SMALL CHURCHES CAN DO BIG THINGS
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SMALL CHURCHES CAN DO BIG THINGS
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Thank God for this special church in Atlanta fulfilling Jesus’ commands in an amazing way. Pray for their ministry to be blessed.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Mt 25:34-35)
‘When your income is not that great, and prices are going up, how are people supposed to survive?’
For the last year, Charles Johnson and his family of five have been caught in an insecure no man’s land. Their family’s low income can’t always stretch to cover everything they need, yet they don’t qualify for public assistance in Georgia. So in his words, ‘We’re trying to look for any kind of help we can get.’
That’s where Hillside Presbyterian Church comes through. Whoever said small churches can’t do big things?
This small church in the Atlanta area has found its calling in Decatur, Georgia, by meeting tangible needs of people in the community. Over the last 20 years, this church of 124 members—80 active members, most of them between the ages of 50 and 90—has distributed around 800,000 pounds of food to nearly 145,000 people. Hillside has become well known for its food pantry, and people from outside its service area—often sent by other churches—come looking for help. . . .
In a church of 80 active members, the food pantry has a staff of 21 volunteers, most of whom are there every week. According to Marvin Simmers, a retired Presbyterian minister who attends Hillside and currently provides oversight to this ministry, the majority of the food pantry’s funding comes from members of the Hillside congregation. The food pantry always pays its bills and carries a balance to ensure stability. . . .
But this is not simply a ministry about filling gaps in government assistance or helping people through emergencies. It’s a way to help people get back on their feet. The church receives letters from people who express their gratitude that the food was there when they needed it, and celebrate that they no longer need help. Malloy remembers one woman who came to the food pantry regularly for about two years and often told the volunteers, “One day I’m going to be able to help you guys.” One week she stopped coming, and after a while the church received a letter from her, with $100 enclosed. She wrote that she had found a job and she was now able to support herself. ‘She said we saved her life,’ Malloy remembers. “And the lives of so many of her friends, who also relied on the food pantry. She wrote, ‘You have no idea how many people you’ve allowed to make it, and you’ve given them a sense of pride again because one of the hardest things to do is to ask for food.’” (Excerpted from Christianity Today, reporting by Amy Simpson.)
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This story gives a wonderful example of what the Church is supposed to be doing. Praise God! I was hoping that this would start to happen more often. To God be the glory through the gift and the giver!
Too long we have been theological in our walk and not practical. Jesus dealt in practicality. You love your neighbor by meeting their needs physically. Thank you Lord for this church that represents you well, giving a hand up to those who have been tripped up financially. Lord our economy is in a mess, and a collapse could happen, i pray that this church would serve as a model for community stability during a food crisis. Bless each of its members, and may you draw those who don’t know you through the love they see portrayed by this church. In Jesus name, Amen
I very interesting to be pray for Americans president Donald Trump. I see so many website And others . its not well announces as if the Trumpv well good strategy’s to make good opportunity America for American so I want to be honestly praying God give him Strength. On his duties. I believed God anointing Him by His grace.
If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.The axe is already laid at the root of the trees, therefore every tree that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose He chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Suppose one of you wants to sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. But I keep control of my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto thee.But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because thy do not recognize a stranger’s voice.Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie. Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and in intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding (the wonders of His Person) more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection (the power it exerts over believers); and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed (in spirit into His likeness even) to His death. Are there no foes to me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God? Blessed are those who thirst and hunger for righteousness, for they will be filled.And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. In Jesus name!
We are the empty straw through which the Holy Spirit flows. We can not out give the Father of Light who gives good gifts to His children. As hearts are pure in motive before Him, He so honors out of His abundance. Bless the work of their compassionate hearts to minister to those in need super abundantly. May their store house never be empty, but overflow not only with the tangible but spiritual as well.
I Pray that the storehouse of heaven would be opened above this church and ministry. I am also praying that others like myself would be moved by the Spirit to sow into this food pantry. I prophesy Ezekiel 47 abundance, fruitfulness and healing over this ministry. In Ezekiel’s vision we learn about a river that is flowing from under the threshold of the temple. As the life giving water flows out from the source (the “mouth), it gets deeper and wider until it became a river so vast that no one could cross it. Everything the river touched resulted in enduring fruitfulness and healing (Ezekiel 47:12). Jesus said that whoever believes in Him will have rivers of living water flowing out from his belly (John 7:38). I believe that the as the people of God pour into this ministry, as we resource the basic needs (mouth and belly) of those who come, we become a practical expression of this vision and the supernatural of God will bring a transformational release of the fulfillment of His promises. May it be so.