These strange times have called for some unprecedented innovation, and churches are certainly stepping up. All throughout the greater Houston area, churches are getting creative in their care for one another and for the community as a whole. So we wanted to take a moment to celebrate just a few of the stories of the Body of Christ doing what it does best—sharing and showing the love of Christ.

Christ's Love to the Community

A few weeks ago, Coby Cagle of Ecclesia Clear Lake reached out to the principal of their local elementary school to see how they might need support. The principal said 177 students did not have regular access to reliable devices. Many didn't have computers, and those who did had multiple kids sharing one smartphone or old devices that couldn't run the educational software needed for virtual schooling. 

On Palm Sunday, Ecclesia Clear Lake launched a campaign to raise $2,000 to purchase Chromebooks for League City Elementary. With the $2000 the elders agreed to match, this $4,000 would allow the church to provide twenty Chromebooks the Monday after Easter. With one week to raise the funds, Coby encouraged the congregation to contribute and invite others to contribute as well. He reminded them that the Body of Christ preaches the gospel both with their words and the actions they display.

By the end of the week, the church was able to raise over $5,500, and the elders decided to up their contribution to $3,000. In total, they were able to purchase just over $8,500 worth of Chromebooks for students at League City Elementary!

Coby writes, "One of the biggest blessings in this entire thing is the relationship I'm building with the principal. I haven't met her in person yet, but we have traded emails every other day for the past week. She even asked for the link to tune into our online service. I'll meet her later in the week for the first time in person when I deliver the Chromebooks. I hope this is the beginning of a long partnership." 

If your church is looking for ways to serve your community and live out the gospel, Loving Houston is an organization that specializes in creating and sustaining healthy church-school partnerships. Through Loving Houston, churches like Long Point Baptist have established strong bonds with their local school system even through difficult times. Loving Houston currently has over 90 schools waiting to partner with churches in their community. If your church is looking for a way to live out the gospel in your community, visit Loving Houston's web page to find out more. 

Reaching One Another

In a time of necessary social distancing, many churches have found creative ways to "meet" together while respecting authorities and keeping the vulnerable safe. One of the most interesting ways to gather has been through "drive-in" church services. South Main Baptist Church in Pasadena started their first drive-in service on March 22nd. Since then, they have been doing 9:30 am drive-in and a 10:45 am live stream services. 

With a simple FM transmitter, Pastor Ron Lyles was able to preach while keeping his congregation and the community as a whole safe. Participants came wearing everything from pajamas to their usual Sunday's best. They greeted one another with honking and waving, partook in a bring-your-own elements communion, and collected the offering with a pool skimmer tied to a paint roller extension pole. 

Through all kinds of weather, Ron Lyles has preached from a 9-ft scaffolding to the congregation at South Main Baptist and even a few new visitors. He chuckled as he recounted how the clouds parted and the sun began to shine just as he started preaching in the rain. "My congregation has a newfound appreciation for me, now," he added.

Social distancing wasn't going to keep them from fun Easter traditions, either. On Easter Sunday, they were able to have a drive-in sunrise service complete with a traditional Baptist call-and-answer. When Pastor Lyles said, "He is risen," he invited the congregation to honk four times to declare, "He is risen indeed!" 

Keeping in Touch 

While almost all churches are making good use of virtual video forums to continue discipleship and Bible studies online, others are finding new ways to keep in contact and fellowship from afar.

Instead of driving in for service, Ken Durham, pastor at Juncture Church at Queens Road, has started driving by members’ homes each Sunday afternoon to say hello. Depending on each person's living arrangement, he drives as close as possible and gets his congregants' attention for a friendly afternoon greeting from a distance, "Bottom line," he writes in the announcement, "we will be obnoxious with the car horn until you come out. We want to wave and holler greetings." He signs off with a jovial reminder, "Christ over Corona!"

What new ways have you and your church found to reach out to the community, "meet" together, and check in on one another in these times? We'd love to hear it. Feel free to post stories on our Facebook page as a testimony of God's work, a story of the perseverance of His church, and even just to make someone else smile. Press on, friends. 

#BetterTogether