Letters to the editor

For the past two-and-one-half years I've introduced myself as Refugee, since I was one of several hundred thousand persons displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Living 85 miles away from your church-field for two-and-one-half years can be a challenge, but, this former Refugee can indeed testify with conviction that with God's help we can do all things.

In the aftermath of Katrina I've seen both misery and miracles! One miracle is the continued effort of Southern Baptist leaders as they encourage and exhort volunteers from across the nation to rebuild and restore (2,500) homes and (25) churches in Louisiana's hurricane devastated areas. First Baptist Church, Chalmette, the church that I have served for the past 17 years, is the largest of these 25 volunteer church rebuild projects.

The first purpose of this letter is to simply say, "Thank You!" to Southern Baptists across the nation for your continued prayers and for your continued support for our reconstruction and recovery. Here's a miracle: in the last ten months God has blessed FBC-Chalmette by sending 2,500-3,000 volunteers from 224 congregations in 31 states to help us with the First Baptist project. We can never say "Thank You!" enough to the many volunteers who have come.

A second purpose of this letter is to share that the work is not yet done. First Baptist, Chalmette, at this writing is about sixty-percent complete. In St. Bernard Parish, where our church is located, only one of our SBC churches is meeting in its original sanctuary, and they rededicated that facility a full two years after Katrina. Our church currently meets with a sister church in a high school cafeteria. Another fast-growing mission church actually meets in the pastor's garage. The Body of Christ lies wounded in our beloved St. Bernard Parish. More than half of all Christian evangelical churches have been destroyed and will never return.

There is still great misery here, brethren, still great misery. It is impossible to describe the damage that remains in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina or the volume of work that we are attempting in reconstruction. For more than two-and-one-half years, many, many people have been and are still living in FEMA trailers, under bridges, in tents, under the stars in public parks and/or in vacant, uninhabitable mudded-out houses.

Which leads me to share the third and final purpose of this letter: As your church, association or other mission groups begin looking for places to serve this year, your consideration in coming to this area would be very much appreciated.

For further information, you can go online to FBC Chalmette's website http://www.fbcchalmette.org to see pictures of that project.

Having been a music minister since 1989 and growing up in a traditional church setting, I have great appreciation for the hymns of our faith. Many churches are doing a great job of ministering to all people by using music that is upbeat, relevant, and theologically sound. Publishers today with SBC backgrounds (G3 Worship & LifeWay) are giving us new hymns and singable contemporary arrangements, arranged to keep the choir strong in church. In our last three musicals, songs were nearly verbatim from the Scriptures: "How Great Thou Art," and "Man of Sorrows" and contemporary tunes of: "Salvation Is Here," "How Great Is Our God," and "Come to The Cross." Most of today's chorus music we use includes verse and refrains, just like the hymns I grew up on. In nearly 10 years of ministry at my church, I have very few "notes in the plate" and "voice mails about loud music." We offer a more traditional service on Sunday, and a well blended, upbeat service. We're adding an off campus, contemporary style. I believe we are being God pleasing and meeting the music style needs of our people.

I remember "Because He Lives" and "Pass It On" introduced for the first time in the SBC church, eyebrows raised over the "newsong." Pastor Jim Shaddix reminded us at Ridgecrest in 2006, "music ministers must be theologians." There are plenty of songs, choruses/ contemporary tunes, southern gospel, and even hymns that don't line up with Scripture. So, let me assure the letter writers of the last month of this fact: Many are teaching the "great truths of God in our music" using great hymns of our past and present.