TBM provides access to clean water and Living Water

WACO—God used Texas Baptist Men to provide clean drinking water and Living Water to people in Nigeria and worldwide, speakers told the Texas Baptist Men rally on the eve of the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting.

Fred and Mary Kay Posey of Walking in Love Ministries spoke at the Texas Baptist Men rally in Waco, describing TBM outreach in Eku, Nigeria. (PHOTO/ Grace Gaddy / TBM)TBM Associate Executive Director Mickey Lenamon reported volunteers with the TBM water ministry purified 92 million gallons of water in more than 70 countries, providing water filters and equipment at no cost to recipients. And in the past year alone, the TBM box ministry gave away 24,000 moving boxes to victims of disasters, enabling them to reclaim possessions recovered from disaster sites.

Fred and Mary Kay Posey of Walking in Love Ministries described TBM outreach in Eku, Nigeria. Six volunteers worked with them in September to bring medicine and clean drinking water to Nigerians.

Before the TBM volunteers arrived, Eku lacked any clean water source, and contaminated water caused disease and death, she reported.

TBM volunteers drilled water wells and ministered to people in the village and at an orphanage, church, school, hospital and leper colony. The TBM crew taught Nigerian Christians how to operate the rig themselves to dig additional wells.

The September mission trip resulted in multiple miracles, salvations and baptisms, with a few of those being claimed by Eku village chiefs—former witchdoctors, the Poseys reported.

Volunteers staff the Texas Baptist Men booth at the BGCT annual meeting in Waco. (BGCT Photo)Randy Newberry, director of church renewal and men’s ministry for TBM, noted just as the Eku chiefs worshipped idols prior to accepting Christ, many in the church do the same by worshipping modern idols of “other things.” He cited a Gallup Poll that revealed six out of 10 professing Christians do not attend church.

“We desperately need renewal,” Newberry said. “In the church today, we have gotten away from what God called us to do, from what Jesus called us to do in the Great Commission, to make disciples of all nations.”

In response, TBM’s church renewal ministry focuses on bringing about what the name dictates—renew the life, passion and purpose of congregations across the state and nation.

In the past year, TBM led a dozen church renewal weekends using the Experiencing God curriculum, designed to guide learners into a more intimate Bible-based relationship with God, he noted.

Newberry reported he watched God work though the renewal ministry, taking broken, splintering congregations and infusing them with a renewed sense of life, mission and unity.

Keith Mack, director of Royal Ambassadors and Challengers for TBM, described how God has continued to work through the RA missions program for boys. Woman’s Missionary Union started RAs in 1908 to encourage men to spend time with boys and mentor them into lives that reflect godly maturity, he said.

Mack asked participants at the rally how many of them had participated in the RA program when they were young. Hands shot up across the room. Mack nodded and said the last several years have been” awesome to see God at work in this activity.”

For instance, Mack said, in Eku, he witnessed bands of young Nigerians drill and march in a parade to demonstrate discipline and commitment to their RA program. In Nigeria, the RA ministry doesn’t end when the boys reach adulthood, he explained. It continues until age 36, with an additional focus in training men to become godly husbands.

Paul Hinton, a layman from The Woodlands who participated in the Eku mission trip, described miracles God is performing in Nigeria as people accept Christ as Savior.

“What a privilege,” he said, noting the team’s visitation of lepers, orphans and widows, among activities. “Walking the walk that Jesus walked while he was here—we did that.

“It took me two weeks to figure out (all that) had happened. And what had happened is, I truly experienced God.”

TBM Executive Director Don Gibson invited participants in the rally to “live the difference” by accepting God’s invitation to join in his activity, whether in their own communities or around the world.

“What is God inviting you to do, as an individual, couple or church?” Gibson asked, adding TBM wants to facilitate the work of God through servant-hearted people.