by Dan Lamb
The BBFI Builders are such a valued piece of the NCPO team. The main purpose of the BBFI Builders has been to help baby churches get into their first buildings. In the fall of 1999 Brent Anderson, the former BBFI Builder director, and Jack Reed made the first tentative steps to assemble this team of builder missionaries. Through the years we have had sometimes more and sometimes fewer builder missionary families, and at times we have had up to ten couples and singles working with the ministry.
They travel across the country, living out of motor homes and trailers, moving from state to state, helping our churches with construction needs. I can only imagine how helpful it would have been to have the Builders in Hillsboro in 1975 when we started out!
Not only do our Builders build with their own hands, but they also generate volunteers, both from the church they are working on and from other churches. It is very common to hear of teams coming from other states to volunteer on a project.
The savings of God’s money on these projects is something to be excited about! These are just a few recent projects from the last year.
- In Joplin, MO, Faith Baptist Church completed their new building in January 2013 after it was destroyed in a tornado. The Builders saved the church $450,000.
- Lighthouse Baptist of Chillicothe, OH, experienced an estimated savings of $180,000. Lighthouse Baptist of Xenia, OH, has estimated savings of $150,000 on work done so far.
- Fellowship Baptist Church of Winamac, IN, has an estimated savings of $220,000.
We are grateful to see the Lord adding to the BBFI Builders family. Mike and Anita Barton from Homer, LA, have joined the team and are now raising their support to get on the road to building. Each builder raises support for his family, just like a missionary would.
Some churches’ projects have required a construction manager who could take a building out of the ground all the way to completion. Craig Miller, one of our Builders, stepped up to this need and has been a real help to churches.
Our Builders are now scattered about our nation working on a variety of projects, but we are preparing to gather in Jackson, MS, to help Pastor Bill Fluker renovate the church’s first building.
I just can’t say enough good about these families. The BBFI Builders have had their hands on all four churches started out of my home church, Hillsboro Bible Baptist Church, and they would love to provide the same help for you. Please contact our office at (417) 536-8826 or email us at office@bbfincpo.com for more information or to be put in contact with the BBFI Builders.