Every Southern Baptist Church is an independent, autonomous, self-governing congregation, and Evangelical efforts do nothing to expand the local church.

Volunteer locally, with no payback?

Maybe you mean by establishing and financing a new congregation in a predominately Black neighborhood in Tampa, with a Black minister.

Or financially rescuing the only church on Davis Islands several years ago as it was being forced to close because it was so deep in debt.

Or, revitalizing another failing church in the Ballast Point area.

Or, establishing a Spanish language service church, using our facilities for their services.

Or, operating a mission church in Sulphur Springs where our pastor goes to preach a sermon every Sunday, after already preaching in our own facility twice that morning. This would be in the poorest section of the Springs, where our members visit the area and try to physically improve the living conditions of the residents.

And guess what. Our members also periodically go to the Sheriff's Office District III office and provide meals for the deputies. In the last few weeks we even went out and washed their patrol cars to express our appreciation for their service.

And today, this very moment, there are uncounted numbers of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers in Texas, providing thousands of hot meals every day to victims of the Hurricane and record rains that are pounding the area. Our volunteers are unpaid, and will never accept payment for what they do for the disaster victims.

Consider that perhaps you do not know whereof you speak.


Carl in Tampa

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