In an effort to fill up gas tanks and impact lives for Christ, Central Baptist Church – Paragould Campus recently supplied more than 5,500 gallons of gasoline for more than 600 Arkansas families.
The event was held at the Kum & Go on Linwood Drive in Paragould, Arkansas, and it was the fourth gas giveaway for the church campus.
Breck Freeman, executive pastor at the Paragould Campus, said they had about 80 volunteers manning 20 pumps for two hours. The church pre-paid $25 on every pump.
Saw a need in the community
“We just saw a need in the community,” Freeman said of the Dec. 3 event. “We pump their gas, wash their windshield, invite them to church and share the gospel.”
On that Saturday, Freeman said they had two cars that had to be pushed to the pump because they were out of gas.
One lady wanted to give back, so she gave them a pack of crackers because that was all she had to give.
Additionally, they had a vehicle with a deaf occupant pull up to a pump that happened to be operated by a volunteer who is a speech therapist and knew sign language.
“It was the Lord at work,” Freeman said.
Above and beyond
Funding for the gas giveaway came from the congregation and volunteers who gave specifically to the outreach beyond their regular tithes and offerings.
“We pump gas for two hours, just love on people and share Jesus with them,” Freeman said.
“Sometimes you see them at church the next day and sometimes you don’t. The first thing for us is just to love our community,” he said.
The Paragould Campus was launched in 2018 by Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Mary Alford and originally published by Arkansas Baptist News.
