From the President

When I used to read of  Jesus’ command to help those who are less fortunate, I would be challenged, but what can one person do?  How can one person make a difference?  I would become overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem of poverty, push His command to the back of my mind and continue reading.  Yes, one person can make a difference – at least to a few people – but it is hard to know where to start and easy to get discouraged.

Later, when I was on the board at my church, I would read Jesus’ command to help the less fortunate, but what can one church do?  How can one small church make a difference?  Again, I would become overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem, push His command to the back of my mind and continue reading.  Yes, one church can make a difference – at least to some people – but it is hard to know where to start and easy to get discouraged.

Then I learned about Love In the Name of Christ – Love INC for short – and their vision to help churches, help people by organizing a network of church resources.  Now I read Jesus’ command to help those who were less fortunate and realize that together we can make a difference.

Here's how: one church can provide baby cribs and another car seats.  Then a third one offers clothes and a fourth, emergency baby supplies.  Together we address a pressing need in our community.  By working together we can follow Jesus’ command to help those who are less fortunate.  Yes, poverty is still a big problem, but with the Love INC vision of teaming together, there is no reason be overwhelmed by it, just challenged.  Now we can follow Jesus' command to help those in need.

Now, just image if each Bible-believing church in the Kalamazoo area were to form just one outreach ministry to help those in need in our community.  That’s hundreds of churches, with hundreds of programs, all designed to follow Jesus’ command to help others during times of need.  Then, by working together, poverty – as we know it – could be wiped out in our community.

Bear in mind that Love INC does not provide any of these outreach ministries.  Local churches do – your church.  Your church maintains control over your ministry, directs your volunteers, and allocates your resources.  Your church – and every other church – is free to meet the specific need or needs you wish, the needs you are gifted to meet, the needs you are passionate about and challenged to tackle.

And beyond addressing temporal, physical needs, we don’t want to lose sight of eternal, spiritual needs.  In the course of helping others, our goal is to tangibly demonstrate Christ’s love to others, refer them to a local church, and encourage them in their spiritual journey – either to accept Jesus as their personal savior or to strengthen and encourage their walk with Him.

Will you join with us?

To learn more about Love INC and how you and your church can effectively show Christ’s love to others in the Kalamazoo area, contact us today at 269-353-6798 or email.