CBS 19 - The Eye of East Texas News - Local churchgoers turn to internet, radio to encourage unity after church fires

Local churchgoers turn to internet, radio to encourage unity after church fires

by Michele Reese

(KYTX) TYLER - After the recent outbreak of East Texas church fires, the faithful are turning to social networking sites and the radio to encourage unity in prayer.

CBS 19's Michele Reese has more on how the Christian community is coping.

When Todd Hinkie's church, Grace Community in Athens, was torched back in January, he created a group on Facebook called Church Ablaze.

"I helped start that church.  I said, I can create a place where we can connect and say, we're together in this" Hinkie said.

But, it took Monday's two church fires for his group to go viral in his circle of virtual friends.  Since Tuesday morning, the group's friend count has gone from just 11 to more than 100, and it continues to grow.

"Today we all woke up and said - two more?  No way. I think today, people are moving past confused and head-scratching and that it's weird. Instead, we're just upset about this, and we want to do something," Hinkie added.

He says the group is giving local Christians a way to cope.  "One thing we can do is pray in unity.  Jesus himself said, if two or three come together and agree on the same thing in my name I'll do it.  So I'm thinking, how about a few hundred?"

Local churchgoers are also turning to the airways.  On KVNE Tuesday morning, callers flooded the lines asking for prayer.  Among them was the wife of one of the ATF agents investigating these fires.

"If you could ask for prayer for these guys who are doing this.  My husband is so torn up and stressed out about it," she said on-air.

Radio host Carrie Parsons says the community is lifting each other in prayer.  "The body of Christ is all united," she said.

Through the internet and the radio, the faithful are reaching the faithful during a time that's testing their faith.