Texas Baptists assist FBC Mineral Wells following tornado damage

MINERAL WELLS – A tornado tore through downtown Mineral Wells on Tuesday, May 19, damaging First Baptist Church, along with several local businesses. The next day, Texas Baptists were on-hand ready to help in a myriad of ways. David Scott, director of Texas Baptists Disaster Recovery, Chris Liebrum, director of Cooperative Program, and Joe Loughlin, director of Connections, traveled to the church to provide support and meet with Pastor Nathan Buchanan.

Additionally, a team from Texas Baptists Church Architecture assessed the structural damage sustained to the Welcome Center, Youth Room, and Family Life Center. The team was able to immediately connect FBC with a structural engineer who will provide consultation later in the week and Texas Baptist Men (TBM) were also on-site assisting with debris removal.

"At the end of the day, I felt the same way the first day we were in West following the explosion – overwhelmed with how much still had to be done but a sense of peace knowing that Texas Baptists will make it happen," Loughlin said. "This is a picture of how the organization Texas Baptists have put together is truly a full-service provider."

Texas Baptists staffers were able to provide the church with some financial assistance through Disaster Recovery to assist with immediate needs as they arise.

"The funds that we have available are there because of the on-going giving of Texas Baptists," Loughlin said. "We were ready to help them immediately because of the gifts of so many through the Cooperative Program. Just as FBC Mineral Wells has given faithfully through the years to help other churches, now we are able step in and support them in their time of need."

Texas Baptists will continue to provide support to the First Baptist Church as they begin the process of repair in the coming months. This summer, BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery will spend a week in Mineral Wells doing construction projects, which may now include assistance at the church following this disaster.