Hurricane Matthew is forcing churches from Florida to the Carolinas to practice flexibility. The folks at First Baptist Church in St. Simons Island, Ga., are an example of that. The congregation has been pushed to embrace the unknown since most…
Family comes through flood with damaged home, stronger faith
The Blanco River was only supposed to rise to 17 feet the night of May 23, 2015, but Theresa Graves felt uneasiness. She opted to stay awake while her family slept peacefully in their riverside house in Wimberley. Graves was…
Social media a source of ministry amid disaster, pastor says
Mitch Randall’s Facebook posts read much like those of any other minister, complete with links to audio sermons and youth group videos, kudos to family and church members and steady reminders of ministry needs and volunteer opportunities. But Randall, pastor…
Baptists respond to earthquake in Ecuador
Baptists in Europe and North America responded with relief efforts to Saturday’s earthquake in Ecuador, which killed more than 500 people and was described as the worst disaster the country has faced in 60 years. Rescue and relief professionals from…
Flooding draws minister back to hometown — with youth disaster workers
When Bobby Catt, minister of students at First Baptist Church in San Angelo, Texas, discovered a student mission trip opportunity in Wimberley in the Texas Hill Country, he knew he had to sign up his youth group right away. Catt…
Disaster relief volunteer dies after heart attack
A Southern Baptist disaster-relief volunteer died March 29 while on a flood recovery mission in Leesville, La. Don Fulkerson, 77, a member of First Baptist Church in Galatia, Ill., died from a heart attack while serving on a team of…
Lessons from storms past and present
Early this morning, I drove north on Scenic Highway, one of the most beautiful coastal drives in America. And yet, as the sunrise glistened over Escambia Bay, the picturesque Florida scenery was scarred by nature’s whim. Stately oaks were uprooted,…
Disaster recovery in full swing in wake of N. Texas twisters
By Jeff Brumley Disaster recovery forces have swung into action to help the victims of tornadoes that struck North Texas the night after Christmas, killing 11. Much of the work is being led by faith-based organizations, with organizations like Texas…
Faith-based groups gearing up for Texas tornado response
By Jeff Brumley Damage assessments are only beginning to come in, but some disaster responders say rebuilding the Texas communities clobbered by tornadoes over the weekend will require relief work on par with the 2013 Oklahoma twisters. Among the worst…