Downtown churches struggling to find their niche in ministry may want to try what First Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tenn., has done: look and listen.
Paying attention to young voices within its membership and to underserved needs downtown, the congregation launched a shower ministry in October 2013 that has surprised even the most faithful members of the congregation.
Since then the ministry has become the launching point for a number of other services the church never dreamed of, said Thomas Quisenberry, pastor of the downtown congregation.
It all started four or five years ago in Colorado and Arizona where First, Chattanooga, college students saw shower ministries in action on a missions trip.
Back home they met with deacon Herb Hooper and suggested the idea as perfect for the Tennessee church and the homeless people around it. The church is located just blocks from a homeless shelter and other services for that population in Chattanooga.
Committed to volunteer
A fundraising campaign was launched in October 2012 to pay for the installation of showers just off the church gymnasium. The goal was $104,000 but $107,000 was raised in 12 months for eight showers. However, enough money was raised by July 2013 to start the work then, Hooper said.
Three college students committed to volunteer at the shower each Thursday, when it’s open 2–5 p.m.
More than a year later some workers in the shower ministry are homeless people who have availed themselves of the service.
The ministry was expanded when a local politician donated two washing machines and two dryers to the ministry, which were added to the units the church already had. This enables someone to shower and have their laundry done simultaneously.
Six months ago the church started offering haircuts by volunteers from a local cosmetology school.
“And we have one guy who comes in to provide massages,” Hooper said. “Last Thursday we had 18 haircuts, 12 showers, 13 who did laundry and three to four who got massages.”
The church has found that its shower and laundry ministry dovetails with another program held at the church on Thursday nights.
It’s an ecumenical ministry called Mustard Tree, which uses the church’s gym to serve dinner and hold a Bible study for homeless people every week. Different churches serve as the host each night, with First, Chattanooga, taking responsibility once a month.
Hooper, who has been a member of the church for 52 years, said his involvement with the shower ministry has inspired him in numerous ways.
“(The college students) wanted to do more than go to Bible studies,” Hooper said. “They wanted to be the hands and feet of Jesus wherever they could.”
Knowing many other downtown churches are struggling to find their niches, Quisenberry said he doesn’t recommend shower ministries as the answer.
It’s the paying attention to their surroundings that matters, he said.
“I do think congregations can find ways to be a positive influence on their community, and maybe the best way is having contact and listening.”
(BNG)
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