A center of hope: In an older, red-brick building near the Central Business
District of New Orleans, Southern Baptists work to minister to those in need
– the homeless, the poor, the addicted, the desperate
A center of hope: In an older, red-brick building near the Central Business
District of New Orleans, Southern Baptists work to minister to those in need
– the homeless, the poor, the addicted, the desperate
Tobey Pitman is convinced that angels have visited the center he directs on
the corner of Magazine and Common streets in New Orleans.
His theory is that they are sent there to check up on the work being done and
to give Pitman and others a reality check as well – “Are we doing
what weve been called to do? Are we treating people with dignity and respect?”
And why not?
At the Brantley Baptist Center in New Orleans, Pitman directs work Jesus himself
described as fundamental to the Christian call – helping the homeless,
the poor, the down-and-out, the desperate.
It is a ministry Pitman never thought to lead.
The Texas native came to New Orleans in the 1970s to attend New Orleans Baptist
Theological Seminary. “I came for a good time – and it turned out
to be a long time,” he says.
Pitman also admits that when he arrived in New Orleans, he had a narrow, church-based
view of ministry. Then, he began taking counseling classes and working at Brantley.
By 1980, when he graduated from seminary with a masters of divinity, Pitmans
horizons had expanded.
He began working full time at Brantley.
Seven years later, he became director of the center.
“New Orleans is a wonderful ministry laboratory, …” says Pitman,
who graduated from New Orleans Seminary again earlier this year with a doctor
of ministry degree. “This (center) is just one example of that.”
Brantley is one of the longtime practical ministries operated by Southern Baptists.
Indeed, its sheltering ministry for homeless people dates back to 1927.
The center has occupied its facilities on Magazine St. on the edge of the Central
Business District since the 1960s, when the building was provided by a Baptist
benefactor.
It also has grown to much more than just a shelter for some of the thousands
of homeless in New Orleans.
Of course, that ministry continues. In 2003, the center provided housing to
some 78,000 persons. Those numbers are key in a city that the National Coalition
for the Homeless ranks as the 10th meanest for homeless people.
“We try to provide emergency shelter as best we can, …” Pitman
says. “But the ministrys much more than that.”
The center also provides meals for those in need, serving some 165,000 plates
of food in 2003 – with the help of hunger gifts from Southern Baptists.
Again, the ministry is vital – and efficient. “For every $1 we spend
for food, 3.4 people are fed,” Pitman explains.
The center also operates a free clothing service and a drug rehabilitation
program. Usually, about 250 persons a year come through the rehabilitation program
– and anywhere from 50 to 75 complete it.
“Those are not discouraging numbers,” Pitman says. “These people
are homeless. They have no reason to quit and straighten up their lives.”
Brantley Center provides that reason.
Most of the rehabilitation clients are crack addicts – and most, indeed,
are from the streets. But some are mainstream as well. Pitman tells of one man
who walked away from his business to overcome addiction to painkillers.
The clients enter a 16-week residential program. During that time, the focus
is complete. They receive literacy and job skills training and whatever other
help they may need.
They participate in group and worship sessions as well.
And the goal is not just to overcome addiction – but to re-establish each
person back into life, Pitman explains.
“We dont consider this to be a success unless a person finishes
the program, gets a job, locates a place to live and leaves here with a support
group in place,” he says.
Pitman is encouraged by the successes – and at seeing individuals
achieve that significant milestone of completion.
“This may be the first time theyve completed anything,” he
points out, noting that graduates of the program can be found in jobs throughout
the New Orleans area.
Indeed, Pitman tells of entering a Mandeville restaurant, only to be approached
by a former client of the program.
The man now was executive chef of the restaurant.
Pitman says he also is encouraged when he sees homeless individuals who have
straightened out their lives reunite with family members, sometimes after years
and years of absence and estrangement.
However, even that is not all that is involved with the Brantley Baptist Center
ministry.
“God is at the helm, and he keeps stirring the pot and making things happens,”
Pitman admits.
One of the new twists is a program in which center volunteers work with local
police officers to aid the homeless. Before the program, police had no choice
but to incarcerate homeless people who got into trouble.
Now, at times each month, center volunteers roam the New Orleans streets in
a van and work with police to mediate homeless issues, Pitman explains.
In addition, the center also has begun Sunday morning worship services, specifically
aimed at attracting those who have been reached by the various ministries and
those who never would feel comfortable in a traditional church.
As Pitman explained in a recent Baptist Press story, he finally came to understand
“there are those people who are not comfortable with homeless people sitting
in their church pews, but thats not the end of the story.
“There are homeless people who are not comfortable sitting in the church
pews as well,” the longtime Southern Baptist worker adds. “Its
a two-way street.”
Thus, the Sunday morning service was launched – and soon actually will
constitute into a church. It attracts as many as 150 persons a week – and
features discipleship groups as well to help ground persons in their new faith.
It is led by volunteer pastor Clay Corvin, who is vice president for business
affairs at New Orleans Seminary.
The church has a ready congregational pool – Brantley Center recorded
1,300 spiritual decisions during its chapel and worship services in 2003.
“Clearly, our work is evangelistic,” Pitman says. “But its
not very traditional church work. However, in the same sense, its very
much church work, because we have nine (chapel and) worship services a week.”
And yet, even with all those numbers and results and ministries, Pitman envisions
even more.
“We need to do so much more – single-room occupancy, halfway house
facilities, etc, …” he says. “But to do that, we need to move from
here and build a facility for that purpose.”
Therein lies the vision – and Pitman notes he has been working for 10
years now to that goal.
He continues to work – and dream.
In the meantime, he continues to try to raise awareness of the many needs to
be met. “Theres no questions theres a need for this ministry,
…” he says. “This addresses a problem thats with us –
and will be with us.”
Unfortunately, although some churches have caught that vision, many have not,
Pitman acknowledges. “And its very clear that theres much more
awareness of homelessness in New Orleans among non-Baptist churches than among
Baptist churches overall,” he adds.
Indeed, while the center is supported by the Southern