Home Christian News Churches Can Be ‘Personalized Ministry Partner’ for Local Schools

Churches Can Be ‘Personalized Ministry Partner’ for Local Schools

North Hills Church in West Monroe, La., gave away nearly 90 backpacks to families during its back-to-school bash Saturday, Aug. 6.

Evan Knies, pastor of families and missions at North Hills, said the needs in the community are great.

He explained the church works with several schools in the area through a community Facebook page designed to meet practical needs. The church posted the sign-up form to receive a backpack in the page, and all of the slots were filled within two hours. The church purchased a few extra backpacks to meet the demand.

“There is great need that’s in our community and we want to use this as an opportunity to meet families and to meet kids,” Knies said.

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“Most everyone is excited to go back to school after the summer and there is this sense of anticipation. It’s an awesome opportunity for us to provide and meet a need for families, but if we just give out backpacks, and don’t share the Gospel, then we’ve failed. Giving out these backpacks gives us an opportunity to share the Good News.”

Knies added he is thankful to be a part of a convention with entities that make serving the local community during back-to-school time possible.

“Send Relief’s tagline is meeting needs and changing lives. This is why we cooperate, to share the Gospel,” Knies said.

“The awesome thing about being a part of the Southern Baptist Convention is that it is not about an ‘us or them,’ mentality, it should be about how can we do this together and cooperate. It’s a beautiful and wonderful thing.”

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.