SWANNANOA, N.C. (BP) — As a student minister in Deland, Fla., Jeff Dowdy led a group of teenagers to Metairie, La., to join the cleanup response after Hurricane Katrina. He was at his church, Stetson Baptist, when four hurricanes rolled through his city in just over a month’s time in 2004.

For the last 11 years Dowdy has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Swannanoa. Dowdy and others recently saw first-hand the damage brought by the swollen river that shares his town’s name.

He knows the disaster relief response, now into its second week, has only just begun.

“The river became about a half-mile wide,” he told Baptist Press. “Anything near it was destroyed or damaged. People are still trying to figure out what’s left. Some homes washed downriver and others became inundated with water. Right now, we’re just trying to get help and products into people’s hands.”

The heaviness of the situation, Dowdy said, is starting to sink in.

“People seem to be moving into a stage of shock where you realize what’s ahead, whether rebuilding or starting from scratch,” he said.

Giving water, hygiene supplies and cleaning products is important, but so is the true mission of his church — presenting the gospel. It hasn’t taken a backseat and, in fact, appears to be part of a plan First Baptist put in action several years ago.

Put in position

A Texan who ended up in North Carolina, Dowdy entered his first pastorate at First Baptist of Swannanoa and began to think of how routine affects people. Routine can be good, but it can also lead to complacency.

“We can get locked into administrative duties, sermon prep, visitation, casting vision and other things that are part of ministry,” he said, adding that churches can also become too much about providing materials and become more akin to a relief center.

The church reset in 2018 to have a vision for its community and reach 140 families with the gospel by 2025. That effort over the last few years has included outreaches such as a bus providing dental care, a drive-through Thanksgiving lunch, a clothes closet and church-hosted block parties.

Connections made during that time proved providential in recent days.

“I feel like the Lord prepared us for this,” Dowdy said. “We ministered back then in many ways to meet needs, but not to the scale we are today.”

Dowdy lives about 10 minutes from the church. His neighborhood experienced numerous fallen trees blocking his way there.

“It took a while to cut our way out,” he said.

Power has been restored to the church building. Sunday worship brought thanks, but also prayers for those continuing to dig out and clean up. 

While electricity has returned, other needs remain. Dowdy has heard it could be after Thanksgiving before water is restored.

“We’re continuing to provide that for people,” he said. “Of course, we’re also praying with them and teaching about the Lord.”

Events like Helene’s destruction tend to get people to think about eternity. You’re caught off guard in many ways and in those times the local church seems to always step up. That includes not only what the church delivers, but its various partnerships that are part of the effort.

Next year marks First Baptist’s 140^th anniversary, which was the motivation behind a renewed effort to reach the area.

“God has put us in this position to minister here,” said Dowdy. “About a month ago our vision team was meeting and the word ‘community’ kept coming back to us, both in how it relates to inside and outside the church. We want to leverage our building for our community. God has opened the doors in a wide way.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.)