“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in. I needed clothes, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you looked after me. I was in prison, and you came to visit me.”
These verses from Matthew 25:35-36 inspired John and Jennifer Hines to establish Matthew 25 Ministries (M25) in January 2022 and to serve their community in Warren County, Tennessee, exactly in that way. They asked pastor Gannon Richesin, who now serves at Three Rivers Baptist Church, to lead as their director.
“We firmly believe that the mission that shines the furthest out, must shine brightest at home,” said Richesin.
Core areas of need
The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focuses on addressing six core areas of need identified in the biblical passage: hunger, thirst, clothing, loneliness, sickness, and imprisonment.
“As a ministry we long to serve people like Jesus would have served them,” explains Richesin. “It was birthed out of a desire to see the unchurched in our community have a bridge between where they were and the local church. Whether that be homelessness, or addiction, or low-income, single-parent families, but basically just want to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Warren County.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Zoë Watkins and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
