Viel retires from Inner Harbor Ministries after 20 years
By Sharon Mager, BCM/D Corresponent
BALTIMORE, Md.—Bill Viel retired on March 31 as the founder and director of Inner Harbor Ministries (IHM), leaving an eternal legacy in Baltimore City. IHM began 20 years ago with just Viel and his wife, Linda. Now the ministry has an army of almost 2,000 volunteers loving the people in and around the Inner Harbor.
Viel felt God’s call to ministry when he was in the eighth grade. In college, he excelled in drama and speech. He grins when he tells about being offered, and declining, a role in a well-know soap opera that still airs today.
He attended Carson Newman College where he met his wife, Linda. Viel continued his education at Southern Seminary. In 1970, he began pastoring at Carrollan Woods Church, now United Church, Hyattsville. It was there that Viel began implementing some of his, at that time, unorthodox ministry methods.
The young pastor led the church in brainstorming ways to engage the community through mall ministry, year-round backyard Bible clubs and puppet ministry – all pretty new ideas back in the 70’s.
“Your call to be outside the lines is just as real as their call to be inside the lines,” Viel said, adding, with a twinkle in his eye, “Today’s outside will be tomorrow’s inside.”
During Viel’s tenure the church also started a Vietnamese ministry, which grew to become the mother church of today’s Vietnamese churches in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Viel moved on to become pastor at Forestville Church and took a position as an SBC-endorsed chaplain to the Maryland State Police, riding in cruisers, building bridges with the community and helping in crisis situations.
Later, while pastoring at First Church, Essex, the Viels wrote a Nursing Home VBS project that was tested and became SBC’s Homebound Bible study material.
It was during a trip to New York City to work with some of the metropolitan churches that Viel began considering what ministry could be done at Baltimore’s then recently renovated Inner Harbor. He began thinking, praying and designing a plan.
Chris Wroten, then pastor of Lee Street Memorial Church, now The Church on Warren Avenue, also had a burden for ministry at the Inner Harbor. Viel and Wroten met over lunch.
“Chris said, ‘we would like to do something (about ministering at the Inner Harbor), but we don’t know what to do,’” Viel said.
Viel knew the Mission Service Corp (MSC) had just started. He contacted the North American Mission Board (then known as the Home Mission Board) and shortly after, he and Linda were appointed MSC missionaries and devoted themselves to developing IHM as a business-resort/leisure ministry using Lee Street Memorial as a home base.
Using his unique ministry techniques, the Viels started gathering volunteers. They used music, puppets, mime, clowns and did parade and marathon ministry. IHM volunteers began Servant Evangelism, doing random acts of kindness, cleaning restrooms, doing a broom ministry outreach and giving out free bottles of cold water.
Viel also partnered with local businesses. Day’s Inn management began working with Viel, offering an area for Bible studies for the homeless and eventually providing meals. The hotel also began donating used linens and blankets to homeless shelters.
In 1990 through IHM, the Viels were able to minister internationally. The couple was invited to go to the U.S.S.R. and show others how to do Christian puppet ministry. Then Viel was invited back to help begin a Bible school, teach ministry evangelism and to mobilize others to go. Later, he helped start the Kiev Christian University, in conjunction with the Ukraine Baptist Convention.
IHM has continued to evolve, growing to become a vehicle for churches to minister – a catalyst for ministry.
“IHM is so fluid,” Viel said. “It jumps over association lines. People travel from Glen Burnie and even Frederick to the Harbor and back,” he said.
The Viels were recognized for their service to IHM at a special semi-annual meeting on March 5. Viel said he is so thankful for the opportunity to have served as IHM’s founder and director. He was especially thankful also that his wife, Linda, was recognized as well for all the work she’s poured into the ministry by his side.
BCM/D executive director, David Lee, in an email to BaptistLIFE wrote, “Bill Viel is a pioneer. He charted his course for unexplored territories and his efforts have paved the way for today’s expanded efforts focused on reaching the hurting in Baltimore for Jesus Christ”
Bill Viel is now drawing on his many years of experience and writing a book sharing 1,000 ways to do unique outreach ministry.
