By Editor Bob Terry
Speculation is still rampant about the perpetrators and the causes of the recent rash of church burnings in our state. Ten churches torched can hardly be accidental. The fires are the apparent work of arsonists. What they hope to accomplish by their twisted and foul deeds, only the arsonists know at this time. One thing the fires made evident, however, is the ability of Alabama Baptists to respond to emergencies, even the burning of church buildings.
The first five fires burned during the early morning hours of Feb. 3. Within a week, Alabama Baptists were providing assistance. Rehobeth Baptist Church, Randolph (near Lawley), and Ashby Baptist Church, Brierfield, were both burned to the ground. But by Feb. 10, the two congregations had received mobile chapels in which to meet until their permanent facilities can be rebuilt.
The mobile chapels were not sitting idle in some big Baptist warehouse. State Baptist officials had to scour the countryside looking for available units. Finding suitable units was a minor miracle because of the high demand for mobile units in Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.
But find them they did. One unit was relocated from another location while two units were purchased. Making the units available meant dipping into reserve funds.
If you examine the annual Alabama Baptist Cooperative Program budget for disaster relief, then you will find that the allocation is a paltry $1,000. Baptists in need rely on the compassion of Alabama Baptists for funds to respond to emergency situations. The purchases about depleted the available reserves.
But the money was there and Alabama Baptist leaders moved quickly to help churches in trouble.
In addition to the mobile chapels, Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, was able to give the pastor of each of these burned churches a check to help with emergency expenses. The checks were based on need, to some extent, because not all the churches suffered the same amount of damage.
Again the checks were in hand before the first week was up because Alabama Baptists care about those who are hurting. In addition to caring, Alabama Baptists have organized in a way that makes it possible to respond quickly to human need. That is a great resource that should not be lightly regarded.
On Feb. 7, the apparent arsonists struck again, this time, torching four more Baptist churches. While the first fires struck predominately white Baptist churches, this round of fires leveled predominately black Baptist churches. Again Alabama Baptists were among the first on the scene offering help.
Checks from Alabama Baptist disaster relief funds went to each of these churches as well. In an article published in The Wall Street Journal, the pastors said it was the first time predominately black Baptist churches had received funds from Southern Baptists.
Technically the funds did not come from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). They came from the Alabama Baptist State Convention, which cooperates with the SBC. It was the caring and organization of their fellow Alabamians that made the gifts possible.
The checks are just part of the first expressions of concern from Alabama Baptists. In the days ahead, building teams will descend on the sites of the burned-out churches to help new edifices dedicated to the worship of God arise from the ashes. In all probability, each church will end up with better, more modern facilities that it had before the arsonists struck.
Alabama Baptists are not the only ones concerned about the burned churches. Offers of help have come from Baptists far and wide. Other Christian groups are also concerned. A week after the fire, I received an e-mail circulated among denominational leaders in the Birmingham area. It suggested that it would be appropriate for the various Christian groups to do something to help the burned-out congregations.
Exactly what actions the groups decided to take, I do not know. But I was able to share with them that Alabama Baptists were already on the scene providing funds, mobile chapels, personal encouragement, prayer support and offers of building teams to the burned churches.
The compassion of Alabama Baptists, the foresight to plan for emergency response and the quick and decisive steps taken by Rick Lance made it possible for all Alabama Baptists to be among the first to offer help and assistance to the victimized congregations.
That is an outcome I doubt the arsonists expected.
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