanks to tremendous work of Buckner’s previous five presidents.”

Reyes, who becomes the first non-Anglo to lead Buckner since its founding in 1879, said, “I understand that with such a great honor come great challenges and opportunities.

“The orphans, vulnerable children, families, and elders served by Buckner depend on us to make their lives better,” he said. “That is tremendous honor, but also a serious responsibility.”

Hall continues in his role as CEO, also reporting to the trustees, while working closely with the staff of Buckner Foundation to secure financial support for the work of Buckner. He will also serve as a consultant to Reyes.

As president of Buckner, Reyes will manage the organization’s nearly $100-million annual budget, while overseeing the daily operations of more than 1,300 employees worldwide. Those operations include work through Buckner Children & Family Services’ domestic and international ministries and Buckner Retirement Services’ seven senior living communities in Texas.

A native of Corpus Christi, Reyes earned his bachelor of business administration in management from Angelo State University and his master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary , as well as the doctor of ministry from Southwestern. He completed his doctor of philosophy degree from Andrews University in 2009.

He served as founding pastor of Pueblo Nuevo Community Church in El Paso seven years before becoming president at BUA. He also served as pastor of churches in Dallas. From 1981 to 1988, he was a manager for the National Customer Service Center for Sprint.

“Buckner as a ministry and those served by Buckner owe a great debt of gratitude to Ken Hall for the great leadership he has given the past 16 years,” Reyes said. “My vision is to build on what Dr. Hall has started – to go further and faster with God’s help.”Reyes and his wife Belinda have three sons, Joshua, David and Thomas. They are members of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas.

TEMPLE—In the days following the Jan. 19 fire that destroyed the facility of First Baptist Church in Temple , many things are still uncertain. But members insist some things are rock-solid sure—God is in control, he loves his people and there is power in prayer.

A team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was called in to investigate the source of the fire, Pastor Martin Knox said. However, he added, that was not due to any overt evidence of arson.

“The reason the ATF has been called in is because with a fire of this size, they have resources our local fire department doesn’t. Our fire chief has developed a good relationship with those folks, and it was an excellent opportunity to take advantage of that,” Knox said.

One piece of equipment the ATF brought in will reach over the external walls that survived the fire. It will scoop out debris to give investigators a better look at the interior of the building as they seek to find the cause.

While the equipment will reach over the walls, Knox does not believe any of the walls will be saved. “There’s no steel in them,” he said of the building constructed in 1939.

The fire destroyed the sanctuary and another building that contained the church’s offices, music rooms and some of the church’s classrooms. In addition, all the adjoining buildings were smoke and water damaged. This has necessitated closing the church’s Child Development Center’s weekday education program until the building has been refurbished.

Included in the destruction was the pipe organ that included 2, 675 pipes.

The only building not damaged was the church’s youth building. It is located on a corner of the property and was not connected to the other buildings. It currently is been used as makeshift office space until other office space can be secured.

One joint service will be conducted Jan. 24 at 11 a.m. at the Frank Mayborn Center in Temple. Current plans are for an 8 a.m. and two simultaneous 11 a.m. services —a contemporary service in the youth building and a traditional service at First United Methodist Church.

“The community has been just great in opening up to us and in helping in any way they can,” Knox said. The Episcopal church that is across the street from First Baptist has allowed the church’s staff to hold meetings on its property.

Many others have called from around the state and even from other parts of the country to lend solace, Knox said.

“We’ve received great support,” he said. “With many of the pastor’s the typical call is: ‘How you doing? Are you OK? What happened to your library?’”

Two pastors who have experienced fires in their own churches have called, Knox said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms brought heavy equipment to First Baptist Church in Temple to reach over the external walls that survived the fire, scooping out debris to give investigators a better look at the interior of the building as they seek to find the cause of the blaze.

“One of them said: ‘You’re going to make it through this. It may not seem like it today, but you will and you’re going to be stronger for it,’” he recalled.

All that caring is deeply appreciated, but that does not change the fact that the church building’s destruction was a cause for turmoil for many.

“It’s been emotional for many,” Knox said. “For many, this was a place where their very precious memories occurred—baptisms, weddings, funerals—and besides that, where they met to worship God each Sunday.”

Johnell Ellison and Bill Hart both were baptized in the building that burned in 1938, and said this building was just as meaningful.

“It’s upsetting,” Ellison said through tears. “When I go to church on Sunday to teach my 4-year-olds on Sunday, we don’t have any place to be.”

One of the hardest things is that even the parts of the building that did not burn have been cordoned off, and no one has been allowed inside to ascertain what can be saved.

“One of the ladies even baked a cake” that she offered to ATF agents on the scene, “but they still couldn’t let her in,” she said in a lighter moment.

Ellison, who also functions as the church historian, said some of the church’s photo gallery was saved, but she doesn’t know the state of the many others.

Pastor Martin Knox (2nd from right, looking at cell phone) noted the deep emotions of longtime members at First Baptist Church in Temple who lost their church building to fire. “For many, this was a place where their very precious memories occurred—baptisms, weddings, funerals—and besides that, where they met to worship God each Sunday,” he said.

“We’ve lost so much of our history,” she said, “but we haven’t lost our spirit. We’ve got a good preacher and a good staff, and I’ve been praying for them today. We have a loving church and all together, we’ll get through this.”

“It was the church I was baptized in, and it was hard to see it go,” Ellison said of the prior sanctuary. “But we were a better church afterward. We were going to need to rebuild, and Lord just planned it for that time. Maybe that was the same thing this time. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Hart witnessed the burning of both buildings.

“But I didn’t see them start,” he added quickly.

In 1938, he was a 14-year-old boy with a paper route and he was on his bike going to get his papers when he saw the fire trucks trying to extinguish the blaze. He went on and got his papers, and brought them back to the church to he could watch their efforts while he rolled his papers for delivery.

“That was the one I grew up in, the one in which I was baptized,” he recalled.

There were a great deal more who came out to witness the burning of this building.

“It breaks your heart to see your church burn,” Hart said. “When your church burns down, it’s going to be different than anything else.”

What comes next has not been decided, Knox said. It is unknown how long it will take to reach a decision on the cause, and until that decision is made, insurance payments may be held up. Whether the amount insured will be adequate for the cost of rebuilding also is an unknown until a floor plan is drawn up.

The church already has a committee in place to make long-range plans for the church, and that committee probably will take the lead in helping to find the answers to the many questions that exist.

But in addition to those questions, “There is also faith, hope and prayer,” Knox said.

“It was a great building, and an excellent tool for God to use to build his kingdom,” Knox said. “We are appreciative that we had that building. But the church is the people, not the building.    

In the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake in Haiti, Texas Baptists are mobilizing for service and seeking to multiply efforts when the country’s infrastructure is rebuilt to the point that widespread relief efforts can take place.

Individual Texas Baptists have found a few ways to serve in Haiti. Vivien Ingram, a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Dallas and recent college graduate who has been home schooling the children of missionaries in Haiti and working in a medical clinic for women, continues meeting needs in Port-Au-Prince.

Despite difficulty moving through cracked roads and a lack of supplies, Ingram and the group she is serving with continues conducting a clinic. At one point in e-mails sent back home, she describes being awake three straight days and suturing wounds until 2 a.m. In a nearby soccer field, people were lying on the ground moaning. Some people were gathered in prayer.

“God continually provides for us and answers specific prayers,” she wrote three days after the earthquake.

“We were running out of fuel and missionaries from a village outside Port brought a five-gallon tank of diesel yesterday afternoon. We have plenty of food and clean water. None of us are injured or sick.

“My group is so blessed beyond measure. We all got together this morning for the first time since Tuesday and just started singing praises to Christ and sent up so many prayers of thanksgiving. We are so grateful to be here and wrapped in God’s comforting love.”

Ingram's latest prayer e-mails are posted here.

Ben and Katie Kilpatrick, who are connected to First Baptist Church in Richardson and are serving two years in Haiti, blogged Jan. 19 that aid groups are slowly surveying the needs and working through logistics.

“It’s slowly untangling — please pray for it to move faster and better,” the post reads.

“Lives depend on it. On the way home, we saw the tent cities for the first time in the light. The hundreds of thousands of homeless are camping out on every spare bit of land- mostly in city parks. No security, no water, no food, no toilets — just making homes out of whatever you can.”

The Kilpatricks' blog postings can be found here .

Gaining access to the nation continues to impede widespread relief efforts, including those by Texas Baptist Men, Buckner International and Baptist Child & Family Services, each of which is seeking to send in supplies.

Texas Baptist Men continues trying to get 5,000 water filters into Haiti. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missionaries requested the water filters — each of which will provide clean water for a family of four — following the earthquake.

The organization has pulled together supplies to build the water filters and is tracking a number of ways to get them into the country. At this point, the country’s infrastructure is so damaged that it is difficult to get aid in.

Joe Detterman, who is coordinating TBM’s relief effort, encouraged people to pray God will open a way for relief supplies and efforts to enter Haiti. Needs for medical care and clean water are critical at this point.

“The biggest thing is to pray for the safety of the folks and that these supplies can get there,” Detterman said.

To support Texas Baptist Men disaster relief efforts directly, visit www.texasbaptistmen.org or send checks designated for disaster relief to 5351 Catron, Dallas, TX 75227.

Buckner International is attempting to send four large cargo containers of medical supplies and humanitarian aid items such as new clothing, shoes, socks, tents, blankets, baby food, toiletries and unopened first aid kits to Haiti. Buckner plans to ship the containers to the Dominican Republic where they will then be trucked into Haiti.

“One of our biggest needs is for hygiene kits,” said Matt Asato, director of humanitarian aid for Buckner International.

Aid will be sent to support Gladys Thomas’s Hope Hospital, which is receiving many casualties from the quake. Dillon International, Buckner’s international adoption affiliate, has worked with Thomas for 25 years and places children from her orphanage into adoptive families in the United States.

Buckner is asking volunteers to fill two-gallon sized Ziploc bags with specific hygiene items and mail or drop the kits off at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid, located at 5405 Shoe Drive, Mesquite, Texas 75149. To view a list of items needed in the hygiene kits or to financially support Buckner efforts, visit www.buckner.org.

Randy Daniels, Buckner Vice President for Global Operations, reported Jan. 21 the first container could arrive by air as early as Jan. 26 if there is room on the flight, or on the next plane the first week of February if there is no room. The aid is prioritized by need, so the first container will solely include medical supplies donated in-kind by UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Later shipments will include medical supplies, shoes, emergency rations and hygiene kits. The shipments will drop in the Dominican Republic and be taken overland into Haiti.

To support Texas Baptist disaster response efforts, visit www.texasbaptists.org/haitiearthquake and click on “give now” or send a check marked for disaster response to the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation at 333 N. Washington, Dallas, TX 75246.

With additional reporting by Kaitlin Chapman

WACO (ABP) — A jury in Waco found former Baptist minister Matt Baker guilty of murder after more than seven hours of deliberation Jan. 20.

Prosecutors called 28 witnesses, including Vanessa Bulls, who identified herself as Baker's former mistress. She testified that Baker planned to murder his wife, Kari, and make it appear to be a suicide. 

The defense called a single witness, an expert who discussed DNA evidence. Matt Baker, who gave several high-profile media interviews before the trial proclaiming his innocence, did not testify in his own defense.

The verdict by a jury of seven women and five men ended a six-day trial. The penalty phase is scheduled to begin Jan. 21. Baker could receive life in prison.

A number of Texas Baptist agencies and organizations offer avenues for giving to help victims of the earthquake that devastated Haiti Jan. 12. Click on any of the links below to find a way to donate.

Texas Baptist Men has arranged to send 5,000 water purification systems to Haiti. TMB is requesting donations of medical equipment such as portable X-ray machines. Donations of equipment should be directed to Dick Talley, TBM State Disaster Relief Director, at the address below or 214-707-4780.

To support Texas Baptist Men disaster relief efforts directly, visit www.texasbaptistmen.org or send checks designated disaster relief to 5351 Catron, Dallas, TX 75227.

Texas Baptist Men received a $10,000 Texas Hope 2010 care grant for disaster relief. The money comes from gifts to the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger. To give to the offering, visit www.bgct.org/give. 

To support BGCT disaster response efforts, visit www.texasbaptists.org/haitiearthquake and click on "give now," or send a check marked for disaster response to the Texas Baptist Mission Foundation at 333 N. Washington, Dallas, TX 75246-1798.

Individuals and churches can list skills, resources and desired method of service through Church2Church partnerships by visiting www.texasbaptists.org/ haitirearthquake and clicking on “register now” under the partner label.

Baptist Child & Family Services, based in San Antonio, prepared to deploy a 1,000-bed medical facility to Haiti.

Baptist World Aid has sent an emergency rescue team to Haiti and pledged $20,000 in emergency funds. BWAid director Paul Montacute said grants of $10,000 each were committed to the Baptist Convention of Haiti, a group of 110 churches and 82,000 members established in 1964, and the Haiti Baptist Mission, a network of 330 churches and schools founded in 1943. Donations can be made directlky to BWA or through the website of NorthHaven Church in Norman, Okla. (affiliated with the BGCT)

Buckner International is preparing four containers of humanitarian aid already on hand–new shoes and emergency food items–to send to Haiti. Also needed from the public are new socks, tents, blankets, toiletries and other personal care items, and new, unopened first aid kits. Shipping each container costs $5,000. For in-kind donations, Buckner is taking deliveries of requested items from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. weekdays. In-kind donors are encouraged to contact the Buckner Center of Humanitarian Aid to schedule drop-offs by calling (214) 367-8080. The Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid is located at 5405 Shoe Drive, Mesquite Texas 75149. To give financially, donors may call the Buckner Foundation at (214) 758-8050 or online at www.buckner.org.

The Southern Baptist relief and development organization Baptist Global Response has sent a five-member response team to Haiti.

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has directed more than $15,000 in funds designated for "Haiti Earthquake Response" raised through a website appeal.

The Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention is receiving funds to support families affected by the tragedy in partnership with the Strategic Union of Baptist Churches in Haiti, a network of 22 churches and one of Lott Carey's global partners.

Gifts can also be made through the National Baptist Convention and the Progressive National Batist Convention, Inc.

TEMPLE, Texas (ABP) — The 70-year-old sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Temple appears to be a total loss after a fire consumed it in the early-morning hours of Jan. 19.

Reports on the church’s website and in several local news outlets said the fire began around 5 a.m. local time in the sanctuary building. The building’s roof collapsed. It was unclear, as of mid-morning, whether other buildings on the church’s campus had also been destroyed.

According to the history section of the church’s website, the sanctuary that burned Jan. 19 was itself the result of a fire. Completed in 1939, it replaced an 1895 building that burned in 1938.

The church’s day-care center was closed Jan. 19 as firefighters continued attempts to put out remaining hot spots and assess the causes of the blaze. The church has scheduled a special prayer meeting in the congregation’s youth center for 7 p.m. on Jan. 19.

VICTORIA—Templo Jerusalem Baptist Church was looking for a place where it could invest itself locally in ministry. That place literally called the church to serve.

The manager of a nearby apartment complex phoned the church and asked its members to consider starting a ministry on the premises. The complex had experienced a shooting and fighting between tenants and saw routine drug activity. The manager was looking for a way to improve the environment for residents.

“When she contacted us, we felt like it was a godsend,” said Pastor Ricky Garcia, noting the call came as the congregation was evaluating local ministry opportunities.

Since the phone call last fall, the congregation has led activities for children in the apartment complex on the last Wednesday of each month. Each effort has had a different theme, but Garcia said the message has been the same—Christ is Lord and Savior.

Garcia said the church is following the model members see in the Bible. Christ and his followers ministered to people placed before them.

“By focusing on what was in front of them, they created a wave that reached the multitude,” he said.

Craft activities engage the children's creative skills.

On the church’s first visit to the apartment complex, residents were skeptical of what the congregation was attempting to do. They avoided eye contact with church members and remained distant from them. As time has passed, tenants have become more comfortable with the church group.

Following the most recent church-sponsored event in the complex, a family asked a few church members to come inside their apartment and pray for them.

“It’s a pretty big stride,” Garcia said. “When we first got there, everyone was very cautious about us. They’re beginning to trust us.”

Church members are encouraged by the ministry opportunities they see, especially younger members of the congregation. Many of them enthusiastically serve each week.

“The kids are really excited about it,” Garcia said. “The youth are really excited about it. They’re really enjoying this, working with the kids.”

Guadalupe Baptist Association Director of Missions Tommy Bil-lings praised Templo Jerusalem Baptist Church’s desire to reach out to its community and willingness to respond to God’s call upon the congregation to serve in the apartment complex.

Templo Jerusalem Baptist Church Sunday school teacher Tammy Randall (left) and church missionary Elida Alanis (seated in a chair) teach children from the Fox Run apartment complex in Victoria.

“God gave them a heart for the Fox Run apartment complex, which is very near to their campus,” Billings said. “God just placed it on their heart.”

The congregation hopes excitement and opportunities will lead to further chances to pray with people and share the gospel. The congregation plans to distribute Texas Hope 2010 multimedia compact discs containing gospel presentations to every apartment in the complex.

Texas Hope 2010 is an initiative to share the hope of Christ with every Texan by Easter 2010 and place Scripture in every Texas home. Texas Hope 2010 CDs include gospel presentations and ways to access audio versions of Scripture

“In the near future, I’d like to get in more homes and pray with them,” Garcia said. “I think prayer can open up a lot of opportunity. I know once we pray, they’re going to see God move, and they’re going to see how mighty God is.”

For more information about Texas Hope 2010, visit www.texashope2010.com.