Faith Temple; U.N.I.T.E. "Focus on the Family"

Anyone who has read this writers column for any length of due time you are aware that I have a great love for Bell County and I always describe Bell County as a County of two Cities, Pineville and Middlesboro. I don’t believe in the self promotion of one city over the other and I am bothered by the lack of vision and respect I hear, anytime I an elected city official of any position talks about their city without mentioning the value and relationship to Bell County. We are all in this together, and it may very well be that Bell County will never achieve greater advancement for her citizens until we have covenant relationships where we commit to promote each other, believing that if one advances that this will assist the other. The same principal works in church growth. If one church grows locally, that is positive news, because that means opportunity exist for the others, if willing to go after it and become a part of the solution.
A couple months ago I wrote about a unique opportunity that the Bell County Board of Education had to partner with U.N.I.T.E. and Focus on he Family. The “opportunity” of this connection was made possible because of the leadership of Shawn Baker, Senior Pastor of the Ministries of Faith Temple Church. The “opportunity” was unique because it would have provided the citizens of Bell County a chance to tap into the resources provided by the National Ministry of Focus on the Family and unique because Bell County would have been the leader of efforts to establish this new faith program throughout the 5th Congressional District. Yes, I believe the old Ward Chapel School Property would have been perfect for such an endeavor and the motives of the congregation at Faith Temple were also proper and had the county as a whole in mind under the vision of this effort. I am not afraid to applaud the efforts of any individual or organization that attempts to make a difference with a vision for all of us. No fear if they be a republican or a democrat, live in one of the cities or in the county. I applaud efforts and vision from all denominations as well. Sure, I am a Baptist, but I believe the work of Darrell Lowe and Lighthouse Mission has been a great asset to Bell County, and I know of others that agree. I am thankful for Methodist and Presbyterian churches that have opened their doors for meetings of small groups and support groups for issues related to the battle against drugs that affect all of us.
Personally I wanted to see Bell County be there leader in this new faith effort within U.N.I.T.E. Why? Because before U.N.I.T.E. there were two efforts that provided for the foundation of that program and they began here in Bell County. The Bell County Drug Coalition and that organizational structure and the vision of the comprehensive approach to education, prevention, intervention, and treatment was the model for the Comprehensive Counter-Drug Initiative, which with a name change become Unlawful Narcotics Investigation Treatment and Education, (Operation UNITE). The vision of David Jorjani, as County Attorney in Knox County, and his partnership with the leadership of the Bell County Drug Coalition secured the funding with a matching grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, and the support of the local governments who contributed, which included the counties of Bell, Knox and Whitley Counties. This effort became the Law Enforcement division of Operation U.N.I.T.E.
Bell County should be proud of the leadership we provided for this war against drugs. Bell County, through her citizens and their willingness to step up and take the lead made this difference that has not only touched us here at home, and not just the 5th Congressional District, but these efforts serve other congressional districts that have taken the example demonstrated here. Leadership and vision are always nice words to use, but the key to understanding leadership and vision is that those efforts are not ones that benefit those individual leaders personally. Leadership and vision are powerful words when the actions by our volunteers’ community leadership and those elected to official positions work together to see something greater then ourselves take hold.
Today, Focus on the Family and U.N.I.T.E. have taken what Pastor Shawn Baker fought for us to have here in Bell County to 10 pilot communities which include: Corbin; Manchester; Harlan; McKee; Hindman; Inez; and areas in Floyd, Menifee; Martin and Pike Counties. His vision and passion to address our needs should be applauded and while others will be the first to benefit from his efforts we should remind ourselves that here in Bell County we have been blessed by many different leaders, I am just praying for the day when everyone will have the proper motives for the positions they hold or have been elected to. Our government should serve the people and we the people should serve the government, rendering unto God that which is due Him, and to the government what which is due her.


Until then