What do you get when you cross families looking for ministry opportunities with three days in a community in need? Thousands of lives impacted by reflections of Christ’s love and grace.
And that’s just what happened July 20–22 in Shelby Baptist Association as 120 people from Alabama, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida and North Carolina participated in Families on Mission (FOM), a ministry of the North American Mission Board (NAMB).
“Our banner word has been ‘together,’” said Debbie Snyder, Shelby Association ministry development director.
“And that’s what we’re here to do — ‘Serve Christ Together.’”
Pooling their personal resources, families packed a bag and headed to their assigned ministry site simply because “there’s nothing like it in the world,” explained Bill Moody, of Concord, N.C., who participated in FOM for the second year.
“We can leave a legacy for our grandchildren. … And bringing these little ones with you makes all the difference in the world,” said Moody as he did construction alongside his 7-year-old grandson Justin at Developing Alabama Youth (D.A.Y.) Program, a United Way agency providing counseling, education and behavior modification for at-risk children. “It’s what makes Families on Mission so special.”
In keeping with the goal of connecting churches with community needs, Shelby Association churches were appointed to 20 ministry sites. Church members worked alongside FOM volunteers at these sites doing construction projects, hosting backyard Bible clubs and children’s camps and ministering at nursing homes and food pantries, among other things, Snyder explained. “And it’s been a good jump-start for ministry.”
At Sunshine Farm in Sterrett, Heather Brooks, of Dawsonville, Ga., and her family partnered with First Baptist Church, Vincent, to provide a day camp for about 80 children from the Vincent/Harpersville area.
“It’s a great experience for your kids to hear what being on mission is all about, but being able to show them is truly a gift,” said Brooks, who is a project management consultant for NAMB. “You have to teach them from a young age if you want them to grow up and do it.”
Her sons Jacob and Jared are doing it already. Jacob said he was most excited about the opportunity “to help lead people to Christ” through FOM, which allowed for 300 gospel presentations and a reported 12 professions of faith.
“Incredible” — Susan Long couldn’t think of a better word to describe the experience.
“It’s just been incredible to see how God is using people from all over to minister in Shelby County,” said Long, a member of First Baptist Church, Alabaster, who, along with her husband, Scott, helped Snyder serve as project and ministry coordinator. “We’re seeing a camaraderie of churches working together and it’s just been incredible.”
The Alabama FOM event was one of six taking place across the nation this year.
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