Churches Helping Churches

The phrase “one another” is used 100 times in the New Testament. Yet mutual assistance among churches can be a rare occurrence in a North American culture that values independence over interdependence.

For one glorious day, the Real Life Church of God in East Petersburg (Pa.) was an astonished (and grateful) recipient of churches helping one another.

This small church, with a worship attendance of 35-40, has a good facility with ample space for the church, a community center, and a bakery café. With limited resources, the church has struggled to maintain, repair, and update the building.

Setting aside their pride, Real Life asked nearby sister churches to send volunteers for a work day. Pastors informed their churches. Skilled workers recruited teams. An interior decorator, two vocational painters, and a chef volunteered their services. And the people at Real Life mobilized to get ready.

For the work day, 58 volunteers converged on Real Life to scrape, sand, paint, dismantle, build, prune, cook, and clean. They came from 14 different churches—eight sister churches and six others—in an outpouring of inter-church support.

The turnout (and projects completed) was beyond anything Real Life hoped or imagined. The coordinating leader said: “I know God put in motion . . . something that could only happen with God's direction, not mine, and we are blessed because we listened to Him.”

When God’s people within (and among) churches show up to help one another, great things happen! (See Haggai 1:14, 2 Cor. 8:1-5, and Phil. 4:14-20).