Mostly, bloggers talk. We analyse, criticize and examine what is going on in this SBC and the larger Christian world. Today, we can take the next step. We can do something important. In a time of crisis, of great need, can we come together and make a difference. We have an opportunity to help people whose lives have been devastated in recent days. One of our own, a fellow-blogger named CB Scott is at ground zero of this tragedy and is trying to minister in the name of Christ. You and I can help him.
I talked to CB tonight. He is the pastor of Westmont Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, right in the heart of the area hit hardest by the tornadoes last week. His church was not damaged badly, but are smack dab in the middle of the devastation. The have decided to devote themselves to being a ministry center. They are feeding hundreds of people daily; ministering in areas where most people don’t even want to go. Officials are searching for bodies and trying to keep order and the relief and rebuilding teams can’t even get in to most places. But CB and his church are already there. We can help them.
The devastation is severe, according to CB. He said that the recovery is going to be a long and slow process. Eventually, mission teams will be sought to help people rebuild their homes. Right now, though, the needs are more immediate. People need to eat and Westmont is feeding as many as it can.
Westmont Baptist Church finds itself at the heart of the devastation. God has given them a unique opportunity and they are taking up the challenge.
- They are opening their church as a feeding and ministry center.
- They have determined that any monies donated to the church will be used solely to feed people and meet the needs of the people of Birmingham. The church has an industrial kitchen and they are going to use their own facilities, pay for all the energy costs, and not profit from this in any way.
- CB has already set up a system of financial accountability so that any funds that are given to Westmont will be used to help people and will be carefully accounted for. I would hand CB Scott cash and tell him to use it to help people and would be 100% confident he would do the right thing with the money. No question about it. But CB and his church have set up accountability structures so that everything will be handled by the highest standards of integrity.
So, let’s send them our help. Maybe in the fall, some of us can send mission teams to help people rebuild their homes. Right now, they just need food, water and other necessities. We can help them. We can send them money so that they can purchase the supplies that they need.
CB is one of us – one of the early Baptist Bloggers. He is now a position to do real ministry in a hurting area. Please help.
Here’s the address:
Westmont Baptist Church Disaster Relief
2963 Mulga Loop Road
Birmingham, AL 35224
Please consider a generous gift to help Westmont and our brother CB Scott minister to these hurting people. Please make this need known to your church.
I asked CB a question tonight: “Is there any danger of you all getting too much money?” He just laughed. The needs are so great and the lives are so broken that anything we can send will be put to good use.
One more thing: pray for CB and for the people of that church. What they are doing is wonderful – laying themselves on the line to help hurting people in the name of Christ. But that kind of ministry is wearing, draining – it saps the life right out of you. Pray for those who are doing this ministry that God will strengthen them.
One more “one more thing”: CB has to drive to places where he can get phone service to return calls. It is hard to get a hold of him. But he says that there are a couple of ladies in his church who are recording stories of the lives affected and changed by this ministry. As they share these stories with us, we will share them with you.
Wouldn’t it be great if bloggers and their churches sent $5000, or $10,000, or much, much more to support one of our brothers doing ministries on the front line?
