Articles by Cecily McIlwain

Bouncers had the privilege of experiencing a glimpse of heaven this week as the Church came together to be the fullest expression of God’s boundless love and grace.

It’s been a year and a half since Hurricane Harvey pummeled through South Texas. Damage lingers and volunteers are still needed to continue restoration. That is why this year’s Spring Break BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery volunteers focused recovery efforts in the affected area.

Texas Baptist Missions Foundation Council broke a record this year, giving more funds to help churches and support Texas Baptists missions and ministries for 2019 than ever before.

BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery’s mission is to restore hope, rebuild communities and reflect Christ. In 2019, they will do that by giving students the opportunity to be a part of the continued disaster recovery work for Hurricane Harvey, as well as new efforts to partner with church starts in Texas.

Throughout the vast expansion of land, Robert Wheat, the director of missions for the association, wanted the churches to have a mobile resource to reach people in need of the Gospel. After months of dreaming, Wheat envisioned a ‘Life Trailer’ that was mobile and versatile for churches to utilize in reaching their communities.

Blue tarps still cover roofs in need of repair in communities like Rockport, near Corpus Christi, and Bevil Oaks, north of Beaumont. Abandoned homes are interspersed among the remodeled on many streets. One year after Category 4 Hurricane Harvey wrecked and ravaged the Gulf Coast of Texas from August 25-September 1, 2017, signs of renewal and hope are evident in the Texas Baptists churches serving along that path of the storm.

Texas Baptists are taking the Good News across the state, country and world, reported Dr. David Hardage during his Executive Director’s Report at the 2018 Family Gathering Monday evening.

Today marks the end of the final Bounce Summer 2018 Mission! It’s been a good week in the Rockport area as Bouncers finish up their projects. This week 250 students from eleven churches helped to rebuild the Rockport community.

Randy Beggs, the Worship Speaker, has been leading students through Acts. Beggs has been focusing challenging Bouncers to rethink what it means to be a witness for Christ. On Tuesday evening, Beggs explained to Bouncers that being a witness for Christ can be awkward, because the world’s purposes are different than Christ’s purposes. On Thursday evening Beggs challenged students to be a witness for Christ anytime, anywhere and to anyone.

On a hot and humid July day, a group of Bounce Student Volunteers arrived at Ms. Longoria’s home willing to repair her roof for free. The students were not merely offering Ms. Longoria their labor at no cost to her, but they had actually raised $279 to participate in Bounce for the week! A week of their summer and $279 per student seemed like a small price to pay when the students realized that Ms. Longoria would not have been able to receive help any other way.