A pastor and his congregation in Kerrville, Texas, are wrapping their arms around neighbors and sharing the love of God as their community recovers from the deadly Fourth of July flooding.
First Baptist Church of Kerrville (FBC) Pastor Joey Tombrella told Breitbart News on Tuesday that despite the fact his city was turned “upside down” by the horrific flooding when the Guadalupe River swelled to historic levels, “Jesus is shining forth.”
He said people in the area are suffering from shock and trauma as a result of the tragic weather event, and crews are still working hard to clean up electrical poles and mountains of debris left behind by the raging waters.
However, Tombrella’s church members are leaning into their faith in God. They gathered for prayer on Sunday and the pastor told Breitbart News, “The mood in our congregation is one of hope. It’s one of encouragement. We are seeing the churches come together and serve this community in incredible ways. And what makes America great is the local church that loves Jesus, that lifts up a pure gospel, and that’s what’s happening here.”
Tombrella said his church has received numerous calls from others asking how they can assist in the aftermath. That alone, he said, has given he and his flock a deep sense of encouragement.
In addition, the pastor explained that “our Southern Baptist Disaster relief team was here on the spot on July 4th, on my campus. As a pastor, I don’t know why that hits me so hard. Because it’s awesome. When those yellow shirts come out that’s when hope rises.”
In a message to his congregation on Saturday, Tombrella said he had been to several reunification sites. “There’s a lot of hurt and pain, so please keep praying for these families. We will keep you updated,” he wrote:
Hey church, I’ve been I contact with the city, as well as the police department. Sadly, today is about search and…
Posted by FBC Kerrville on Saturday, July 5, 2025
Tombrella said his church members have been talking to people about God while also listening to and meeting their needs.
“We can be flooded on Friday, lose life, and then sing on Sunday because our hope is not in this world. Our hope is in Christ,” Tombrella declared.
In addition, FBC Kerrville has also been ministering to and giving meals to first responders.
“We love them. We. Love. Them. We absolutely support them in everything that they do and they have been fantastic. We’ve heard stories of police officers risking their lives, knocking on doors on one apartment that was about to be flooded. Banging on doors at 3:30 in the morning. Man, I love those guys. They’re fantastic,” Tombrella stated.
“Because they are in the trenches right now trying to get to the homes, trying to clear out the spaces, trying to search for bodies. That’s our primary ministry right now,” he added.
In a video posted Saturday, Tombrella invited everyone to gather with the church for worship on Sunday.
When speaking of how he sees God working in the circumstances, Tombrella told Breitbart News that “showing the love of Jesus in the midst of tragedy is what the church is all about.”
After the cleanup is done, Tombrella said his church and others “will be here picking up the pieces and helping people find hope when everything is not as sensational or as exciting. People will have to get on with their lives and they’re going to need a lot of counsel, a lot of encouragement, they’re gonna need a lot of grace. The good news is that Jesus offers all the grace that we need. All the mercy that we need, all the hope that we need. It’s all found in Christ.”
President Donald Trump on Sunday said he signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County to ensure first responders have federal assistance, per Breitbart News.
On Monday, the death toll from the flooding rose to 104, UPI reported, noting there are multiple people still missing.
