Mark Gallups believes in total ministry.
And Gallups, director of missions for Marion Baptist Association, used this philosophy to lead 87 people on a missions trip to Orange, Texas, to assist Little Cypress Baptist Church July 8–13.
“Our objective is to affect an entire church body in every area possible to help them reach their [community],” he explained.
The Marion Association team, which included representatives from Lamar Baptist Association, did everything from construction work to cheerleading camps.
Faith in action
Team members worked to complete a multipurpose building for Little Cypress Baptist. The building’s progress had been placed on hold in recent months because the church had been heavily involved in ministries to displaced people after hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
While the building is still waiting on some finishing touches, the team was able to finish much of the needed work. Church members now have a renewed excitement about the building and the missions team saved the church several thousand dollars in construction labor costs, Gallups said.
Team members also assisted in Vacation Bible School at the church and conducted a backyard Bible club in a neighboring housing complex where many of the children had never heard of Jesus.
A touching moment occurred when an 8-year-old member of the missions team noticed that the local children seemed confused about what was being said while listening to an adult leader share the plan of salvation. Without prompting, she acted out the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Her simple actions seemed to bring the words to life for the children and gave them a visual concept of what Jesus did for them, Gallups said.
Emily Elrod, a 16-year-old team member from Mount Olive Baptist Church, Hackleburg, said that God taught her something new about working with children — especially when they are acting up just to get attention. “You never really know someone’s situation, and you shouldn’t be so quick to judge them,” she explained.
During the afternoons, team members visited local nursing homes and ministered to residents with songs and puppets. Each evening, student team members led a youth revival for Little Cypress.
The missions team also held two sports camps. A basketball camp was held at a local gym for students in grades 1–12. Several high school girls helped lead a cheerleading camp at Little Cypress for first- through sixth-graders.
The cheerleaders taught specific cheers, several of which were Scripture verses, and other basic skills.
While the camps were going on, another team was hard at work in the kitchen, getting up early and working until evening to prepare meals for all team members, Gallups said.
David Turner, pastor of Little Cypress, was very impressed with the missions team’s preparation and dedication.
“This group came in and said, ‘We want to bless you, and don’t spend a dime on us.’ That’s something I’ve rarely seen before.”
And Little Cypress has begun to see the fruit of the missions team’s labors, he explained. “We have had prospects attend church since the trip, even those who did not attend the camps and other events.”
Gallups noted that five salvation decisions were reported from the sports camps. One of the team’s own youth prayed to receive Christ during the trip, and two motel guests rededicated their lives as a result of the team’s efforts.
“You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t come back exhausted but who couldn’t wipe the [smile] off their [face] because they felt they had done what God called them to do,” he said.
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