By Robert Barron, Staff Writer
December 01, 2008 12:18 am
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Joe Wilson is building churches.
He is used to that. Wilson established Oakwood Christian Church in Enid 30 years ago, and since his retirement, he has worked with World Mission Builders building churches all over the world.
The mission of the organization is to put permanence in missions. They believe church facilities are an important and necessary tool to fulfill the mandate of their commission to bring the word of God. By building a permanent worship or educational facility, they place a permanence in missions, realizing what they build will be used in the Lord’s work for many years.
“Our desire is to help small and mid-size churches with their building needs,” is the mission statement of the organization.
In April, Wilson’s team built a church in Berlin, Ill., and more recently Westside Christian Church in Oklahoma City. His group framed the building in 12 days.
They built a new worship/education center. The church is located on Oklahoma 3 at the northwest corner of Oklahoma City. They framed the building, applied shingles and “roughed-in” electric, he said.
They flew the steeple to the top of the church, and Wilson’s wife, Fae, drives an 8,000 pound fork lift to help with construction.
Joe and Fae assisted after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. The Enid natives even joined the group on a mission to build a church inside a prison in Piedras Negras, Mexico. They built a Protestant chapel and a four-room addition to the prison infirmary that included two restrooms.
Wilson and his wife are project coordinators for World Mission Builders, part of Church Growth Ministries.
He was approached by a former professor at Midwest Bible College, which he attended in the 1960s. Howard Faber was a professor of New Testament and Faber started the church in Oklahoma City. Another former professor is an elder of the church.
“During our devotional, I tell people we accomplish more during the second half of our lives and make more money, so we should use our talent and our money to make a difference and leave a legacy,” he said.
Wilson said it is rewarding to look in the rearview mirror as he leaves a construction site and know he left something behind that will last after he is gone. On Sunday, Wilson went to Hatfield, Ark., to help with framing up a 1,600 square foot home for a handicapped family. That project involved 12 people from four states. Wilson has worked with World Mission builders since 1999, when he retired from Oakwood.
Wilson was asked to preach at the 30th anniversary of Oakwood Christian Church recently.
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