Pastor and Assistant Chief Serve in Maui Fire, Sharing Christ with Haitians & Trends in the Local Church

Henry Lindo, serves as both pastor of Kaunakakai Baptist Church and assistant chief of operations for the Maui County Fire Department.

Lindo, who has served with the Maui County Fire Department for 28 years, told Baptist Press he and the department have never experienced anything like the recent wildfires on the island.

Lindo, who became assistant chief of operations in December 2021, said 15 firefighters and four ocean safety officers with the department were among the thousands who lost their homes in the fires.

Despite this, Lindo said many lives were miraculously saved through the heroic efforts of the force.

And through it all, Lindo has done what he always has – relied on God to help him lead the force.
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Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in Delray, Florida is trying to serve Haitians and share the hope of Christ with the island nation. Church member Michelle Arney Monthervil sees great value in helping her home country of Haiti.

Monthervil was among about 50 members of the Haitian congregation that packed food and handwritten messages of hope for Haiti in cooperation with the evangelical humanitarian ministry Food for the Poor (FFTP). Each of the 658 food kits will feed an average family of four for week, FFTP said.

Haiti is suffering a hunger crisis intensified by rampant gang violence centered in Port-au-Prince and political insecurity continuing since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. Adding to the crisis is the reemergence of Cholera, stemming from fuel shortages that hindered water treatment efforts, FFTP said.
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Lifeway Research says there are encouraging trends in the local church. Aaron Earls writes that local church are seeing attendance to continue to rebound.

He says a recent study reveals volunteerism is up in the local church. Prior to the pandemic, 45% of the congregation volunteered regularly. That fell to just 15% in 2021 before increasing slightly to 20% in 2022. By 2023, however, volunteering is up to 35% of regular participants.

In addition, he says church leaders are optimistic. Around 4 in 5 say they have a positive outlook for their congregation’s future, including 45% who say they are very positive. Far fewer say their perception is neither positive nor negative (9%), somewhat negative (9%), or very negative (2%).

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