For more information on how you can be involved in the Baptist Builders program, please contact John Richardson or Tal Fannin through the Church Office.
| Kentucky Baptists Building Churches for the Future |
 GILSTRAP,
KY—A recent crisp, sunny May morning
took on the air of an old-fashioned barn raising as Baptist Builders from
Yellow Creek Baptist Church, Owensboro helped a sister church erect the
frame for a new sanctuary.Amid the banging and buzzing of hammers and saws, the new 300-seat sanctuary for New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church, Gilstrap began to take shape under the hands of the 35 men, women and youth that make up Yellow Creek's Baptist Builders chapter. Baptist Builders is a Southern Baptist ministry that organizes volunteers for construction missions projects. The groups are organized through the men's ministry of a local Baptist church and the Brotherhood Department of the Kentucky Baptist Convention provides leadership and support for chapters across the state. The groups often work helping sister churches renovate, expand or build facilities. "We felt that the Lord would have us to come and help build this sanctuary for the folks here at this church," said Mike Melloan, coordinator for the Brotherhood at Yellow Creek Baptist. Melloan said he was proud of the youth that came with the group this weekend. Many of the youth will be attending a World Changers Mission Trip this year in Michigan and needed the experience. "They are a hard working group of youngsters and we are very proud of them," Melloan said.  Ashley
Brown, 15, a freshman at Davis County High School, described her time
spent on the site as rewarding and life changing in many ways."I didn't know how to use a hammer, but I am learning how to work around a construction site. It is really a lot of fun," said Brown. Learning how to work around construction is not all that Brown and other youth are learning however. They are also learning about serving others and working as a team. "Working out here shows that you can do things as a volunteer, helping other people and showing them Christ's love," said Brown. "It makes me happy that people are excited about our work here with them." The new sanctuary signals the beginning a new era of growth for New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church. The church began the building project in early April with completion planned for September. They hope to finish in time for the church's anniversary celebration, said Larry Brown, pastor. "We realized that we were running out of room for people," Brown said. "We knew that something had to be done and the Lord has led us to build." The new sanctuary, a 70 x 100 foot building, will hold between 200-300 people. The old sanctuary will become a fellowship hall with the current downstairs fellowship area converted to classroom space. Brown said that he is in awe of the work that the Baptist Builders are doing at his church. He said that their excitement is contagious and motivates his congregation to be excited about the potential of a new building for ministry. For more information on how to become a part of Baptist Builders, contact the Brotherhood Department at the Kentucky Baptist Convention at (502) 244-6489 or toll free in Kentucky at (888) 245-5720.
This page last updated on 04/27/2004 |