A group of BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries) students from the state of Georgia spent their fall break with us recently. Among other things they cleared out underneath the bunk house to make way for a new outdoor kitchen area. They also cleared the back lot of the Mercy House, worked in our distribution center, and several other things. What a joy to see students scattered around our campus reading their bibles during their quiet time,” making themselves at home in our sanctuary for evening worship, and working hard during the day for the good of others.
Over the past couple of years mission trips to Rebuild Lakeshore have begun to morph into retreat / service project combos. As the immediate urgency of Katrina disaster relief begins to wind down, I praise the Lord that God has seen fit to continue to use Lakeshore Baptist Church for his glory in the lives of brothers and sisters in Christ from across the country. As things progress, it looks like the Lord has plans to use us as sort of a “Mercy Ministry Labratory.” What better way to mature a group of disciples than immersive intense “on the job training?” God uses service to others as a means of sanctification in the lives of believers to conform us to his image. I pray that we will continue to be a place to see spiritual formation cultivated, for years to come.
As this transition takes place, we still have plenty of work to do. Our distribution center has been seeing more folks than ever coming in needing assistance with food and clothing. Don’t forget we can always use non-perishable food items such as canned goods, clothing, especially mens clothing, and household item donations. We look forward to breaking ground on our new sanctuary some time after the first of the year, demolition of Katrina-blighted properties continues, and I’m running into folks on a weekly basis that find themselves in desperate need of one kind or another.
So please, don’t forget about us. Remember us in prayer, include us in your missions giving budget, and consider making a trip to the gulf coast to see God at work in your life.
