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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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A Hunger for More: Allen’s Story

When Feed the Need Missions began serving the Bastrop community more than ten years ago, Allen was among the first guests. To be sure, he was in need of the free hot meal each week. He was living on the streets and had no source of income. But that wasn’t the only thing missing in his life.

Volunteers noticed immediately that Allen was a bit different. A little unfiltered and rough around the edges. He wasn’t always easy to approach, and his appearance and behavior were off-putting to many. It was a challenge for him to connect with people—until a special group of Feed the Need volunteers stepped in.

Leaning In & Digging Deeper

Several men at the South Site, including Charlie Hoffman and Mark Miles, took notice of Allen. They leaned in where so many others had walked away. They overlooked awkwardness and rough speech. They demonstrated compassion and gave him a position and a place on the team. So Allen became a volunteer. Their acceptance filled a desperate need, because it gave them an opportunity to invest time in getting to know Allen and his story.

As the team walked alongside Allen, they learned that his challenging behaviors were connected to an autism diagnosis. They also discovered that Allen had lost his primary caregiver, his mom, several years before. This lack of help in caring for himself and his home was a huge detriment in his life. Not having a stable support system led him to life on the streets. It also made it difficult for him to make friends and articulate his needs. Most people just saw a difficult person, but our volunteers consistently returned to connect with Allen and saw so much more.

Making Connections & Meeting Needs

The volunteers didn’t stop at just understanding his challenges. Their involvement went beyond the one hour weekly site meeting. They joined together to help meet his needs. Initially, they helped with finding shelter, addressing hygiene needs, supplying him with clothing. But they went even further than just the material essentials. These men took Allen to their churches for men’s ministry events. They invited him into their homes for holidays. They became family on and off site.

A Felt Absence

Toward the end of 2021, Allen stopped coming to the site gatherings. Volunteers, who by now had been investing in his life for years, were concerned. They searched. They asked. They worried and prayed. In February, Mark Miles, one of those volunteers, received a phone call from a hospital in Austin. It seemed Allen had become ill and had been hospitalized, which explained his absence.

Mark received the phone call because Allen listed him as an emergency contact. The years of consistent investment had struck a chord with Allen. He knew there was a real relationship there, and that he could count on the Feed the Need team to show up when he was in need.

A Celebrated Return

After months of being away, Mark was able to pick Allen up from his care facility and bring him to the Bastrop South site. The team was overjoyed to see him. Guests and volunteers rallied around him, eager to pray over him. They thanked God for his safety. They asked for complete healing and provision. It was a powerful moment for everyone, and one that truly reflected the love of Christ to the guests still grappling with their faith.

Feed the Need Missions has become more than a source for a meal for Allen. It has become his family. His place to belong. His connection to Jesus. Connections like this don’t’ just happen. They are built on consistent, intentional decisions to lean in to the awkward and difficult. To love sacrificially. To consistently work to build relationships and trust. To keep showing up and showing care. Allen, like so many, had a hunger for more. God met it through Feed the Need Missions volunteers. What needs could God meet through you? We’d love for you to partner with us in caring for our communities.

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Beyond the Grill: Celebrating Servant Leadership

It’s a late summer afternoon and a line of cars has already started to form. Busy preparations are being made in anticipation of something unusual. A truck and trailer are parked parallel to a very busy road. People begin to arrive and open up the trailer. And as the contents spill forth and excitement begins to build. A very worn grill, some worked tables and chairs, a couple canopies are erected for shade and food prep. Cutting, dicing, chopping… rustling of paper bags and a distinct smell of beef being grilled. Laughter, hugs, excitement and love are on the menu.

 

A name begins to be murmured. Someone asks, “Is Dana here yet? Where is Dana?” At the other end of the site a regular volunteer is responding “Ask Dana, she will have the answer. She always has the answers!” A random person bicycles by and yells, “Tell Dana hi and thanks for last week!  She invited me to come by and I will be here soon.”

 

‘Who is this Dana?’ I wonder. ‘She is clearly someone with a servant’s heart.’ Little did I know how impactful Dana has been with so many at our LBA Site. Volunteers eagerly cook, assemble and bag not just a burger but a gift. The FREE gift of salvation. One that Dana is overwhelmingly familiar with.

 

The next generation is often overlooked or marginalized as self-centered and egotistical. What comes to your mind when you think about a 21-year-old young adult? Most are focused on college, careers, friendship and often their future. It is rare to find someone so young with a contrary focus—but Dana is very different. She values those things, but not at the expense of the calling that she has on her life. Dana has been transformed by what was offered to her at a time of need. That answer was found in Jesus. Specifically in the way Jesus served others.That is how Dana has chosen to live her life—through servant leadership. 

 

When Dana arrives at her site, she is quick to make the focus of the evening those she is with. It doesn’t take long to realize that the burger is just an entry point for conversation and action. Jesus says in Luke 10:27, “Love the Lord your God with all of who you are and love your neighbor as yourself.” When we actively choose to live out the Great Commission, we begin to realize that true satisfaction comes from putting Jesus first and then by accepting the life he offers.

 

People love and follow Dana not because of what she does for them, but because of who she points them to. So,if you are free on a Thursday evening, consider this an invitation to “come on by!” I can almost guarantee you will be greeted with a smile, a burger and a fantastic young lady who will offer you a priceless gift that leads to a transformed life.

 

About the Writer:

This article was created by Sean Tangen. Sean serves on staff at Feed the Need Missions as our Program Director. In his role, one of his primary roles is to oversee, train and interact with our site volunteers.

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Feeding Hungry Souls: Gobble Kits 2021

Putting the GIVING in Thanksgiving Dinner

Four years ago, Feed the Need Missions had the opportunity to partner with a local church distributing Thanksgiving meals to families in need in the Bastrop area. Witnessing the incredible need and missional opportunity for such an effort in the community, the annual Thanksgiving Gobble Kits campaign was born in 2018. In its inaugural year, 
  • 467 families received a meal kit
  • 14 churches and local businesses partnered with us
  • 177 donors provided to make the kits
  • 190 volunteers helped assemble and distribute kits
  • 1,500 meals were served that week across all of our sites

Since that time, Feed the Need Missions has been partnering with churches, businesses, and communities to provide Thanksgiving meal kits to families in need across several communities across Texas. The program has continued to grow each year. Last year, over the course of four Gobble Kit distribution days in November, we served Thanksgiving meal kits to eight Texas communities, with the help of more than 250 volunteers, made possible by financial support from more than 350 donors. We distributed a record 764 Gobble Kits, praying over every single guest. With this growth of reach has come a wide array of ways to get involved, making Gobble Kits an annual favorite of many volunteers. Check out the variety of fun and meaningful opportunities for you to serve others this Thanksgiving below.

Thanksgiving Volunteer Opportunities with Feed the Need Missions

We are already hard at work signing guests up and collecting supplies to receive Gobble Kits this year. There are so many ways to get involved. If you are looking for a fun, meaningful, and family-friendly way to give back this holiday season, read on! 


Donate a Gobble Kit

Hundreds of families have already signed up to receive a meal this November. One of the most impactful ways to help out is to donate a Gobble Kit. You can pick up a shopping bag and a list of supplies at our participating locations throughout Texas. Simply take the list to your local grocery store, select the items on the list, and bring the filled back to one of our drop off locations. The best time to drop off is on our Collection Day event on Saturday November 13. On that day, bring the whole family to drop off your kit supplies and donations. Let us thank you in person as you enjoy live music, make s’mores and meet our staff team. If you’re not located near one of our collection sites or you can’t make it to Collection day, you can also donate $25 online and we can do all the shopping for you. The deadline for collections this year is Monday, November 15!

Serve at Assembly Day

Distributing Gobble Kits to hundreds of families takes preparation and organization! If you’re in the Bastrop area, we would love for you to join us for Gobble Kit Assembly Day on Saturday, November 20 at Community Gardens. Help us sort, assemble, and pack our Gobble Kits. You can even help us write meaningful notes of encouragement for those who will receive the Gobble Kits. Lunch will be provided for everyone who attends.

Volunteer During Distribution Week

There are eight opportunities to join us as we distribute the Gobble Kits to families from November 18-23rd. Visit our Facebook events tab to find dates, times and locations for each of our sites and feel free to join us for as many as you’d like. This is a wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel message and pray over people as they receive a very practical blessing.

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You Never Know Who’s Listening: A Volunteer Story

Playing to Your Strengths

“Invariably, when I go through the line at the grocery store, someone looks at my cart stuffed full of grill-out supplies and says,  ‘You must be throwing a party.’ And every time, my response is the same. ‘Yep, we are! And you’re invited!'”

Larry serves Feed the Need Missions as a purchasing volunteer, shopping prior to the site meeting each week to ensure all supplies and ingredients are up to par and ready to go for serving the community.

Larry’s commanding voice earns him attention from other shoppers and staff in the grocery store. “Other people can hear me two or three aisles down, giving out the details about what I’m doing and why.”

The platform he has been given via the volume of his voice (and the groceries in the cart) is something he uses to his advantage. Capitalizing on the curiosity around him, Larry takes the opportunity to be invitational and informational. And the impact is incredible.

A “Chance” Encounter

“About a month ago, standing in line, I was checking out, explaining Feed the Need mission and vision to the cashier. I was explaining that we simply feed our community, and share the love of Christ. A gentleman behind me blurted out, ‘I want to come!’ I replied that at our sites, everyone is welcome. We do meet physical needs, sure, but our hope is to relieve all kinds of hunger, from empty bellies to a need for companionship, purpose and prayer. Seconds later he shoved a $20 bill in to my hand and said, ‘Let me help you buys your groceries tonight.'”

“The story didn’t end there. Not long after, the same gentleman showed up at the site. ‘Do you remember me?’ he asked. I grinned. Of course I did. ‘I decided I want to come help, if you could use me.’ It was incredible how the Lord used a chance encounter at the grocery to connect us and mobilize this man to give and serve with me.”

“We visited, talked about Jesus, and I shared more about what we do at Feed the Need Missions. I learned a precious lesson that day. You just never know who’s listening.”

We love how Larry is embracing his role, and his unique personality, making himself available to be used by the Lord and draw people to the sites.

An Open Invitation

Our challenge for you today is to think about how God has uniquely equipped YOU to serve, to give. Maybe you could help support our mission through a twenty dollar donation, like the man in the grocery store. Maybe it’s time to visit a site and find out what we’re all about. If you’re ready to put feet to your faith, activate your own unique skills for the Kingdom of God and serve your community, we want you to know you’re invited to the Feed the Need family! We would love to meet you, pray for you, and help you find the perfect place to plug in! Check out our locations, find one near you—we can’t wait to meet you!

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What Legends Are Made Of

If you are ready to maximize the ultimate measure of your life, you can rest assured that Feed the Need Missions is an avenue through which you can make a major impact on those in most need and also reflect the character and values of Dr King.

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2021 Challenge

Trade Personal Resolutions for Community Revitalization

In case you hadn’t heard, the first seven days of January have officially been dubbed “New Year’s Resolution Week.” This week the entire internet has been inundated with “new year, new you” messaging, social media posts touting ‘words of the year,’ and other similar personal goal setting.

Taking time to reset and self evaluate truly are so important. Personal Bible reading plans and a restructuring of priorities are vital for growth. But if 2020 gave us anything, it was ample time to do this. Last year, as we learned to adapt to quarantined living in the wake of COVID-19, we became homeschool parents and remote office workers. We focused on family. We gardened. We crafted. We became digital media pros. What was sorely missed, in all this inwardly focused time, was a sense of community. 

A New Year Shift of Focus

In 2020, loneliness was off the charts. People felt disconnected, so much so that the CDC published resources, warnings and health ramifications associated with isolation. We missed our friends, and churches, and our coffee dates. We longed for unmasked smiles, unreserved hugs and high fives. Personal contact. Togetherness.

As we move in to a new year, consider trading the typical personal resolutions for a commitment to personal involvement in community revitalization. If ever there was a time, this is the year to shift our focus outward toward others. Should you need biblical support for this, you need look no further than this charge from the Apostle Paul:

 

Selfless and sacrificial service should be the daily norm for every Christian— but we don’t often incorporate it into our New Years goal setting. And it’s too bad, because it has some pretty incredible perks. In addition to the obvious spiritual priority the Bible gives it and the benefits for others, a service oriented lifestyle is proven to decrease depression, add skills to our personal tool belts, reduce stress and help us build new friendships. The ironic truth is we could achieve most of our personal goals more effectively by focusing less on self and more on others. Just food for thought.

A New Year Commitment to Community

So what does resolving to be others-centered in 2021 look like? Glad you asked! First, let’s talk about the need.

We know our communities have healing to do in the wake of 2020. But defining that more specifically helps us to articulate how we can be part of the solution. At Feed the Need Missions, we define the needs based on what we call the Four Levels of Poverty:

  • Physical poverty – This is the more obvious understanding of poverty, including a lack of tangible resources impacting food, clothing and shelter. This lack occurs for a myriad of reasons, but many individuals experienced heightened poverty in 2020 in the wake of job losses and furrows.
  • Emotional poverty – This type of poverty manifests itself through loneliness, mental challenges, relational issues or difficulty with life or coping skills. As mentioned above, there is a heavy sense of isolation and anxiety related to 2020.
  • Social Poverty – Often social deficits go hand in hand with physical poverty. Most often, social poverty is the desire to feel valued, to simply be seen, to be heard, and to have someone speak into their lives.
  • Spiritual Poverty – We believe the most dire need of all people, in the era of COVID or otherwise, is for the forgiveness and unconditional love of Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate solution, meeting every need associated with physical, emotional, social and spiritual poverty.

Feed the Need Missions is about meeting people in every one of these types of poverty. Our organizational mission is to feed people physically and spiritually. We do that through weekly pop up style dinner sites, where we distribute hot meals. As we address the physical need, we initiate personal interactions, offer prayers and proclaim the Gospel to anyone who is willing to listen.

A New Volunteer Service Opportunity

We do all this via an ever expanding army of volunteers. People looking for a way to make an impact. People just like you.

We often say, “the burger is just the tool.” We’ve found that, just as we see it play out in the Bible, physical needs being met opens the doors to fulfill every type of hunger. It gives us an opportunity to connect them to a Savior, Provider, Friend and Wonderful Counselor.

If restoring community in 2021 sounds like just the ticket for you, and you’re looking for a way to get started, we want to invite you to get involved in this vital mission as a volunteer, church partner, prayer warrior or donor. All you have to do is show up to one of our sites, and we’ll get you plugged in.

Ghandi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Are you ready to level up from Bible reading to Bible living? Are you ready to take Jesus outside the church walls? Then you are exactly who we’re looking to team up with in the new year.

Fellow believers, we’ve had our time to retreat and reflect. Now is a time for heroes to step up, ready to take action and be the healing hands of Jesus.

About the Writer

Amanda joined our staff in September of 2020 as the Marketing Director. She is a pastor’s wife, Bible teacher and public speaker, and former church staffer. In her 10 years of adult ministry experience at one of the largest churches in the U.S., she fostered a passion and proficiency for church program development, discipleship and sharing the love of Christ.

 

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How Churches Can Boost Volunteerism Right Now

Church Volunteerism in the Age of COVID-19

Even in the best of times, churches have to work creatively and proactively to keep volunteerism up.

In fact, 50% of pastors feel like this is the biggest challenge they face. One unique advantage churches have over other nonprofit organizations is the ongoing sense of connection fostered by weekly face-to-face interaction in classes, events, worship and other activities.
In 2020, however, that advantage has dwindled. 
Unprecedented closures due to COVID-19, decreased programming and staff, and long-term social distancing plans have made it difficult to maintain that sense of connection. Nearly half of worshippers are now attending an online churchservice. With the decreased accountability and visibility come the temptations to disengage, to shop around, and to become spectators rather than participants.
Wouldn’t it be nice, in times like these, if someone outside your organization could step in and help? 
That’s exactly what Feed the Need Missions loves to do – empower and activate the Church to meet physical and spiritual needs. As a faith-based nonprofit organization, we have been partnering with local churches and harnessing the power of volunteers for a decade. Despite the COVID outbreak, we have seen nearly 200 volunteers show up each week to serve rural communities across Texas. 
Our President, Jonah Beyer, often consults with pastors looking to grow a passion for service among congregants. The following are a few suggestions – and some practical solutions – from our family of faith to yours. 


Volunteer Opportunities Are Vital For Church Growth

If you haven’t embraced volunteerism as a huge opportunity for church growth, this is step one. The impacts begin with the individual and blossom outward to affect the temperature of the entire church body. The process begins as active volunteers begin to experience personal benefits: 
  • They feel purpose and belonging
  • They cultivate new friendships
  • They discover gifts and passions
  • They experience the satisfaction that comes with helping and influencing others
From this experience springs loyalty to the church and personal ownership over its success. These individuals are no longer just spectators. They show up faithfully each week, ready to invest in the overall vision. 
This translates into great things for the church as a whole. Staff members experience less burnout as they give away ministry. And as members attend services regularly, they mature spiritually. Part of this maturity includes members replicating themselves and giving away ministry to others. 
Ultimately, then, enabling volunteerism promotes overall church growth.

Practical Ways to Cultivate the Volunteer Spirit

Once you understand why building up volunteers is important, you can get to work making it happen. Below are three postures and practices we suggest for building a successful volunteer base. 


 1. Make It Personal

If you want to grow volunteerism, here is a rule of thumb: people over projects. “People are one of our greatest assets,” Jonah shares. “But when the task becomes more important than the person, you lose your ability to lead.” In short, make sure that the leader at the helm is someone who is personable. Don’t delegate and disappear. Check in with people. Get to know them. Listen to their stories, experiences, and suggestions. Celebrate them. Thank them. Investing in volunteers, rather than just using people up as a resource, will build excitement and loyalty into your team. 


 2. Make It Meaningful

People don’t want to do busy work. They don’t get excited about doing “anyone can handle this” jobs. Trying to make it sound innocuous may be tempting, but it will not incite interest and passion – or attract the right people. What will, however, is an understanding of the overall vision and the impact it will have. Help volunteers see that, big or small, visible or behind the scenes, their offering is changing lives for Jesus Christ. In our annual Gobble Kits effort, for example, volunteers aren’t just handing out food or collecting canned goods. They are providing hope by donating Thanksgiving meals to families who are in desperate need in their own communities. They are the hands and feet of Jesus. The way we frame things makes all the difference in the attitudes of the people we lead. 


3. Build a Partnership 

With many churches still planning programming conservatively these days, your staff may simply not have the bandwidth to organize a project or mission right now. If this is the case, find a local mission you love and build a partnership. This way, the facility, details and supplies are handled by a third party; you can simply show up, serve and grow together. Feed the Need Missions would love to help you begin the process of engaging and developing a volunteer spirit in your church. 
Feed the Need Missions Church partnerships take many forms:

  • Home groups or classes choose a night to serve dinner at one of our weekly sites 
  • Mini-local mission trips take place for ministry areas to practice testimony sharing, Gospel sharing, and intercessory prayer
  • Members with administrative skill serve as site coordinators and church ambassadors
  • Church facilities are opened as a donation supply pick-up centers for seasonal missions


Partner with Feed the Need Missions

If you are interested in how a partnership with Feed the Need Missions might benefit your church, we’d love to connect. Let us host a Church and Burgers informational event at your location. Here, we share our vision and cook a delicious, free meal for your congregation. You can also schedule a strategy session with our president, Jonah Beyer or visit our website. 
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Volunteer Story: Debbie and Lewis

The ushering in of fall brings many a sense of joy and thanksgiving. For Debbie and Lewis, our Giddings site leaders, this is no exception. This season has brought special change for them that we are excited to share. The Giddings site is newly reopened with a brand new location and schedule!

“I’m so excited that we are open,” Debbie shared. She shared that she is eager to see the ministry blossom here over the coming weeks. “Once we have the consistency of being there week after week, the neighborhood will be able to trust that we will continue to be there weekly,” she shared. “Since everything is so different, it’s giving everyone a chance to get more familiar with a new way of doing things.”

Come check out the new site this Sunday! Serve with us and stay for a burger. Set up begins at 4:30 p.m. and dinner service begins at 5:30 p.m. Visit our updated Giddings site page and stay up to date with the latest news and updates!

Our new Feed the Need Giddings Address:
Simmang Park
801-899 W Washington Street
Giddings, TX 78942

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Black Lives Matter

“Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

Feed the Need Missions has always strived to love unconditionally. Our ministry was started to serve ALL who come, no matter what. Our hearts want to echo 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.” In fact, this is not just a calling to us as a ministry, it is a calling to all Christians.

It is clear that evil is present. We can see it in the form of racial oppression, political divides, and using patriotism and religion as license to take action out of anger or personal gain. This is the chaos that Satan creates, thrives in, and conquers all who allow it to enter. This is not the time for the Church to be silent. This is the time to show the love of Jesus, not the judgement of men, to all people.

Do not confuse Black Lives Matter with putting one race over another. This isn’t the point. The point is that Black Americans are hurting and need support right now. If you have multiple children and one of them tells you “I love you,” you don’t respond with “well I love all my children, not just you!” Even though this is true, this is not what our brothers and sisters need to hear in this moment. They need to hear that we love them, and that we’re here to stand in the gap for them and be the voice that needs to be heard in solidarity alongside of them.

What can I do? This is often the first question we ask. Many times we don’t get the answer we want or it is too hard to find out, it’s easier to try to ignore it and sit idle and return to things that feel comfortable.

But when you are comfortable there is no progress, there is no fight, there is no battle. The only thing defeated in comfort is the spirit of love that lives inside you. It’s time for that spirit to stay alive. Not just for a short time, but until Jesus comes back.

Start getting uncomfortable. Here are two things you can begin to do today.

    1. PRAY. Time and time again, Jesus shows up when we ask. Pray for our Black friends and neighbors. Pray our eyes would be open to the injustices happening, big and small. Pray that your heart would be empathetic and broken for the pain that people have experienced. Pray for direction in what steps you can take to make a difference.
    2. LEARN. There are so many great resources out there – books, voices, etc. Here is a great place to start. Listen to your Black friends. Talk with others about what you are learning. Have uncomfortable conversations. Read books that make you rethink about what you were taught about race. Try to truly understand what the changes and policies people are fighting for, not just what you hear from sensational news headlines. And approach all of this with a humble heart. It is okay if you were wrong, and it is okay to change.

When you start diving in and really focus on these two things, the actions you need to take will come to light. Don’t be idle, this is important.

In this time of racial injustice, we need to let God’s love show through and guide all of us to unity. The worst thing that can happen is that when the uproar has quieted, we go right back into the comfortable lives we were living before. Don’t let that happen, love is difficult, love is often awkward, love is uncomfortable. Do the hard thing. Love.

To our Black brothers and sisters, we love you and we want to support you. We want to learn and listen. We ask for your forgiveness in places we have failed, and we are willing to do the work to make things better.

There is nothing special about Feed the Need Missions. We just try to instill doing small things well again and again. God doesn’t need superstars, he needs ordinary people that He can do extraordinary acts through.

We hope you join us in praying and learning. We can’t wait to see where God leads us to love others.

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