A lot of churches collect money from members at the altar. Pastor John Gray did something different recently.
He invited members of his Relentless Church congregation to come to the altar and take the money that they needed from the offering baskets. According to Gray, the act was a prompt from God.
In a video he posted on Instagram this week, he invited people in the church to get the money that they needed at the altar where baskets filled with donations from member were waiting.
“The role of the church is also to meet the needs of people in the house. Are there any single mothers in here, any widows, are there any single fathers,” he asked. “Are there any veterans that don’t have what they need to make ends meet. Come to the altar.”
Gray gave permission for people at the altar to take the funds that they needed to help them with basic needs.
“There’s some money in these baskets,” he said. “You get what you need for you and the kids to eat and get some gas.”
The pastor referred to Galatians 6:2 at the beginning of his video which states, “ Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (ESV)
While he acknowledged that the money at the altar may not meet every need for his congregation, he was also determined to try to do his part.
“We might not be able to do everything, but we can do something,” he said.
Gray took over Relentless Church in Greenville, S.C. less than a year ago. His church may have its own financial needs, but the pastor chose to be obedient to the call of God.
“Our church is six months old. We don’t have a war chest of money,” he admitted in the caption to his video. “We believe God every week for what we need. But God told me after we collected offering to leave at the altar and then let those who had needs get what they needed-from the offering baskets.”
For Gray, the act was an example of what church is about.
“I love my church. THIS is church,” he wrote. “Book of Acts style. #WidowsOrphansSingleMomsAndDadsAndVeterans @myrelentlesschurch.”
(picture via Getty)