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Ministering ‘Neighbor to Neighbor’

By March 4, 2014July 16th, 2014No Comments

Neighbor1MINFORD, Ohio—What needs exist in your community? Many churches today are asking this question. But often, striving to answer it becomes overwhelming. Scioto County, where Grace Baptist Church is located, has many needs and many hurting people—some who can’t afford to feed their families.

Eight years ago, a neighboring church approached Grace Baptist, asking for help in meeting the need to feed people in the community. This was the beginning of a journey for Grace Baptist, and God continues to use this ministry to help the church grow in faith and love.

Grace Baptist’s “Neighbor to Neighbor” ministry provides less fortunate families with groceries. Church members bring a variety of food to the basement of Grace Baptist, sort it into boxes, and haul the groceries to the trunks of recipients’ cars. Initially 30 families received groceries, but as time marched on, the word spread. Now up to 200 families a month are being ministered to.

Neighbor2Pastor Rob McKinney says, “This is a great way to proclaim the love and grace of Jesus to these families. God continues to give us, as a church, many opportunities to pray with and minister to these families. As Jesus leads at Grace Baptist Church, He continues to show us the many opportunities our church has to be light to these hurting families.”

Last summer, Grace Baptist Church saw God move as new “Neighbor to Neighbor” families attended family fun nights and VBS. “It is exciting to see God work in the hearts of the people that we have been praying for and ministering to,” Pastor McKinney says.

God has constantly provided for the needs of this ministry, he points out. The provision of an enclosed, heated shelter to hold the food eliminated having to navigate the basement stairs and made the food distribution process more efficient. Grace Baptist Church is now working toward partnering with food banks and organizations to purchase discounted food.

“We believe that God is going to use this ministry to help feed people both physically and spiritually,” Pastor McKinney says. “We truly desire to exalt Jesus in our work, so that many will come to know Who Jesus is. Pray that God will continue to use us to meet the needs of our community for the glory of God.”

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