Hundreds of NC Churches to Serve!

The following article appeared April 14, 2012 on the North Carolina Baptist’s web site:

N.C. Baptists Prepare for Operation Inasmuch

By: BSCNC Communications

On these two days, hundreds of churches and thousands of volunteers will share the love of Jesus Christ with people in their communities.

Operation Inasmuch is a one-day missions effort that encourages churches to minister to those in need in their communities through hands-on, practical efforts such as construction projects, landscaping, painting, block parties and prayer walking.

This outreach in North Carolina is coordinated through a partnership between Operation Inasmuch, Inc. and North Carolina Baptist Men (NCBM).

Gaylon Moss, NCBM volunteerism coordinator, said the event is a unique opportunity for North Carolina Baptists to share the gospel through word and deed. “It’s an opportunity to show God’s love in a tangible way to the people of North Carolina,” he said. “But we also want it to be a service that leads believers to share their faith in Christ with others.”

The first Operation Inasmuch event was held in 1995 as an independent ministry of Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville. Since then, Operation Inasmuch has helped train churches to conduct one-day missions events in communities across North Carolina and also in other states.

More than 1,600 churches in 21 states have participated in one-day service events through the training, resources and coordination of Operation Inasmuch, Inc. The missions outreach takes its name from Matthew 25:40: “Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”

This year, event organizers are praying for churches and volunteers to serve in mission projects in all 100 North Carolina counties. Churches are encouraged to think of specific people in their communities who need someone to touch their life with the gospel.

Individuals, Sunday School classes, small groups and churches still have time to organize ways to serve their neighbors in the name of Jesus during this year’s efforts.

Rampin’ Up!
One unique opportunity this year is for volunteers to assist in building wheelchair ramps for aging adults.

NCBM and Operation Inasmuch are partnering with the North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry (NCBAM) to conduct “Rampin’ Up!” on April 28, as part of the larger statewide Operation Inasmuch efforts.

The “Rampin’ Up!” campaign is designed to increase awareness of the need for wheelchair ramps and to help reduce the number of ramps needed across the state. NCBAM has a goal to build at least 300 ramps that day.

Wheelchair ramps consistently rank among the highest needs of North Carolina’s aging-adult population. Ramps built by North Carolina Baptists will help relieve a financial burden for those who need ramps but cannot afford it.

Churches and volunteers are still needed to help reach the goal of 300 ramps. To learn more about how to help, visitwww.rampinup.org