Hurricane Michael recovery 6 months later
By Clay Owens
www.claynowens.me
How do you tell the story of those who have endured the last six months in the area devastated by Hurricane Michael?
Everyone is waiting on something. And we’re waiting longer than we ever anticipated. Six months ago, I naively thought we would have at least the inside of our house almost back together by now. But our house is still completely gutted. Insurance has yet to give us anything close to the amount required to restore the house. We’re camping out in an RV in our front yard.
I’m still confident that our personal situation will, in time, be sorted out. Even so, it looks like we’re still at least six months out. Or will it be longer? Who can tell anymore?
In the days after the storm, hope burned brightly as strangers from all over poured in to restore power, serve food, deliver supplies and help clear roads and yards of debris.
As our plight faded from the news cycle, so did the help. When I travel out of town now and mention how things are here, I always get the same answer: “I didn’t know it was still that bad.” It’s not that people don’t care; they just don’t know.
My hope is that now, at the six-month mark, people will again become aware that the needs here in the Florida Panhandle are great. I believe the people who cared six months ago still care today. I believe if they know there is a need, they will still do what they can to help — I saw it firsthand in October, as I received call after call, message after message from people who wanted to do what they could. They came willingly and we were able to connect them with countless needs.
I assure you there is still a need. If you want to help, I encourage you to reach out to churches and agencies here in Panama City and surrounding communities. They can point you to where the needs are.
I believe people still care; they just need the opportunity to show it.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Clay Owens directs the worship ministry at Emerald Coast Fellowship, Lynn Haven, Florida. For more information about how your church or missions team can help in Hurricane Michael recovery and rebuilding efforts go to www.tabonline.org/resources.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Welcome to Birmingham
For the first time since 1941 our state will soon welcome messengers to Birmingham for the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).
The meeting will be conducted at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) June 11–12.
I especially commend to you the SBC Pastors Conference led by Danny Wood, pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Birmingham. The conference, free and open to the public, will take place at the BJCC on June 9–10.
Alabama Baptists also would be blessed to attend the SBC meeting as elected messengers from your local church or as a guest.
Southern Baptists from numerous states will participate June 8 in Crossover Birmingham, an evangelistic outreach initiative that will see the gospel shared across the Birmingham-metro area. The North American Mission Board has set a goal of reaching 20,000 homes with the gospel. Training and a rally featuring Johnny Hunt will be held June 5.
Find out more at CrossoverBHM.org. Pray for those who hear the gospel, that they will receive it and experience the new life that only Christ can offer.
—Rick Lance
EDITOR’S NOTE — Rick Lance is executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Letters to the Editor
The stained-glass windows in the hallways of MacGorman Chapel at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) were conceived as a permanent recognition of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) conservative resurgence and those who participated in it, including many small church pastors.
Without those represented in the windows, instead of standing for the inerrancy of the Bible I believe Southern Baptists would now be debating same-sex “marriage,” abortion for any reason and whether Jesus is the only way of salvation.
Now the SWBTS trustees and the new administration have reversed the previous commitment and removed all these windows.
Numerous Baptists have wondered if it is a disregard of the conservative resurgence and an attempt to erase all traces of — in my opinion — the falsely accused and much maligned Pattersons.
Many are disappointed the new administration and trustees have made no attempts at reconciliation. Pray for SWBTS and the SBC. Time will tell.
David R. Brumbelow
Highlands, Texas
EDITOR’S NOTE — David Brumbelow is a graduate of SWBTS, small church pastor and author. He, along with his father, Joe E. Brumbelow, and brothers, are represented in one of the windows that were removed.
To read the news story on the stained-glass windows visit https://thealabamabaptist.org/southwestern-seminary-removes-stained-glass-windows-depicting-patterson-other-sbc-leaders/.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The task of making disciples of all nations has not been fully embraced in the American church … in spite of the convenience of having other ethnicities and immigrants from other countries often living in the same neighborhood.
Scott McConnell
Executive director, LifeWay Research
In America, it seems that fewer people are living with faith. And yet, both in America and internationally, more people are dying for their faiths. It pains me to write this: Martyrdom is alive and well in this world.
Jeffrey Salkin
Rabbi and author
In every situation, there are always two stories: the story you see and the story God sees.
Pastor Dewayne Rembert
Flatline Church at Chisholm, Montgomery, Ala.
Music is something that allowed me to become comfortable with myself.
Walker Burroughs
American Idol finalist and future choir director, Vestavia Hills, Ala.
We look at everything in life through the lens of our belief in a God who is holy-love.
Ajith Fernando
Teaching director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka
If you want a more effective life or organization, change the habit loop. Most every action we do daily is based on habit. You do not think of your morning routine; you just do it. You do not look at a map to go to the grocery store, you get in your car and drive. Your day follows a regimen of habits. … Understanding how habits work helps you control certain areas of your life and can assist leaders in affecting the habit loops of their organization.
George Yates
Church health strategist, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions
First impressions of your church will flow from how a visitor feels the first few seconds they land on your website.
Dated information, drab graphics and dead links tell visitors the church is apathetic in going about its ministry to the glory of God — in the same way an overgrown lawn and decrepitated facility would say the same to a person who pulls up to your church in person.
On the other hand, a well maintained website tells guests the church wants to model excellence in all they do.
In today’s digital age, the care that goes into a church website is indicative of how guests expect to be treated when they actually visit your church.
Aaron Wilson
FactsandTrends.net
According to [a new Gallup] report, since the last years of the 20th century, “church membership” has shrunk 25 percent, from 69 percent of the population to 52 percent. That compares with a 14 percent decline in religious identification, from 90 percent to 77 percent. …
The traditional pattern of young adults joining churches after they get married and have children has not been holding true. …
The evidence is dramatic. That it portends a severe crisis in institutional religion in America should be obvious to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear.
Mark Silk
Professor of religion in public life, Trinity College (Conn.)
_____________________________________________________________________________
From the Twitterverse
@matalexander
Sanctimony is not a fruit of the Spirit.
@DrMattQueen
If you are confident in the gospel for your salvation, then be confident in that same gospel to share it. The same gospel you heard and by which you were saved is the same gospel someone needs to hear in order that they may be saved. #evangelism
@davidjeremiah
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the presence of God? By His Spirit He is with you constantly, and the Holy Spirit even dwells within you. Try to develop the habit of practicing His presence. Learn to frequently whisper to yourself, “Christ is with me, around me, inside me.”
@andrewtwalk
‘Easter worshippers.’ My ‘identity’ has been ‘erased.’ See how we can use that language, too? But let’s not because ‘identity’ is a term progressives use to justify whatever inclination they want celebrated.
@kjant91
Don’t miss the opportunities that God has opened for you by staying stuck and stagnant where you are.
@kk4me2
Let us sing praises to our Lord throughout the day. Amen.
@Jacob_LMay
Father thank you for the late nights and early mornings of studying to get to know you more. This incredible journey is provoking a more profound longing to love you more.
@timkellernyc
To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible is offensive assumes if there is a God he wouldn’t have any views that upset you.
@jasonkeithallen
“The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.” Carl Henry
@1ofHisSheep
It’s a strange and peculiar thing…LOVE…that compels us to do that thing the world says just doesn’t make sense. Do it anyway. It’s the Gospel.
@macbrunson
“David was prospering in all his ways for the LORD was with him” (1 Sam. 18:14). Your help is in the name of the Lord, not the name of your favorite Christian hero.
Share with others: