Work projects bring unity among local churches

“There was a lot of work to be done and a long list of things that needed repair and improvement,” said John Durham, pastor of First Baptist Irving. “The list included new flooring, new painting, new landscaping, cleaning, organizing, hauling away old things and small repairs.”
The work day not only made a difference on the building and grounds at Calvary Baptist Church, but it also brought renewed vision to the congregation while increasing their ability to make an impact on the community.
“We were amazed to see the number of people who chose to give of their time to help,” said Daniel Litchford, pastor of Calvary Baptist. “It was incredible to see so many people who were willing to do so much work and to do it joyfully. It was a great encouragement and example. During the work day, many people also offered to help in other ways in the future.”
Leadership from both churches emphasized their common goal of working together and bringing glory to God.
“Our greatest hope is that the name of Jesus would be enlarged,” Durham said. “We not only wanted to help Calvary Baptist for the short term, but we are committed for the long haul with them. We want them to know that we are not only in the same city, but in the same Kingdom with them. Our campuses and staffing are very different, and we are even in different state conventions, but we are pressing the gospel forward together. We both desire to share the gospel with our city and want to see light penetrate the darkness.”
Anthony Ball, missions director at First Baptist Irving, agreed.
“This is what the body of Christ is supposed to look like: brothers and sisters in Christ, laboring together to serve one another and love each other through humility, as a family,” Ball said. “We want Jesus Christ to be glorified and want to live out John 13:35, when Jesus tells us that we will be known as his disciples if we love one another.
“From this massive work project, we hope that Calvary Baptist Church will be able to spend their future time and resources sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the apartment complexes and homes in their vicinity. At the end of the day, we want the city of Irving to see that Bible-believing, Christ-worshipping churches work together to accomplish a singular purpose -- to share the love of Christ with those around us.”