Lafitte’s ‘random acts of kindness’ change church’s DNA

Lafitte’s ‘random acts of kindness’ change church’s DNA

"You should see the smiles on the people’s faces.”

Brian Gregt, a member of Lafitte Baptist Church, Saraland, said that is what outreach is all about. 

The church’s outreach events, known as “random acts of kindness,” are organized and carried out at least once a month around the community. They range from gift wrapping at local stores to free dinner and a movie to gas buy downs, in which church members will gather at a local gas station and pay for a gallon of gas per customer, as well as clean windshields and pump gas. 

Pastor David Grumbach said the events give the church an outward mindset. “As the bride of Christ, we need to connect and serve the community and aggressively love people so that they can see Christ and His love in us,” he said. 

It’s a project that’s changing the DNA of the church, Grumbach said. Church members’ “view and understanding of the purpose of the church is completely changing through these projects,” he said.

In addition to random acts done throughout the year, Lafitte Baptist organized a community-wide Easter egg hunt this spring. Gregt, a frequent participant of the outreach projects, said the events have had a very positive impact on the community as well as the church.

“Our church isn’t that big, but because of the events we’ve attracted many people to the church and by emphasizing helping people out in the community, newer members want to be more involved,” Gregt said. (Taylor Hamm)