WAYCROSS, Ga. – A lightning strike sparked a fire at Deenwood Baptist Church in Waycross, Georgia, leaving a hole in the roof and members of the congregation vowing to rebuild.
A Ware County fire official and church members who watched the flames spread confirmed that the fire was likely the result of a lightning strike, though the cause remains under investigation.
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Dee Meadows said in a Facebook post that multiple agencies responded and that the building sustained damage, including what he described as a possible hole in the roof, along with fire and water damage.
He thanked the City of Waycross firefighters, Ware County Fire Rescue and Pierce County Fire Department for assisting at the scene.
Meadows, who said he was raised in the church, emphasized that the congregation remained intact even as the building burned.
“The building may be damaged,” he wrote, “but the Church is not a building. The Church is the people.”
Another church member also posted online asking for prayers for the “Deenwood church family,” adding, “What the enemy meant to tear down, God will use to build up. The church will come through this stronger, more steadfast, and more resilient than ever.”
Officials have not yet released a full assessment of the damage, and it was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured.