Friday, Sept. 5, 2003

Lincolnton church destroyed by fire

By Steve DeVane
BR Managing Editor

A Lincoln County church was hit by lightning and burned Aug. 31 less than an hour before a scheduled ordination service.

Ken Gibson, interim pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Lincolnton, said he was in the pastor's study when he heard a loud pop. A short while later, he smelled smoke. A young couple in the church discovered the fire in the church sanctuary's sound room.

"They emptied three fire extinguishers on it," he said. "It was just too hot."

The fire started at about 1:15 p.m., Gibson said. An ordination service was scheduled for 2 p.m.

"Forty-five minutes later, the church would have probably been full," he said. "So we've got a lot to be thankful for."

Five fire departments fought the blaze, but couldn't save the building. The walls of the sanctuary are still standing but everything inside was destroyed, according to Gibson.

"We'll just have to bulldoze it down," he said.

Church members are trying to be positive and think of the fire as time for a new beginning, Gibson said.

"We feel like hopefully this will draw the congregation together," he said.

Church members planned to hold an outdoor worship service in front of the burned building Sept. 7. Later that evening, they were to name a building committee.

Future services will likely be held in the church fellowship building, Gibson said.

The church had recently increased its insurance from about $1.3 million to about $2 million, but church leaders fear the changes might not have gone in force yet, according to Gibson.

"We're still praying that it was in effect," he said.

The lightning strike was the second at the church within about six weeks, Gibson said. About two weeks before the fire, the church had replaced the church steeple that was damaged in the earlier strike.

The fire was the second within two weeks involving a North Carolina Baptist church.

First Baptist Church in Boiling Spring Lakes near Southport burned Aug. 17. The church, which was valued at about $1 million, was a total loss.

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