Louisiana Baptist pastors used social media a day after Hurricane Ida as a means to encourage members and others impacted by the powerful storm.
Though most remain without power and have a lot of cleaning up to do, the Louisiana Baptist Message reported that many pastors took to social media with messages of hope in spite of the damage wrought by Ida.
Dennis Watson, lead pastor of Celebration Church in Metairie, encouraged his members and others to stay strong. All of the church’s eight campuses had some damage, including the Kenner campus building that lost a roof and the River Parishes campus facility in LaPlace that took in water.
“We will get through this,” he wrote. “The Lord has brought us back from destruction in times past, and He will do so again. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10: ‘We think you ought to know … about the trouble we went through. … We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God. … And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us.’”
Dean Ross, pastor of Family Church NOLA in Kenner, which was in the path of the eye of the hurricane, said his church and the area will be resilient and persevere. The church’s playground was heavily damaged and the building took in significant water.
‘My hope is great’
“My heart is heavy but my hope is great,” he wrote. “My confidence in the days ahead couldn’t be greater. Restoration is here. His name is JESUS! We will make it & we will move ahead TOGETHER AS FAMILY. ‘Weeping may stay overnight, but there is JOY in the morning.’ -Psalm 30:5.”
Corey Olivier, director of the New Orleans Metro Baptist Collegiate Ministries that encompasses Tulane University, Loyola University, the University of New Orleans and Leavell College — all with campuses in New Orleans — encouraged his students through the GroupMe messaging app.
“Dear BCM, What a day/night we have gone through. Some of you went through it first hand while many of us went through it from a distance. In an hour or so the daylight will peer through the clouds and what has been covered by darkness will be made light. It will be a humbling, frightening, and depressing sight to see. This is not the time to lose heart or hope. This is exactly the time that those who are in Christ have the opportunity to be the greatest reflectors of Gospel in both word and deed. Our ministry may look different in the weeks and months ahead. Our mission will never change. Obviously it is too soon to determine what our exact next steps are. So, with that in mind we, ‘Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.’ (Ps. 27:14)”
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Click here to read more comments from Louisiana Baptist pastors and get the latest news on Hurricane Ida cleanup and recovery efforts in Louisiana.
New Orleans Seminary reports tree, roof damage; 2-3 week cleanup expected
In an update posted Monday evening (Aug. 30), officials at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary reported extensive tree damage on campus, along with shingles missing from several buildings.
The campus will open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday (8/31) through Friday (9/3) for campus residents to check their properties. No one will be allowed to stay overnight on campus, the post said.
NOBTS President Jamie Dew said campus residents will have to be displaced from campus for at least a week or two and possibly up to 3 weeks – until power is restored.
Students who need assistance with a place to stay are advised to contact the Dean of Students Office (dos@nobts.edu). Faculty members should contact their dean or associate dean for help with a place to stay. Staff members should contact their supervisor for temporary housing information.
