Church Give-Away

The news item caught my attention. A church in Argyle, Texas, giving away lots of money to people in need during these tough economic times. Congregations have historically provided help -- from food pantries, to shelters for those displaced by storm and fire, to medical care in clinics and hospitals, to literacy programs, to dependency support groups, to job placement services, and on and on. CrossTimbers Church in Argyle is not the first to give money to congregants and community residents in need, of course, but the level of giving was certainly amazing: something over $200,000 in the last few months, if I remember correctly. When the pastor was asked in an interview if he wasn't concerned about being taken advantage of, he said that if he weren't being taken advantage of, he wouldn't be following the example of Jesus.

Disciples want to help others, whether it's to work on a Habitat for Humanity house, or deliver Meals on Wheels, or volunteer at the crisis center. Unfortunately, though, the cost of administering a typical 200-member church in American cities is very high, and sometimes the percentage of donations that can be dedicated to those in need is not as great as members and leaders desire. So it's inspiring to see a story like this one from Texas and to know that this effort, and countless others on a smaller scale, can encourage the skeptical to re-consider the gospel.