Our Last Gathering, The Ridge, and Serving Others

At our last Sunday gathering after our Bible teaching time, we heard from Jimmie Hodges, the first local missionary that The Ridge is supporting. Jimmie shared some really cool stuff--like how God can call you at any time to be a missionary, even if you're retired. How God can use a simple trip to Canada, and a simple concern for some poor Native American kids, to create a desire to serve others with your time in Christ's name. How God can use one man's energy to serve hundreds of people in the poor areas of Appalachia and impact dozens of small towns.

Jimmie shared some great stuff, and if you heard him I'm sure you were motivated! God can and will do anything with anyone, often through the most unexpected ways. What better way for God to glorify Himself?

The Ridge is committed to supporting Jimmie financially, as well as in more tangible ways. Jimmie spends around $700 of his own money each month in gas on his nearly daily trips to Kentucky to deliver food, clothes, and all kinds of other stuff. So, we gave Jimmie what he needs most to make his ministry successful--money for gas.

(Believe it or not, Jimmie has more stuff to give away than he can find space for... His uncanny ability to attract massive amounts of free stuff is a story in itself! Ask him about the jelly sometime. By the way, if you know of a cheap place that we can use to help Jimmie store things, like, say, 6,000 t-shirts, let me know, OK?)

We also took up a collection of baby clothes for Jimmie to deliver to the people he helps in the mountains. We'll do things like that for Jimmie (and other ministries) enough that you should have no problem keeping your closets and garages well-organized... You're welcome!

The Ridge has been committed from Minute One (as I say it) to supporting missions with our time and 5% of every dollar that our people give in our offering at each gathering on Sundays. We gave Jimmie $200, or 5% of our 2008 financial offerings from Ridge Church folks. At the end of March, we'll distribute 5% of our January through March offerings to missions. It's simple and it helps those who've committed their lives to taking the Good News of Jesus to others through both word and action.

The Ridge has also volunteered with KARM twice already, and we will again in the future. This summer, we helped set up the KARM thrift store on Merchants Drive. At Thanksgiving, we helped distribute over 1,400 turkeys to needy Knoxville families. We really mean it when we say we're serious about missions at Ridge Church!

We're also very serious about church planting. Our next post will discuss the first church plant that The Ridge will be supporting. Again, we will support church plants both financially and in tangible ways.

Serving Others and New Churches are two of our six Ridge Church Values, and we will stay true to them through thick and thin! We will always give 5% to missions endeavors and provide ways for you to become involved with your time and talents as well. Stay tuned for more missions opportunities all the time!