Orlando Church Has “FANTASTIC” OIAM

September 29 was a red letter day for Operation Inasmuch.  On that day David Crocker conducted a Training event for 35 people and 18 churches in Winston-Salem, NC.  Simultaneously, Hal Melton, a recently employed OIAM Trainer conducted another Training event in the Raleigh, NC, area for 53 people and 22 churches.  Simultaneous to these events, First Baptist Sweetwater, Longwood, FL (a bedroom community N of Orlando) conducted their first OIAM with 70% of their Sunday attendance involved.  “To have so much going on with the Ministry at the same time marks a turning point for the Ministry,” says David Crocker, Executive Director.  “It means we have grown sufficiently to be able to meet the growing demands for help from churches in different places, and we expect to continue this growth indefinitely.”

The Sweetwater congregation had about 350 of their members involved in their OIAM or about 70% of their average weekend attendance!  They conducted 30 projects including visits to 4 nursing homes, 16 home repair projects, yard work for seniors, a bicycle project in which used bicycles were repaired and delivered to a benevolent agency to be given away, and many others.

One project was especially noteworthy.  A residence in the community had been cited by the County for violations of residential appearance laws and had accumulated $92,000 in fines—more than a year at $250/day (see picture).  The Sweetwater youth spent the day cleaning up the yard and, as a result, the County forgave all but $250 in fines.  The youth filled 3 full-sized dumpsters with brush and trash.

The Sunday following their OIAM, FBC used their morning worship time to celebrate what God did with and through them the day before.  Project leaders shared what took place at each project and the entire congregation drank deeply from the cup of joy and meaningfulness as they rejoiced at being the hands and feet of Jesus in their community.

Dennis Shipp, Chair of the church’s Missions Committee and the OIAM Planning Team says, “Operation Inasmuch has been the largest impact our church has ever made on our community.  We had people involved in this event who are almost never involved in anything.  Operation Inasmuch has helped our members look outward instead of inward.

Lynn Latham, Church and Community Minster with the Greater Orlando Baptist Association was at the church and offered this observation:  “I was running around listening to people and their stories and taking pictures on Saturday. Sweetwater had a truly FANTASTIC experience.”  She indicated that an effort has already begun to recruit churches from throughout Orlando to do OIAM next spring.

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