The tragedy that struck Appalachia has stirred up a profound emotional response within the local communities and throughout the country. Digging out mud, cleaning debris and donating are just a few contributions volunteers have made. In response, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association deployed chaplains from their Rapid Response Team to minister to homeowners.
Read MoreHurricane Katrina’s destruction in 2005 to New Orleans and surrounding areas prompted a yearslong response by Southern Baptist churches and Disaster Relief personnel, with volunteer recruitment for the latter spiking up to 80,000. Coy Webb, director for Send Relief Crisis Response, wouldn’t be surprised to see something similar for the damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Read MoreNearly 20 years after responding to Katrina, a 44-year-old preacher in Asheville, North Carolina, is putting that experience to use. His city of nearly 100,000 was devastated by Hurricane Helene — part of a trail of destruction the storm left through six states in the Southeast.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I thought the Google Maps website could provide me with crucial information for this post. Alas, that was not the case. I thought that I could call up a map of Burnsville, North Carolina, and then, after enlarging it, I would be able to count all the Baptist churches between I-26 near Mars Hill and Burnsville on U.S. Highway 19 — but very few of them showed up.
Read MoreThe Pinewood Church of Christ in Nunnelly, Tenn., had to rebuild after devastating floods swamped the Volunteer State in May 2010. More than a decade later, a deluge again has ravaged the Hickman County congregation’s meeting place.
