Site Update: Lexington

Have you ever heard of a little town in Texas called Lexington? If you have, it might be because of the world famous Snow’s BBQ, which is world famous for all the right reasons! It might be because of the Lexington High Schools football program, which sported a 10-1 season this last year. So what else is so special about this sleepy little town you might be wondering. Well, this is the location of our next Feed the Need Missions site launch.

There are always so many variables to consider with a new launch. Would the community benefit from a Feed the Need Missions Site? What obstacles are there that can slow the process of a build? Is there a group of people that can collectively lead the ministry? Most of all, does the Lord want us there? As we look to expand in the direction that He leads us in, patients and prayer has to be at the center of all we do.

This has been a year in the making! It started with a couple of young hearts set on seeing the direction of the Lord regarding starting the ministry. Jeremy and Dana Chastain have childhood ties to Lexington. They began volunteering with the mission a number of years ago and has secretly prayed for a Site in Lexington. Over the last several years they have been vital to our LBA location, not to mention many other aspects of the ministry. They both work and live in Lexington and often found themselves praying over the new launch as they served people in different communities. Jeremy and Dana know intimately the special characteristics of their home town. They also know the challenges that people face there.

Last month we had a soft launch in Lexington. It started with a simple video posted to social media. The video caught fire and has now been viewed over 3000 times. That is incredible considering that the population of the city is just over 1200. The night of the first gathering we had over 30 volunteers and served over 200 meals. The needs and desires are clear. We now find ourselves in the final stages of our launch. Will you join us in prayer for a clear location, community unity and a God-sized impact as we move forward with this launch? If you would like to join us in supporting not only Jeremy and Dana but those that live in Lexington let us know. For you too can have an impact and add to the list of things to be thankful for in Lexington.

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Events: Texas Burger Bash

Every community has it’s own unique culture and that is definitely the case here in the Lone Star State! In Texas, burgers and backyard games are one of our favorite past times. For many involved in Feed the Need Missions, the thought of combining a cookout competition with a little life change makes for a good recipe. This event was a celebration of these two things coming together for a purpose!

The Texas Burger Bash is a one-day cook-off held each year in La Grange TX. The founders of the TBB are made up of a very dedicated group of friends. Their vision is to not only create a family friendly event, but to raise resources and awareness that benefits those that serve their community. All it took is a little vision, a lot of commitment and a spark that ignited the flames of this event.

 

The day started as all great gatherings should. A gathering and a prayer… “Lord let the efforts offered up here today bring life change!”  was the prayer the morning of the event. Specifically we prayed for 8-12 teams competing, 200 plus people actively showing up and participating, resources raised and people to walk away knowing that their efforts had an impact. Well, He answered that and then some! We had 11 registered teams, over 300 people came out, received almost $2000 in active donations, and after the event we noticed a substantial increase the next Monday of people coming out to the Feed the Need Missions site in La Grange.

 

This is just the beginning for this event! A special thanks to all those involved in making this happen. A shout out to The City of La Grange, Team Gonzo Cornhole, D-Poe Cattle Co., 979 Trucking Inc., Scar and Sons and of course the 4 friends that helped make this happen. From humble beginnings often comes eternal impact and that clearly happened at this years Texas Burger Bash. Consider this your invitation to next years festivities help at the end of April 2024. Visit texasburgerbash.com to see some of the highlights.

 

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Site Volunteer: Willy

There are some people in our lives when we think about them, we can’t help but smile. Willy is one of those individuals. You will almost always find Willy with a smile on his face and a warm welcome when he sees you. He’s like a hawk, and always sees you first!

Raised by a single mother, Willy was quickly welcomed into a group of men from a local church who felt called to walk with him. Willy‘s involvement with Feed the Need Missions started more than five years ago when one of the men from his church brought him out to serve. He quickly found his place at the Bastrop South site, and before long Willy was submerged in not one but two faith families.

The fact Willy does not drive has not stopped him from getting to the site faithfully each week! When asked why he serves his response was straightforward but powerful, “Because that’s what we are supposed to do.”  Willy is the site’s “muscle man” and always ready to jump in and help carry the heavy items for setup and teardown. He doesn’t grill, take orders or pray with guests, but he has found a way to use his special abilities to contribute to the kingdom work happening at the site each week. Willy is an invaluable member of the team and we are so grateful to have him serve alongside us!

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Site Volunteer: Carol

Carol has been serving with Feed the Need Missions for three years. Starting as a volunteer and working her way into a leadership role she found her “happy place.” Currently she serves as the Site Coordinator at our LBA location.

She leads with integrity putting Christ first and making disciples. The volunteers at the site support Carol in making decisions. She leads through them. A site volunteer said “Carol loves her people and understands the mission of Feed the Need Missions, we are one big family”.

When Carol was asked what her favorite part about serving is, she responded with “serving people outside the walls of the church. People don’t want to go into the churches, for whatever reason. So we bring it to them. Jesus tells us to go where my people are, and we get to do that,”

The Lord is growing Carol through Feed the Need Missions, she shared: “It has helped my marriage and for us to serve and grow together. Doing this together has been a saving grace. My husband is praying again for dinner, sharing the gospel at the grill, serving together, and praying for our guests. We are learning how to do this together.”

We stand behind our site leaders and volunteers! For the month of March, Carol was nominated Volunteer of the Month. Our staff thank’s YOU Carol, for your time and commitment serving every Thursday every week. You are a blessing to so many. Thank you for being obedient and the continuation of making disciples.

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MOPS: Love in Action

When I think back to some the most challenging years of my life I can easily say the years of having small children in tow stands out! I don’t know how you feel, but I can remember the pendulum of emotions welling up even now. One moment feeling the deepest sense of gratitude toward the Lord for these little gifts… SWING! I am a complete failure after realizing what I just feed them for dinner. SWING! My heart melts at the belly laugh from a little mini-me and the reverberation in my soul of what Jesus must feel every time I laugh with Him. SWING! How can He even trust me with these little babes when I can’t remember to take the trash out the night before it gets picked up?

What I do know is that a community of people can help us see what we cannot, feel what we are meant to feel, follow who we are suppose to follow. In fact a community of people that takes time to elevate one another toward the One that defines support is where we need to be. MOPS meets that for many young moms in the Bastrop community. These women take time to focus on each other and the kids they are raising like very few in the world do. This past November MOPS took it upon themselves to go beyond what seemed feasible and choose to serve “the least of these”. They collectively participated in our Gobble Kit program and together supplied 43 kits and fed 258 people that would have not had a Thanksgiving meal.

This past week Feed the Need Missions was provided a small chance to give back and say THANK YOU! At MOPS we witnessed joy and compassion. Intention and Hope. Faith in action and a modeling of true love! I doubted wether any mom would even eat a burger at 10am in the morning. But…. a hot meal (they didn’t have to prepare), and a place for Jesus-centered fellowship reminded me of the patients he showed me as a young parent. If you want or need community consider this my invitation to be loved as a family through MOPS or love a family in need through Feed the need Missions. Either way, you will find Jesus here!

Written by Sean Tangen

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Changed Lives: Tamika’s Story

Meet Tamika! She is a long-time Smithville resident and regular guest at the Smithville site. Tamika is one of many guests who have attended weekly site gatherings since the beginning of the site’s launch. Tamika is a dedicated guest. She is usually the first one at the site, even before the volunteer team arrives. Not only is she the first to arrive, but she is also the last to leave. You will always find her with a smile on her face.

Tamika’s curiosity brought her out to the site. She was intrigued by what she saw, and it kept her coming back week after week. “I saw a lot of people, good people and I wanted to check it out,” Tamika shared. “I really liked the hospitality and the personalities [of the volunteers].”  Tamika found the weekly cookout to be inviting, hospitable and engaging.

Tamika, by her own admission, is quite shy; large crowds can be difficult at times. However, this does not hinder her getting out each week.  “There were a lot of good Bible verses I heard, and I love the music,” Tamika recalls. She has found herself growing in God’s word each week as she participates in Table Talk. “I’ve learned to be more open with people and it has helped work me out of my shyness.”

Like so many of us, Tamika has experienced her fair share of heartbreak and difficulties.  Though the trials of life have left bruises and scars, she chooses to hold tight to hope. Tamika has recently made the decision to follow Jesus and is trusting her future to him. Pray for Tamika as she begins her new faith journey!
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A Halloween Service Opportunity

Trick-or-Treating: A Waning Tradition?

Fall is in the air. Costumes, spooky decor, and candy assortments are now fully enveloping aisles of the local grocery store in anticipation of Halloween. A huge money maker, Halloween-related sales accounted for more than $10 billion in 2021. Yet, while Halloween is known for kids dressing up in costumes and visiting homes of neighbors with expectation to receive, the tradition of trick-or-treating has declined in recent years. Fewer people are giving out candy, and fewer parents feel it’s safe to consume items doled out by strangers.

Safe Alternatives to Halloween Trick-or-Treating

While the nostalgia of trick-or-treating is appealing, many parents have sought alternatives for health and safety. Churches and communities now hold Trunk or Treats, Pumpkin Patches and Fall Festival events. Some neighborhoods create block parties or organize trick-or-treating among themselves. Some families these days even opt to just stay in for movie and game nights. But what if we, as Christ followers, reframed the idea of Halloween to be an opportunity to give, rather than to receive?

Halloween Fun with Purpose

What if parents had an opportunity to embrace all the fun of costumes and togetherness, while teaching the biblical truth that it is “more blessed to give than to receive?” What if, rather than pouring into the billion dollar industry of candy and decorations, we invested in something more long-lasting and meaningful—putting our money and energy where our values are? This Halloween, Feed the Need Missions is giving families an opportunity to do just that.

Feed the Need Missions Site are Open This Halloween

Feed the Need Missions is a non-profit hunger relief organization that has been feeding communities physically and spiritually for over a decade. Every week, rain or shine, we roll into communities across Texas, prepare hot meals, and share the message of Jesus with anyone who shows up. There is no cost for the meal, and no requirement to receive. We meet tangible and urgent needs, we pray for those who are lonely, and we teach people about the values of the Bible. And it is absolutely transforming lives and communities.

 

This Halloween takes place on Monday October 31. We invite you to join us at one of our three Monday site locations gatherings. Dress up in costume and come ready to have safe, and meaningful fun together as you serve, give, and shine the light of Christ. We’ll even fill those treat bags with a little candy. Our friendly Bastrop South, La Grange and Stony Point volunteer team will greet you and help you find a job just right for your family. Visit our locations page for details about each site meeting. We hope to see you—it would be a real treat!

 

 

 

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It All Adds Up: Teresa’s Story

Have you ever been part of something that was larger than the sum of its parts?  That is Feed the Need Missions.  The parts are important, and they are obvious. Feed the Need Missions provides hamburgers and hot dogs to those in need—at sites each week and in disaster areas when the need arises.  Feed the Need Missions allows many people to be part of a great work. We feed hundreds of people free hamburgers and hot dogs each week.

Many people are generous and donate to provide the supplies for the meals. Some wonderful leaders keep the vision on track and undergird everything with prayer. Some people do the administrative duties to keep everything running smoothly.  Other people go and purchase the supplies each week. Site volunteers show up every week and wash, chop, cook, wrap and bag the food. The most fortunate volunteers get to take the orders for the food, talk and pray with those who come to be served.  All that is impressive, but there is so much more!

Feed the Need Missions addresses many kinds of poverty.  The obvious financial, physical poverty, but there is also emotional, spiritual, and community poverty. Those who come, volunteers and guests, face more than one of these. The obvious provision is the food for those who are in physical or financial poverty.

But the bigger provision is for the emotional, spiritual, and community poverty. Each week, we have people who come who have recently moved into the area. They need the community that is provided when they come and talk with us. Each week we pray with those who are facing emotional trials and they need the love that soothes their emotions. We display the love of Jesus in every interaction, and we pray with each person who comes. We even get to introduce some to Jesus for the first time and some come to accept Jesus through their interactions.

The sum of the parts is much greater than the individual parts.  The volunteers become family and pray together for each other. The volunteers who are packaging the burgers and hot dogs pray as they work for those guests who will receive the food.

Oh, the joy and blessing of praying with and for the guests. To answer their “why” questions—Why do you do this?  Why would you come here?  Why would people give money for this?  Why are you here in the rain, heat, cold? To have the opportunity to pray for each family.  To see the changes in the community.  The friendships that develop among the volunteers and the guests is amazing! The excitement when someone who hasn’t come for a while comes back.  That recognition of their importance is often the only time they get validation of their importance. For some of our guests, Feed the Need Missions provides the only love and acceptance they get.

Even COVID couldn’t slow down God’s hand through Feed the Need Missions. The change from a serving line to a car line could have dampened the spirit and the connections, BUT God! How amazed we were to see prayer become so much deeper and more open. Who knew that the guests would open up so much more in the privacy of their cars! Would we have had the opportunity to pray with the man who accepted Jesus at Feed the Need Missions the week before he was shot 7 times at close range and lived to give God the glory?  To come back to thank the volunteers and ask them to pray with his wife?

Yes, the sum of the parts of Feed the Need Missions is amazing! Physical food for those in need, a place of service and an opportunity for generosity for the volunteers, a way to help in emergency situations. But there is no way to know the spiritual and emotional impact on every person involved this side of heaven. There is always room for one more, too. You can be part of all of this—just show up with a heart to serve and a smile to share.


About the Writer:
Teresa Carrol is a lead volunteer at the Stony Point site, where she has been serving for more than five years. 
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Full Circle: Cynthia’s Story

When It All Comes Full Circle

At Feed the Need Missions, discipleship is at the core of our mission. We do what we do in order to create a guest experience that fosters the building of disciple-making relationships. One of the most exciting things to witness is the real transformation that takes place in lives because of this. Recently, we were able to celebrate with Cynthia, a guest-turned-volunteer, as she came full circle in her journey from receiving discipleship to enabling ministry to others.

Getting to Know You

Cynthia has been a guest at our Smithville Feed the Need Missions site location for years. Her first visits were prompted by a desire to not just know about Jesus, but to really live for Him. At the time, she was struggling to commit fully to the Lord because of brokenness in her past. Painful experiences had caused her to turn inward and had stunted her spiritual growth. Knowing something needed to change, she came to the site looking for answers.

She quickly got to know Jonah Beyer, the president of Feed the Need Missions, and several other volunteers. As the weeks passed, the team intentionally took time to get to know her, to really listen to her story. As they prayed, encouraged, and cared for her, Cynthia became a regular attender.

Step By Step

Each week, she took part in Table Talk discipleship discussions that opened her eyes to the Lord in a powerful new way. After a time, Jonah challenged her to seek more answers through regular church attendance. Ready to take the next step, Cynthia found a church and got very involved. Her growth continued, and her commitment to God grew as she healed and pressed in to the counsel she received at the sites.

Just a few months ago, Jonah and Cynthia reconnected on an evening in Smithville when she drove up to pick up a meal at the site. It was a joy-filled reunion as they talked and reminisced about all the growth that has happened in her life over the years. Jonah, once again, challenged her to take a mother step in faith. He invited her to start serving her community as a site volunteer. Having experienced the value of this ministry as a guest, she said yes.

Change the World

The very next week, Cynthia came to serve. She was nervous and unsure about her new role, because as a guest she had gotten the inside story about many of her fellow guests. She felt a tension about serving people she thought might be taking advantage or guests didn’t have the purest motives.

But once again, the team pointed her to Jesus. He loves and blesses and gives to His children, unconditionally. She was challenged to see and serve as Jesus does—not on the basis of deservedness, but as an act of obedience and in honor of Jesus. A new wave of heart transformation and growth began to unfold within her. As she served, she began to see others just as God had seen her.

Ready to Run

Cynthia’s posture has completely changed since stepping into her volunteer role. She has become so passionate and invested that she recently felt led to supply burgers for the Smithville site meeting. Also, during a recent shortage of the burgers, she timed a trip to visit family in Corpus Christi so that she could gather the needed supplies, stopping at three Walmart locations along her route, just to ensure the site would have supplies for the meeting.

She looks back in awe of the transformation in her life. God is now using her to have a powerful impact on others in the way way that Jonah and other Feed the Need volunteers had on her years ago. She is now a vessel for Christ, meeting needs and helping others lean in to the Lord. Her personal growth and passion are having a contagious impact, bringing down walls. She has come full circle, and is now the one spurring others on to grow and serve.

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Charley: A Story of Faithfulness

What is Faithfulness?

What does faithfulness look like? While you could simply Google a definition, we have discovered that the most vibrant definition of this most excellent trait is best understood as it is lived out and witnessed by others. Faithfulness is active.

 

To grasp it, you have to understand it’s root— faith. The Bible defines faith as “being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). In other words, faith begins with trust. A trust in Jesus’ plan for you that surpasses feelings, circumstances and even understanding.

 

Faith turns in to faithfulness when a person takes that inward heart posture of trust and allows it to saturate and dictate their mindset, their words, their decisions and their attitudes. Within Feed the Need Missions, there are many people that exemplify faithfulness. Our friend Charley is one of them.

A story of faithfulness

Faithful People Deflect from Self

People who are faithful don’t do what they do because they want accolades or attention. In fact, they often downplay their impact and quickly point to the One who has given them this transformational power. Charley is a great example of this.

 

Charley has been serving with Feed the Need Missions for more than four years. Though he is a model of faithfulness to everyone around him, he has a reluctancy to share. This comes from a place of reverence for Jesus and all that He has done in his life.

 

When you ask him how and why he got involved at Feed the Need Missions, Charley is quick to deflect from himself. “I wanted to give back something to Jesus since He has given me so much. I wanted to do great things.” He simply does what he does because he is grateful for what Jesus has done for him. “I realize it’s not about me. I need to take a back seat and allow God to do great things through me.”

 

Charley also highlights the examples of other godly men who instigated his involvement. He recalls that it was an invitation of his pal John Reese that prompted him to get started serving. “Because of my schedule I couldn’t get involved until I was retired. Now I can’t imagine not being involved.”

 

faithful people reflect Jesus

 

Faithful People Reflect Jesus

If you were to encounter Charley today, you would know you are loved. Not just by Charley, but also by Jesus. That is the impact he has on others. While Charley may not highlight himself, we can look to what others observe about him to see the impact of his faithfulness. The way those who serve alongside him see him is more powerful than anything he could say about himself. Here are a few fellow volunteers who have personally experienced Charley’s lifestyle of trust.

Allen: Faithfulness is Contagious

“Charley has a quiet demeanor and likes to help people. Because of him, so do I. I learned from him not to give up on people. He is one of a kind and an honest man. He never gave up on me.”

Frank: Faithfulness Embraces Everyone

“We went to Texas Baptist men for a few years together. I was at the church and was power washing one day when a homeless man walked up to me and put his arm around me. I didn’t know how to react and was fearful of what might have happened. Then Charley came up to him. He spoke to this man with a kind and sincere heart. He showed me how to care. He’s the perfect example of a solid Christian man.”

Don: Faithfulness is Care-FULL with People

“Charley and I know each other from Calvary Baptist. I started volunteering up at the church and he always asked me how I was doing. It was his patience that drew me to him. Charley has a real Jesus-focused heart. The way he handles people is a real gift.”

Tommy: Faithfulness Brings Others Along

“When Charley was asked to pull the trailer to the Stony Point site, I decided to go with him and help him at the site. I learned so much about helping others because of Charley. He’s a great man with great faith. He is best brother-in-law I could ever have.”

 

faithful people enable others

Faithful People Enable Others

The impact of faithfulness in the lives of others is powerful. It is so important to remember that people are watching. More than our words, people remember how we make them feel. It isn’t the result of just one encounter, but an accumulation of conversations and divine appointments over time.  “I’ve realized the Lord was teaching me to allow Him to use others to reach the Gospel. As I’m serving I pray for those in line and for the servers that are reaching them,” he shares.

 

While faithfulness comes in many forms, what we learn from Charley’s story is that a deep trust in Christ allows us the freedom to let others feel seen and valued. It takes others on with open arms and without fear. It enables and activates others. Ask yourself, what is the cumulative impact you are having on others?

 

We invite you to come and experience faithfulness first hand. Come on by our Stony Point site any time. Grab a free burger, allow our team of loving volunteers to pray over you, and meet Charley. And, if you dare, take a step in faith and begin to have this kind of impact on others around you as a Feed the Need Missions volunteer. We can’t wait to meet you.

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