If You Are Coming To Help Us Rebuild New Orleans….
1. Thank you very much. Over the 2 years since Katrina, we have been so blessed by church groups (as well as individuals) from all over America who have come this way at their own expense and at great inconvenience to themselves. Trust me, we know how blessed we are.
2. Here is the contact information for me personally and for our association, in case you have more questions or need more information.
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS
2222 Lakeshore Driver, New Orleans, LA 70122
Office phone: 504 282 1428
Associational website: www.bagnola.org
My personal website: joe[-at-]joemckeever.com
My cell phone number: 504 615 0149
3. If you have not been to New Orleans since Katrina and are considering bringing a group in to work or minister, may I suggest you come on a scouting trip in advance (or have someone else come). It will help to see what the condition of the city is, where your group will be staying and working, what the accommodations are, etc. The airline service is great (finally!), so in many cases you can arrive in the morning, take the tour and see all you need to see, then fly home in the evening.
4. The North American Mission Board’s ministry in New Orleans is called “Operation NOAH Rebuild.” Their phone number is 504 362 4604. The office is located at Calvary Baptist Church in the Algiers section of New Orleans, and Dianne Gahagan is the office manager. Her husband Steve is the construction coordinator. David Maxwell is another leader whom we appreciate so much.
For over a year, NOAH has been housing volunteers in the World Trade Center in downtown New Orleans, but the contract has expired and future teams will be housed at the Hopeview Church site in St. Bernard Parish. They have beds and excellent provisions for nearly 200 persons a night. The NOAH office can give you information and make arrangements. They will help your group find houses to rebuild, etc.
5. The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, located at 3939 Gentilly Boulevard in the Gentilly section of the city, has a full-service program called “MissionLab.” They will house your group on campus in the Nelson Price Building, provide all meals, transportation, leadership, Bible studies, and everything. Call the seminary at 504/282-4455 and ask for MissionLab.
6. “Baptist Crossroads” is a joint venture of the First Baptist Church of New Orleans with Habitat for Humanity. See their website at www.baptistcrossroads.com. For the next several years, they will be erecting new homes in the hard-hit Ninth Ward of New Orleans, and will have great needs for teams of volunteers. At the end of their website you will find their contact information.
7. Some of our churches are set up to host church teams coming to the city. You will need to contact them directly and make arrangements. Each situation is a little different. Some charge a small fee to help with expenses; others rely on donations.
Oak Park Baptist Church, located at 1110 Kabel in the Algiers section of New Orleans (on the West Bank, across the river from downtown), is set up to accommodate a large number of volunteers. Phone 504/392-1818. (They’re presently without a pastor. Dr. Jerry Barlow is interim. Sara Parnell runs the church office.)
Highland Baptist Church at the intersection of Cleary and Rayne in Metairie can host smaller groups of volunteers. Scott Smith is pastor. Their phone is 504/833-2772.
Vieux Carre’ Baptist Church, located in the heart of the French Quarter, one block over from Bourbon Street, is located at 711 Dauphine Street. Greg Hand is pastor. This church has been set up for many years to host church teams that wish to minister (witness) in the Quarter. Phone 504/523-7335.
8. Churches wishing to bring in groups for more traditional ministries (backyard Bible clubs, block parties, or other evangelistic activities) and wanting to connect with a church, may contact David Rhymes in our associational office. David is an evangelism strategist with NAMB, and has lived in this city many years. His email is drhymes[-at-]namb.net, and he can be reached through our associational office 504/282-1428.
A quick story for you. Dennis Watson, pastor of Celebration Church in Metairie, tells of a Christian businessman who moved to New Orleans several years ago to begin a new business. He checked into a downtown hotel and spent the day walking around the city. That night as he knelt by his bed in prayer, God spoke to him. Later, he joined Dennis’ church and told him what God said.
God said He was about to do something in New Orleans not seen since the days of Jonah. Dennis told the man, “In Nineveh, every man, woman, and child turned to the Lord. If God were to do that here, New Orleans would have to be broken.”
We now have a broken city. But many thousands of our people are more open to the Lord than they have ever been. Almost daily we get reports of visiting church teams leading our citizens to Christ. This is a historic opportunity and one that will not be with us forever. We must act quickly.
Please ask people to “Pray Big” for New Orleans. We have massive needs and will continue to do so for many years. John Newton, who wrote “Amazing Grace,” spoke about this kind of “big” praying—
Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring.
For His grace and power are such
None can ever ask too much.
Thank you.