In Not a Fan Pastor Kyle Idleman sums up the response of a follower of Jesus as “wherever, whenever, whatever.” These past few weeks I’ve been amazed and humbled again and again at the “wherever, whenever, whatever”attitude of the NMBC family.
The first morning following Hurricane Sandy a dozen volunteers, who themselves were evacuated from their homes to the FMC, with chainsaw in had went out to aid neighbors. By the end of the day Saturday, three mud-outs had been completed on homes that had been flooded.
Our mission grew with the arrival of the SBC Disaster Relief Team from Oklahoma. Within hours of a Facebook post and church-wide email, we had over 30 volunteer s to deliver hundreds of hot meals twice daily to Port Monmouth, Leonardo, and Belford. Additional volunteers accompanied Disaster Relief chaplains and assessors to the hardest hit communities.
Last Saturday 89 volunteers from Calvary Baptist Church, Colts Neck Community Church, Bible Church International, the Boy Scouts and NMBC participated in a Mud-Out Safety Orientation by Dennis and Elaine O'Neill with NY Disaster Relief. Following the training we were able to complete 5 full mud-outs and one basement mud-out. More teams are scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, November 23rd and 24th. (Be at the church at 8 AM to join in!)
Last Saturday a man walked into the Family Ministry Center while some of the Disaster Relief team were watching football. He was in need of some food, household supplies and clothing as he had lost everything in the flood. He was provided these things, then sensing a spiritual need the DR team member, who was a chaplain, asked if she could pray with him. After hearing the gospel, this man gave his life to Christ.
Cleared fallen trees and limbs, mud-outs, meals, clothing, and household supplies are the visible aspects of the mission. As important as this work is, a far greater work is taking place in hearts and lives as seeds of the Gospel are being planted throughout our community, state, and region.
For a bigger picture, here are some statistics of the work being accomplished by SBC Disaster Relief as of yesterday: (Keep in mind, this is just the SBC. Samaritan’s Purse, Christian Aid, and hundreds of other churches and missions are at work in our region as well.)
Professions of Faith 189
Gospel Presentations 1,673
Chaplaincy Contacts 5,103
Ministry Contacts 20,705
Volunteer Days 35,750
Meals Prepared 1,578,826
Chainsaw Jobs 1,964
Mud-out Jobs 1,424
Showers 18,446
Laundry Loads 6,677
I came across a video this week about a church in Staten Island. What God is doing in our church and community is being multiplied in churches and communities throughout New Jersey and New York! "Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— " Ephesians 3:20
