Churches ARE providing HELP too!

Assistance and Help offered by Churches

More people are approaching their church for help in today’s challenging economy. Requests for assistance are flooding churches all across America.

Church pastors are saying that they're giving out assistance, grants, and benevolent funds in record numbers to help local families. When they do not have funds, they try to give the person advice, or even just a kind, compassionate ear to listen. They are helping the unemployed and others who are struggling, and they are even reaching into their own pockets to provide more help.

Almost 70% of churches are reporting more people from outside their church are asking for help, and almost a third of churches are seeing more requests from members of the church, according to a recent survey by LifeWay Research. More info from the study includes 40% of pastors say they have an increasing number of church members out of work, and the good news is that about 37% of churches have been able to increase spending to help the needy.

How are churches helping?

Some examples of how churches are helping across the country and serving as charities include:

A few months ago, over 1,000 member of one church's 1,800 adult members signed up to help with more than 112 service projects in area hospitals, schools, homeless shelters and a variety of other public sites.

In a church in Los Angeles, the Rev. Bill Ankerberg has seen it all at his Whittier Area Community Church. They provided over $25,000 in financial aid in one month, which is more than they provided in the entire year of 1997.

Like 27% of pastors in the survey, Ankerberg has given personally, too.

First Family Church in Overland Park, Kan., is a distribution site for the Salvation Army. They distribute several thousands of dollars in assistance to help people pay rent and utility bills among other things. They also offer financial counseling, and medical bill assistance.

Churches across the country are stepping up, and doing what they can to serve as a charity and provide help to those who need it the most.