Katrinacus Rex

2008-06-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

BLOG HAS MOVED

We have moved our initial reporting from here to www.SGHM.org

This blog was originally setup right after the disaster. Now, as a long term urban mission Sovereign Grace Homeland Missions is an ongoing permanent entity to the metro New Orleans area.

Visit us there.

:)

2006-04-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

Father Knows Best

All of us have been carrying heavy loads and I have not updated this blog as much as I would like. Please forgive me. In an attempt to catch you up to speed I will be doing my best to post pictures of the volunteers that have come through in the next few weeks.

With only a skeleton admin crew and the grace of God we have been able to help hundreds of families over the past few months. Only a handful of our congregation remain and out of that there are only a few who are able to actually work on a daily basis. Gail continues to balance her roles as church secretary, mom, wife, and interior decorator as her home continues to be rebuilt. Laura has been handling our relief administration and benevolence store full time as well as fielding phone calls and other duties. Michelle has worked hard to help feed volunteers in our home. Ashley fills in at the relief store from time to time, handling database work and phone calls as she’s able. Charles helps with the pastoral duties as well as relief crew organization while continuing his web site development work. And I wear multiple hats while anchoring my focus on study and prayer.

Our three resident men who have relocated to work here have been joined by Tim Kirkpatrick (Danny and Robert’s brother). Tim has just finished his tour of duty in the Marines and will be leaving us soon to head to Bible College. Travis will be leaving next month and we will be receiving John Kirkpatrick (yes, another brother ;) ) in August. We are extremely grateful for their service to the Lord and are thankful to God for all of these men and their commitment to service.

As we’ve received many work crews from various churches around the country and Canada who have come here to put feet to their faith and minister to our community; we now have a bouquet of new friends. Meeting members of our extended eternal family before glory is a joyous time of fellowship, refreshment, and edification.

One thing that I’ve come to see in full Technicolor is the truth of several Scriptures that relate to our experience at Sovereign Grace Fellowship.

Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. Psalm 33:8-10

Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD will stand. Proverbs 19:21

We could never have orchestrated what has happened to us over the past eight months nor would we have chosen it. Yet, the Lord knows what we need, when we need it, and how we need to receive it. Each trial is yet another platform upon which we have another opportunity to grow and rise to the occasion. In short, life is the context in which our hearts are revealed and sometimes what we see scares the begeebees out of us. But we mustn’t retreat, recoil, or run. We must repent, refocus, and press on for the race will be won if we do not lose heart.

Sometimes solid biblical truths can seem like worn out clichés, but when such a monumental task sits before us in such an incredible context, the overwhelming nature of these times feels like a vise if you forget that His strength is made perfect in our weakness and that His grace is absolutely sufficient for us.

Being taken to school and the woodshed at the same time is when you know that your Father loves you the most (Hebrews 12:6) – a truth that only a new mind can comprehend and even then it stretches the limits of your sensibility.

2006-02-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

Three Young Men Relocate to Help

We have been blessed with three young men who were willing to relocate indefinitely to Slidell to help us full time with our relief work here at Sovereign Grace Fellowship. All men are single and have a heart for service and for the Lord's people.

Travis Kingsley (left) is a student at Master's College in biblical counseling who resides in Minnesota. He has worked for the Red Cross and in youth counseling in the Dominican Republic before coming to our church. Travis helps us with counseling and scheduling work crews.

Danny Kirkpatrick (middle) is a talent painter and illustrator who has an extensive background in children's ministry. His love for children and life is contagious and it is a blessing to have him be a part of our missions work.

Robert Kirkpatrick (right) is Danny's brother and has a background in the steel industry as well as landscaping. Robert is a steady and sure worker who is an asset to our team.

Both brothers have helped us with upkeep and maintenance around the church as well as with operational orginization. The Kirkpatricks are from Illinois.

All of the men live at the church in a donated trailer and are supported by donations and a few odd jobs that they manage to pick up. Please pray for these men as they minister to the community along with us in the Gulf coast area.

2005-12-28T17:07:00.000-08:00

Worker Crews Highlight
We had two groups from California come in to help us recently with recovery work. Josh Winans, pastor of First Baptist Church of Auburn flew in with his crew of tree destroyers. I thought California was known for their tree 'hugging' not their ability to make a fifty foot pine come crashing to the ground. All of these men were not only a joy to fellowship with but were hearty workers as well. Pastor Josh and myself were given the opportunity by the Lord to witness in prayer to a dying neighbor of mine and a few members of the crew were instrumental in helping to preach to the glory of Christ to a single retired Roman Catholic who has now attended services regularly since they left. God is amazing.

Led by Greg Baird, these faithful stewards spent Thanksgiving week with us. We fed about ten families on Thanksgiving and the FBCM crew were very helpful in making that happen. Not currently having deacons in our church means that we wear multiple hats so having Greg and Jonathan's deacon grace [by fixing our broken mower, readying our property, and having a "getting it done" attitude] was a huge blessing. The entire crew worked well in aiding the Lord's work here in Slidell including laboring to help an elderly couple who have no insurance, one of which suffers from the debilitation of a stroke.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

2005-12-24T20:38:00.000-08:00

From Our Hearts to You on Christmas

May the peace, joy, and love of our God be yours forever and ever.

We at Sovereign Grace Fellowship look forward to worshipping with you in eternity.

Perfectly.

Preciously.

Painlessly.

2005-12-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

West Liberty, Ohio Extends a Warm Invitation

Last week I was in Ohio ministering to Grace Chapel in West Liberty. The saints there under the leadership of Justin Erickson and his elders have become dear to our hearts at Sovereign Grace Fellowship. It was Grace Chapel that showed up not too long ago with a tractor trailer full of supplies - clothes, food, tools, etc. Along with many others who have come to our aid during this unique time, their love and support and prayers have been a sweet balm to our weary souls.

I preached both Sunday services and gave a Katrina releif work update in the evening. Meeting several of the work crew members again who came down to help us in the trenches was a joy. It is so amazing to see how our Lord weaves friendships and orchestrates His foundations of mutual edification, encouragement, and love.

Being with Justin and his wife Janna as they hosted me in their home during my stay in the beginning of winter (we don't get much snow in Louisiana) reminded me of traveling ministers from many decades ago. Providing a home away from home is no easy task and their thoughtfullness and adorable children made the distance of my own home that much shorter.

2005-11-30T10:33:00.000-08:00

3 Months that Seem like 3 Years

It's been three months since the tropical monster Katrina hit our area. It feels like three years.

Since then we've seen incredible things, things that are just too amazing to understand by photo or by print. Those of you who have visited this area and have worked with us here in Slidell and New Orleans know what I mean. The level and intensity and broadness of the destruction that the Lord levied on this area is something you cannot communicate. It has to be witnessed firsthand.

We've seen God answer prayer almost instantaneously; even bringing to us under our feet a domesticated pet rat roaming in the very backyard of a boy who had recently prayed for a replacement to his drowned rat, Debbie. Provision under Providence is a faith builder and the Lord has shown us His sustaining grace each and every day as we labor.

This experience has shown us that for the most part, we play church and live complacently in our communities. Having your hand to the plow and feeling the pain of blisters and the sweat of hard benevolence work is a blessing that cannot be matched. We've met folks that we would never have met in our regular circles; people from all areas of our parish and from all kinds of families and religious backgrounds. We've come along side of them to help them both physically by clearing land and fixing homes and spiritually by bringing the Gospel of Christ to them and through prayer and encouragement.

Hope has become a theme made real. When you bring the Word of God to someone you bring hope. I've taught that, I've preached that, but now I am having the privilege of living it. I've done more evangelism in these three months than I have in the last three years. Driving to the store with a virtually homeless man while his four garbage bags full of stinky clothes are in your car filling it with a smell that you aren't sure will ever come out of your vehicle really stirs up your heart. I find myself right in the book of James not wanting to sit next to the smelly guy but wanting rather to have him stay in the back and be someone else's problem. Then the love of the Spirit that has been poured out into my heart engulfs me and I see myself as him and I am reminded in the newness of my mind that I, but for the grace of God, am just like him - Same humanity, different shell. O’ the mercy of God that He shows us who we are!

I’ve been asked how things are going here in Slidell and in the New Orleans area so let me make a few comments in an attempt to answer those inquiries.

You can drive for over 50 miles and not find one person home. Five to ten feet of flood water and high winds destroyed thousands and thousands of residences. They are still destroyed.

We had a 75 year old couple show up Thanksgiving evening to our church after we had fed about ten families for dinner. The husband has had a stroke leaving the left side of his body useless and they came to us because they’ve got nowhere to live at present. Housing continues to be a great need as FEMA moves at the pace of snail making mud pies in a bottle of molasses.

Not all businesses are open and the ones that are open have truncated hours. Walmart, for example, closes at 7pm. Many job opportunities abound, yet stores are still understaffed.

We are adding a 1200 sq foot annex building to our property as a result of the support of a few churches for the purpose of housing offices and a permanent relief center. Next storm season will be here sooner than most have recovered.

Currently 60% of our church building is still being used for clothes, food, and supplies.

We still need worker teams to come and aid in this long term relief effort.

God is still most wonderful amidst the debris.

2005-11-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

URGENT: WORKERS NEEDED

Sovereign Grace Homeland Missions Update

Our relief work continues here in the Slidell/New Orleans area. The Lord has answered our prayers by bringing to us the needy, both spiritually and materially. We have been ministering to the household of faith and to the lost, to the elderly, poor, and handicapped and even the upper middle class. The social stratum has been equalized by the providence of God. Ministering opportunities abound.

Our hearts are full of thanksgiving to God for all of you who have supported our relief efforts by coming to work with us, giving financially, and petitioning the Lord on our behalf in prayer. Our community outreach continues to grow and we need more help.

We are receiving more requests than we can handle. Unbeknownst to us, our name and phone number were given to the local television station and the newspaper resulting in an average of twenty calls per day!

The predicted crack has widened and as time moves on many are falling through it. Most have forgotten the hundreds and thousands of people who are still without homes, jobs, and/or resource. Insurance companies are slow, underpaying benefits and rejecting legitimate claims. Most have not gotten any funds. FEMA, while doing many good things, has still shown itself to be a mass of confusion and doublespeak. Hence, the local church continues to function interdependently through the aid of other Bodies as the primary non-government aid.

Our three main areas of concentration are as follows:

Work Crews

1. TREE WORK AND CHAINSAW TEAMS
Basic tree removal and limb clearing as well as a huge need to top damaged trees and remove stumps.

Specialty Needs

Any experienced / professional tree removal personnel willing to donate time.
Heavy equipment such as Bocats, track hoes, and stump grinders.

If you can assist in these areas or know of anyone who can please call us at (985) 643-8215.

Tools required Chainsaws, pruning shears, ropes, come alongs, crowbars, heavy work gloves

2. DEMOLITION AND DEBRIS REMOVAL TEAMS
Many homes still need gutting (Using crow bars, sledge hammers, and shovels to remove sheetrock, carpets, and house debris). Properties need to be cleared as well of miscellaneous debris.

Tools required Wheel barrels, crow bars, sledge hammers, flat shovels, utility knives, mold rated masks/respirators, disposable work gloves

3. EVANGELISTIC COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Physically going out to affected neighborhoods and meeting face to face those who have been afflicted by the storms. This involves assessing needs, setting up appointments for aid, and engaging in conversation. A unique and wonderful way to bring the word of reconciliation to the area.

Materials required We have tracts from Mt. Zion ministries and Justin Erickson as well as booklets from Jim Elliff and John Blanchard available to hand out.

WORK CREW SCHEDULING

We can house up to twenty workers dormatory style at once in our church building which has a full kitchen and shower. Three homes are available for use in the local area as well on a limited basis.

The ideal schedule is to have a work team come in midday on Wednesday and have a half day orientation. This would involve a tour of the area to see where we will be working and to get a feel for the devastation that the locals have been dealing with for weeks. Then Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are work days whereby each crew is given work orders to complete. Sunday at 10:00am is our worship service and by noon the teams can begin to head back home.

Variations to this plan are of course acceptable as we do not refuse any help given. The above plan is what we have found works best as many of you have asked us about how a work crew would function once here.

We pray that the Lord provides us with ready hands for the labor ahead. If you desire to be a part of our work call us at (985) 643-8215 and let us know. We will coordinate a trip of any size and time frame.

2005-10-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

October Update

Ongoing Katrina relief news

Everyday is a different day and they all feel like a perpetual succession of Saturdays. The traffic in Slidell is still thick as everyone scurries along to handle their particular daily task. We’ve noticed a significant reduction in utility workers as most of those needs have been taken care of. Cable company trucks are still plentiful as they attempt to get back into operation while the Dish TV folks have set up a tent on the side of the road selling their systems to those who are waiting for their lost cable; free enterprise object lessons at their finest.

Electricity is fine as is our water and sewage and many more businesses are open yet many still remain closed. One huge problem has been the lack of workers. Thousands of employees left and hundreds have not returned. There are many job openings all around.

New Orleans and Jefferson Parishes have opened up recently as thousands have only recently made their way to their homes (or what is left of them.) Due to an oil and chemical spill on top of weeks worth of water saturation, St. Bernard Parish is seventy-five percent destroyed including my own sister’s house which will never be rebuilt.

Many shelters have consolidated into single shelters like in Slidell where there is only one shelter open with about three hundred people in it. Some public schools have divided themselves up into two school day shifts as they have had to operate in one building with two school’s worth of students due to flood damage. This has increased the traffic significantly as well.

I’ve been asked many times as to whether or not things have returned to any sense of ‘normalcy’ yet and quite frankly I’m not even sure what that means. We establish as much of a routine as can be possibly done given the circumstances but there is no such thing as normal right now. There is still much to be done and we are starting to feel the lessening of immediacy as we grind into the slow non-emergency months ahead.

Most folks have not yet heard from their insurance companies about what monies will be available to them for rebuilding and repairs. Expenses pile up as they live remotely either in high rent situations or in benevolency with family or friends.

The weather has gotten much cooler as the Christmas season is rapidly approaching. Most of us have no sense of time right now. Christmas will be both beautiful and hard as families begin to focus on Him and their losses at the same time.

Here is a brief summary of our efforts and where things stand as of right now. Hopefully these details will help you in assessing how you would like to help in either prayer or deed.

Prayer

Pray for peace of mind, fullness in faith, and fortification of heart for our families as we move forward in grace enduring the stress and displacement during these trying times.

Pray for our outreach efforts to the community as we seek to bring the love of Christ to the afflicted areas in and around our city.

Pray that the Lord would open the hearts of the lost as we encounter them and that they would come to faith in Christ.

Pray for Sovereign Grace Fellowship and our ministerial direction as this disaster has opened up a realm of possibilities in long term mission work for our elders.

Supplies & Aid
We currently have plenty of clothes, food, and supplies to give away and no place to put more. That may change in the near future and I hope that it does. For now, we don’t need any more supplies.

Appointment Distribution
To avoid clothes and other donations becoming a rat’s nest of debris in a field we have chosen to allow the needy to ‘shop’ at our church. We have converted our Sunday school room into a mini Wal-mart of sorts. This allows people to come in on a more private basis and to afford a better opportunity for productive one-on-one dialogue.

Neighborhood Outreach
We have been going out to the neighborhoods in Slidell and meeting the residents at their homes to assess their needs. We have mini-fliers that we hand out to them as we engage in conversation. We have also put them out in some local businesses as well. As a result, we are currently receiving about three to four calls per day.

Gutting & Cleaning
While many homes have already been done, many have not. Work crews for ripping out sheetrock and walls and flooring and furniture are still needed.

Pressure washing and Mold abatement Work
The wooden frames and insides of homes need to be pressure washed and some form of mold abatement product needs to be applied.

Debris on Property
Some homes still need tree debris and home debris moved to the streets. This is where the Bobcats come in handy. We were able to knock out six homes in two days with a donated Bobcat and six men. So if anyone would like to bring down another Bobcat to use it would be greatly appreciated.

Tree Removal
We continue to get requests for tree trimming and removal. If anyone knows of a professional tree climber that wants to donate their time to remove and handle the tough and expensive removal jobs please let us know. We will have plenty of work available.

Contractors, Carpenters, and Roofers
We will have a need for professional workers once the homes are ready for re-construction and repair. Insurance checks have been slow and some won't have enough to get the work done. We can use your skills and time.

2005-10-08T02:11:00.000-07:00

Recovering Residue

As we continue to work in our area by cutting, hauling, dragging, and shoveling debris it came to my attention that you can tell plenty about a family by what sorta 'stuff' you find. There are now over 1 million cubic yards of refuse collected here in St. Tammany parish and many, many more tons of debris to be retrieved. In the above photo you will notice two distinct piles.

One pile is the heap of a prominent physician in the area. His pile was crowned by Darwin's Origin of Species book sitting high in crowned display while the second shot shows a congregant's heap which has John MacArthur's book on the gospel in grand view.

I found those to be a stark contrast between what the world clings to and what Truth commands. This dying world has nothing for us but piles of debris. Materialism isn't a theory or a sweet hemp slogan; it is anti-gospel.

Those who know the good news know that you don't store up your treasures on this earth.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:1-3

2005-09-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Sovereign Grace Homeland Missions

First and foremost we want to give full honor and praise and glory to our Father in heaven from whom all blessings flow. The incredible outpouring of charity to our home of faith at Sovereign Grace Fellowship has been overwhelming. Thank you to all of you who have given us your prayers, resources, labors, and financial support.

Many of you have expressed an interest in sending work crews to come down here to the greater New Orleans area and help families recover. Here is our game plan.

There are many churches that have set up ‘tent cities’ where you can find clothes, food, and other aid. The problem is that some of these areas are in shambles because the items have been left out in the open for weeks now and some have been rained on and the clothes items are strewn over many boxes and the ground.

We have received a semi-trailer full of supplies (clothes, food, toiletries, etc.) and are going to be taking a different approach. After touring some of the areas it has come to our attention that many of those in need will never come to us. They are living in their driveways working on their homes, visiting their residence when they can to see what they can do and are not necessarily going to find us. As a result, we are going to go to them.

We are implementing several levels of service and ministry:

Notifying the Community – Biblical Counseling

We will be handing out information flyers to the area letting our community know what it is that we have to offer as well as seeking to establish a biblical counseling hotline. As the weeks progress and displaced residents face more challenges depression and despair will increase.

Deliveries and Appointment Aid

We will assess clothing and aid needs and make deliveries to the residents or set up appointments for them to visit the church to find what they need. Assistants will be needed for those tasks.

Mobile Evangelism

We will be taking bibles, booklets, tracts, and other resources to the neighborhoods and shelter areas in the community. Meeting the people as they are living in the subdivisions to pray with them, weep with them, rejoice with them, and to proclaim the gospel to them is a priority.

Physical Laboring – Flood Homes

There are many flooded homes that need to be gutted ASAP– contents removed, carpets pulled out, sheetrock removed, etc. Afterwards the floors need to be stripped and removed and the framing studs and inside pressure washed.

Tree Work – Wind Damage Recovery

Experienced chain saw workers and tree removal personnel are needed to help with properties filled with twisted and downed trees.

Heavy Equipment – Machinery and Operators

If anyone has access to heave equipment used to remove debris and trees such as backhoes, mini-dozers, and commercial grinders please contact us.

We have room for up to 20 workers at a time between three homes and our church building. Email us at elders@sgfellowship.org for details on bedding, tools, and times.

We will accept all help offered and coordinate your efforts to match the need.

This is a very unique opportunity for all of us to work together under the banner of Christ ministering to the entire person in a needy region. Some send, some go. We hope to see you soon.

2005-09-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

Double Teaming in Relief Land

This week we were visited by two tremendous teams of men. Headed by their pastor Justin Erickson our first arrivals were from Grace Chapel located in West Liberty, Ohio. They brought in a tractor trailer load full of supplies, clothes, and food to aid us in our relief efforts. It took about seven of us seven hours in the intense southern heat to unload the benevolent cargo. Pray along with us that we can put these goods in the hands of those who need it most. It is a beautiful event to watch Providence move in our lives as new family members in the Body are sent our way in what we hope will become lifelong friendships. To all the people in Ohio who supported this effort, thank you. We look forward to the many evangelistic mission trips we can co-sponsor in the near future.

The next set of relief workers arrived yesterday from Grace Community Church in Michigan pastored by Steve Krogh. At mid-afternoon I was greeted by ten men with tools, expertise, and great hearts. They came to help us clean out and gut some homes as well as put a new roof on our church. We are almost done with that and are trying to beat Rita's threat in the early a.m. as reports say that she will hit somewhere West of us. All of Grace Community's men have been wonderful and we look forward to working more together to help our church and community recover before either Rita forces them home or their stay has expired. We will be organizing more work crews to help clear out yards and properties. It is very late and I've got to be up in a few hours so that's it for now. I will talk later about our neighborhood van project whereby we hit the communities here literally street by street meeting needs and bearing witness to the wonderful gospel of Christ.
Stay tuned.

2005-09-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

Juanita Community Church Ambassador of Good Will Visits Us

Pastor Steve Harris from Juanita Community Church near Seattle has been here for the past few days. He has had extensive experience in the building trades and is helping us assess damage and to map out a plan for recovery. The wind damage is not as bad as he feared, but the flood damage is worse than he anticipated.

Our church building needs to be re-roofed but is otherwise usable. However, some 4-5 homes are in question. They had 4-6 feet of flood water in them and their interiors are thickly coated in marsh mud. The smell is enough to make some people become ill when they enter. We ask for wisdom in coordinating professionals with volunteers to get the work done efficiently.

Our needs list will be posted soon.

2005-09-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

Mini-Update from the Land of Debris and Recovery

First and foremost I want to proclaim along with the psalmist the goodness and majesty of the Lord as ...

"His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed. 18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen." - Psalm 72:17-19

We have been on sensory overload for the past few weeks battling everything from rumor mongering and fatigue to dehydration and mosquitoes. I've not seen a TV for about a week now and have only heard the radio sporadically. We've been taking care of critical cleaning/tree damage work and we are about done with that first stage. Tomorrow I will tour the city and speak with civil and church leaders in the area to see how things stand community wise. From there Charles and I will put together a next step congregational and community short term plan.

For all of you who want to help and who have either called, phoned, or e-mailed us; thank you for your patience and prayers. We promise to get back to each and every one of you. Our guiding mindset is to first be good stewards of what the Lord is providing to us through you and secondly to have a precise plan that efficiently and effectively uses those resources.

More tomorrow on specific needs and other important things.

May the love of Christ shine brightly during this time of trial and unprecedented ministry/gospel expansion.

2005-09-12T23:23:00.000-07:00

Slidell / Pearl River Katrina Update

There is still a curfew here but the time has moved to 11 p.m. rather than the previous week where is was 9 p.m. Old town Slidell looks like everyone decided to have a garage sale at once on the sidewalks and streets but nothing is really worth buying. The stench of sunbaked refuse lingers in the streets. National Guardsmen are seen all around the city as well as utility vehicles that zoom and scurry about as they attempt to rewire the grids.
It was eerie going to my all-electric neighborhood for some towels out of my home and hearing the generator motor sounds vibrating in the air. Here are some more highlights -

A few fast food places are open albeit in reduced hours.

The grocery stores are still a bit bare. Supply lines have been cut since most came from New Orleans.

Could use another chain saw and fresh blades. Few remain around here.

Time spent cutting trees and setting game plan.

Dennis' brother's house has a foul smelling, black river mud all over the floors. Amazing.

At every turn you notice that there's something you wish you had including better fitting clothes as the sweat turns your garment into a blister creator.

Cell phone reception is very patchy at best.

Church telephone works well and has answering machine - (985) 643-8215.

Electricity and water are up at church building so it becomes the command central.

We took "Arkansas" baths in the sink.

Baby powder is from heaven.

Five of us sleeping in the worship area and children's teaching room, never thought I'd see that.

Displaced family's remnant belongings are scattered in the sunday school room for storage.
Black mother and two children show up in parking lot misdirected from a shelter so we drive them to where they need to go and help them with modest finances.

Tomorrow we continue to clean up and meet up with two families who see insurance adjusters to determine whether their homes are worth rebuilding.

2005-09-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

KATRINA 11

Today is the anniversary of the tragic 9-11 Islamic kamikaze assault on this nation whereby thousands were killed in an urban inferno; catapulting New York into the world’s spotlight. A few weeks ago Katrina’s deadly turbine winds shattered Louisiana, Mississippi and parts of Alabama as hundreds lost their lives and thousands were completely displaced amidst her fury.

During these grieving times the world will ask Christian leaders to make sense out of the aftermath asking questions that everyone wants answered: Why did this happen? What does it mean? What are we to think about this? And where was God?

As a result of teaching a singularity in theological attributes that only focuses on the love of God, the church, for the most part, is left with vague and mysterious proclamations about the ‘unknown will of God’ replying to these questions with the ‘He has a purpose in all of this’ and other such simplistic and incomplete commentaries. The problem with these cliché responses is that they are not fully orbed; they do not take into account what the Scriptures have said. They leave out important truths, namely that God is not only a loving Father, but He is also a consuming fire (Deut. 4:24) who is angry at the wicked and who will judge every man according to His deeds.

God is a just judge and God is angry with the wicked every day. Psalm 7:11

So who are the wicked? The wicked are all of those who sin; those who transgress the Law of God. Here is a partial list of wicked activities: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart the devises ungodly plans, gossiping, backbiting, jealousy, envy, losing your temper, conceit, fornication, lewdness, idolatry and causing strife. (Proverbs 6:16-19; 2Corinthians 12:20-21) It should then be no surprise for us to read Paul’s comments in the book of Romans as he references Psalm 14 where we read:

"As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one." "Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Romans 3:10-19

So if all men are guilty before God because of their anti-god behavior then upon what basis does one stand against the One who made them? How does the created man who is in rebellion against the Creator look to Him in anger when He has exercised right judgment against those who have violated His perfect Law? Has the criminal now become the judge of his violation?

While the wrath of God in the end of all things awaits, we see His sending and allowance of destruction against mankind as Amos wrote, “If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?” Amos 3:6

When we see these tragic events in our history we should see a small picture of what God will reveal fully in the end; however, this revelation of wrath does not come alone. There is also the incredible revelation of Jesus Christ. We can never be ‘good enough’ on our own. Hear the apostle’s words about salvation:

"Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." Romans 4:4-8

We will each see our end either soon or later. Where will you stand before the Lord God Almighty at His judgment throne? I know where I stood, guilty. Yet, Christ lived the perfect life as the Son of God and was crucified at Calvary for the sins of the world as Jesus bore the punishment in his flesh for those who would believe. He rose from the dead proving to the world that He was the messiah who alone can save man from His eternal condemnation. If today you hear His voice calling you to repentance from your sin, flee to the One whose grace and mercy is infinite! Believe on the name of the Lord.

2005-09-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Beginning the Restoration

My brother and I will be going to Slidell, LA on Monday and staying there till Thursday. We will be teaming up with a few congregation members and Dennis Gundersen's team from Grace Bible Church in Tulsa, OK to help cut down trees, clean up debris, administer aid, and deal with six flooded homes. We will have to be using mold masks at times in the homes and my brother and I have gotten tetanus shots given the nature of the work.

Please continue to pray for all of us during this long term trial. There are many opportunities to do God's work amidst the aftermath as people continue to assess and rebuild their lives. Remember what Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 says:

"A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one's birth; Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart."

I pray that the living will take the truth to heart. This event shows us not just one aspect of the Lord's character but all of who He is: His divine authoring of all events (Amos 3:6; Job 36:22-33), His mercy and love (Galatians 6:10; Romans 9:15-16), and His wrath in judgment (Romans 1:18; Psalm 7:11-13).

If any of you would like to join us in Louisiana by praying with those who have been afflicted, coming alongside the sick, comforting the weak, visiting shelters, distributing solid Christ-centered literature, and other hands-on tasks of charity, simply email me and we will arrange it. It is my hope to speak with local officials and other churches in the area while I'm there to get a better understanding as to both the pace of recovery and specific need. Also, keep in mind that our brothers and sisters in Mississippi will need our help as well and we plan on heading there too.

Daniel 4:35 35 - All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"

Proverbs 3:34 - Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

2005-09-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

SGF's Hymn Sing Prelude

As we deal with the repercussions of the hurricane I am reminded of what we sang in our service as a church body. Here are some of the lyrics to Samuel Rodigast's 1676 hymn "What'er My God Ordains Is Right". I've been humming this for a week.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His holy will abideth;
I will be still whate’er He doth;
And follow where He guideth;
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall:
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather,
Now I may know both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.

2005-09-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

Uncertainty Amidst Trials and Joy

We continue to receive donations and gifts and manual labor offers while we have only just now found out about the condition of our church members and neighbors. Assessing the immediate needs is not as easy as it seems. Many folks are two, three, and five hours away from their homes and would have to spend $60 to $100 in gasoline expense just to make one trip to their neighborhoods. For those who have flooded there isn't anything to go back to even if they do get power and water back. And keep in mind that this does not address the infrastructure challenges that exist. What stores are open? If they are open, will they have enough supplies? Determining how the city is going to function and when it will function and how you and your family will function within that unknown is not easily ascertained.

My heart both sings with joy at the graciousness of His people and yet it weeps at the same time. To witness both the joy of the Lord and the wrath of destruction simultaneously within one concentrated region is simply amazing.

What will be extremely important during this time is what people will do a month, two months, and six months down the road. Don't forget long term support.

2005-09-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

Many of you have sent the church or I emails asking us how you can help.

The response that you have shown has been tremendous. We appreciate your prayers and help and thank God for your generosity, love, and faithfulness.

Our biggest need will be financially as many of us won’t have any income for quite some time. Food and gas are the biggest expenses as many have now found housing and refuge with family, friends, or good neighbors for extended stays.

As we develop a list of specific needs we will post them on our blogs so that you can know exactly where the needs are and how you can assist directly.

We pledge to you that we will be good stewards of your resources therefore whatever you give will go straight to local needs.

Join us in praying that His grace will be seen through our efforts and that all will see the glory of His grace found in Christ.

2005-09-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

Recon Report

Our recon to the Northshore went well. We
left at 6:30 a.m. and headed down east on Hwy 84 to Summit and then southbound on I-55 where we connected eastbound at I-12. We had no trouble getting into the Mandeville/Covington, Slidell, and Pearl River areas. Many electricity company bucket trucks were rolling down the roads in military fashion and the parking lots of Home Depot / Lowe’s were filled with flatbeds, pickups, and citizens looking for
materials to begin the repairs needed to reoccupy their homes.

A few grocery stores were open on the outskirts of the towns like the Winn Dixie off of Hwy 59
in Mandeville and select convenience stores are available. The McDonald’s in Summit, MS packed out with people scurrying around like ants on a discarded crumb. While in was line I met a woman with a two year old boy who was weeping and attempting to cover up her emotion. After she sat down to eat I went over to her to see what the matter was. She had been separated from her husband during the exodus and just found out via a patchy cell connection that her seventy-five year old housekeeper in New Orleans had been found dead. Even in the midst of freedom and protection and grace in her escape came a bitter reminder of misery.

Electricity is on in particular areas, mostly around central business zones and interstate highways and none of it was on in the residential areas that we could see. The water was working in the Mandeville - Deerfield subdivision when we visited my wife’s uncle’s house. Overall, Deerfield was not devastated - several homes had severe tree damage while other dwellings were not touched. We arrived a day after many crews and residents had already cleared paths on previously impassable roads. Power lines hung like spaghetti strings on bent and cracked Popsicle sticks and the ground is lined with a mesh of twigs, leaves, and pine needles.

I received many emails and posts asking me about damage reports in certain subdivisions and areas. Let me make this statement in light of those requests:

A good or bad report about a particular area does not give you accurate information about your home. Damage in the area is extremely specific. One home will have a forty foot pine tree guillotine slicing it in two while a neighbor’s home has only debris in the yard.

Hence, the only way to truly know about your property is to actually see it firsthand.

Our biggest challenge was gasoline since not only have the costs risen to $3 per gallon but finding gas is very difficult and when you do you find a place to refuel, you just might end up running on empty and patience as you sit in a very long hour plus wait. With this in mind we planned our trip so that we could make it in and back on one tank. As a result we were not able to see all that we wanted to visit.

Next on our excursion was Slidell. One thing we became immediately aware of was that although the destruction, flooding, and damage were real; many things were inaccurately reported. For example, Outback Steakhouse showed no signs of a fire, the Bowling USA building on Robert Road was not in two pieces, and RaceTrac on Gause is severely damaged but not leveled. That being said, the town did get hit hard. What the news reports don’t tell you is that these towns and cities are not cookie cut. One part of the same subdivision may flood while the other side does not. One section of a town may be underwater while a few miles away they are dry, but have severe wind damage. As mentioned earlier the destruction is extremely specific.

On I-12 are digital signs notifying you that I-10 East to New Orleans is closed off and within Slidell at the old Wal-mart parking lot is the Army National Guard overseeing the dispensing of MREs, water, and ice. Big signs were scattered in ditches and many buildings had pieces hanging off of them. We went to our church building and found our sign snapped in half, the roof damaged, both of our trees uprooted, the fence surrounding the property knocked down and minor flooding in the foyer of the building. Considering the wind and water beast that rolled over town we fared well.

My brother’s home was built on stilts and is located near the Pearl River around Davis Landing and had three feet of flood water running under it. Trees and massive limbs just missed the house with only one large pine tree crushing his front fence and blocking the entry to his driveway.

In Magnolia Forest we found my house with a hardwood tree resting on the roof over my bedroom and what looked like a Tasmanian loblolly pine explosion. Across from the subdivision along Military was a tornado wind path where about one hundred pine trees had their tops snapped off as they laid mostly still attached in isosceles angles. Several of the homes had been sledge hammered including my shed in the backyard. It was smashed by a severed pine. My one hundred and twenty foot concrete driveway was invisible underneath a jungle of tree and limb parts. The Honda Civic I left parked parallel to my garage door was in good shape. I covered it with a tarp and secured the covering with full cords and tie downs but the wind simply peeled that vain attempt back exposing the car to intense wind and rain. We went inside to inspect, cleaning out the freezer and refrigerator of quickly rotting foods and there doesn’t seem to be any water damage inside.

It will take weeks to clean, clear, and begin to get things back to order. All around this area are people in need of one thing or another and it is our goal to help them all as much as possible. Sovereign Grace is assembling all of the offers of help that have been coming in as many wish to support local church efforts instead of the more broad and generic Red Cross/Unity Way-type of support believing that the resources they provide will be directly administered to the community in a more timely and efficient manner.

We will see to it that we faithfully dispense what is given to us to those who need it, ministering to the community as the needs are made known to us. We are still diligently attempting to locate our congregants and assess their specific needs as communications are still sketchy and unreliable. Our phone number here in Natchez at the Louisiana Katrina Refugee Camp is (601) 442 – 8764.

Continue to pray for us as stress levels are high and everyone is on edge. Today my parents and sister and brother in law are supposed to join our living quarters bringing us up to nine adults and seven children.

2005-09-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

Washington St. - Natchez - Lousiana Refugee Camp

We spoke with a man today who said that we can get to our homes to assess the damage firsthand since none of the news reports are showing or telling what we need to know.

My wife's uncle, my brother, and myself will be going down to Mandeville, Slidell, Pearl River, and Lacombe to check on ours and others homes as well as our church building.

We will give you a report of what we find when we can. Keep praying for us and all the others.

The grace and love shown to us by all of you is overwhelming.

There have been looters and misfits running amuk in the land so pray for safety. Taurus, Smith, and Wesson will be handling our security.

2005-09-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

Katrina Evacuation

We fled from Katrina’s wrath Sunday morning with my four girls, my brother and his family of three more children, and our friend Laura. None of us had a clue as to what was in store for us other than the prospect of another large storm heading our way.

We hit the back roads as the main arteries and interstate highways were in contra-flow emergency mode and we didn’t want to get stuck in the midst of a few thousand automobiles. Our destination was NNW as my wife’s uncle had made reservations for us for a few nights at the Ramada Inn Hilltop on the Mississippi River in Natchez Mississippi. What was normally a two to three hour trip took us nearly six and a half hours.

Staying in the hotels and on the road is very expensive particular when you are trying to feed five adults and seven children so as we heard more and more grim news in regards to the devastation in New Orleans and the Slidell area we knew that our stay was going to be much longer than we thought and with limited financial resources we simply prayed for provision, wisdom, and strength.

At about one o’clock on Tuesday of this week my wife’s uncle and his girlfriend were in a park near downtown Natchez and a woman approached them, asking questions about their cats who were both in kitty carriers. When they explained that they were fleeing the storm she asked about accommodations and soon offered them possible refuge.

I only know her as Jeanette and her husband is a retired dentist in Natchez and she was actively pursuing refugees in the city to see what she could do for them. We took her up on a her offer to go see a house and we were directed to Bob and Kathy Siezemore who have just moved up the street and have a vacant home available. What an incredible answer to prayer! The house is an old home in historic Natchez and has three bedrooms and is very spacious but has been closed up for a few months so needed to be cleaned.

We spent most of Wednesday moving boxes around and cleaning up clutter, dust, debris and readying the residence for occupation.

The children still think they are on a vacation even though the older girls know a bit more, but they don’t really understand. In fact, I don’t think us adults really understand that our entire lives have been put on hold, turn upside down, shaken sideways, and that perhaps our homes don’t exist. We have not gotten word on our specific area and home situation and are not allowed back in to the neighborhoods yet so we wait in hope and dread hearing more news on the television.

My brother rigged up an old TV with a coat hanger antenna so we can see some news and we still have no telephone either by land line or cell. I’m using my laptop right now to type this on the steps of a neighbor’s house borrowing some wifi bandwidth.

Our church is more than likely destroyed by both wind and water and we are in the process of still trying to locate all of our members to see what their needs are. You can view our church’s site at www.sgfellowship.org to read a blog that’s been setup there to serve as an update as well.

That’s all for now, I will try to update this blog as I can and let you know of our needs.

Alpha and Omega Ministries has set up a donation account for us here: www.aomin.org/index.php?itemid=625

Our biggest needs will be food and utilities. I am currently locating a refrigerator in the neighborhood for the twelve of us and the people here have been amazing; a true neighborhood of charity.

Our mailing address is : The Louisiana Katrina Refugee Camp 819 Washington St. Natchez, MS 39120

This has been an incredible time for us to see God answer prayer. Amidst the desolation, anger, hurt, death, destruction and chaos He never sleeps nor discontinues His graciousness.