When churches evaluate the needs of those around us, we often ask if we are making a difference. This is a question that has been asked many times at Winamac Church of the Nazarene (WNC), where I serve as pastor.   

Winamac, with a population of around 2,500, is the largest town in our county in Indiana. We are the definition of a rural community, and I am witness to all the challenges and struggles that define small-town America. The needs are great and continue to grow. With this in mind, over the past several years WNC has been asking what our role should be in our community. The answer has come in several parts.

First, WNC volunteers operate a food pantry that began simply as some prepacked boxes of dry goods stashed in the church office. Over time, it has grown into a ministry that is open 20 hours a month, providing dozens of families with free grocery items. Building on that outreach, we are now expanding our compassionate ministry program to include a formalized benevolence fund program to meet other needs present in our community. Our church also hosts a preschool and childcare ministry in our facility. The program offers before and after-school care for elementary-aged students and all-day care for infants and preschoolers. Our community’s largest employer starts before sunrise, and many families need a safe place for their children in those early morning hours. 

When we ask ourselves if we are making a difference in our area, the answer is a definitive “yes!” It is exciting and fulfilling as a small church to see the impact that can be made through the efforts of people gathered in faith. “Everyone is appreciative of what we do here and almost all say ‘God bless what you are doing here,’” says Bev Burkett, our food pantry director. “They are extended family.”

But as a pastor, I’m just as excited, if not more, about what our compassionate ministries are doing in us. As a church, we’ve identified four practices that make us more like Jesus: Worship, Connect (with God and others), Grow (in knowledge and trust), and Serve (God and others). While all of these are obviously important aspects in discipleship, I’ve concluded that serving others is the most transformative element of our discipleship efforts.  

The impact of compassionate ministries on our church has been profound and surprising. As individuals, it has opened our eyes to the real needs of those around us. For many, the question changed from “what can I get?” to “what can I give?” And as much as I’d like to think of myself as a decent preacher or Bible teacher, becoming aware of the needs of our neighbors has transformed our people more than any sermon or Bible study I’ve ever written. It is the love and care for their neighbors that has been the catalyst to push people out of their comfort zones, to make sacrifices of time and resources, and evaluate how they view their calling and purpose as a Christian. 

As a church that has struggled with challenges familiar to many churches, the temptation is always there to turn our ministry focus entirely inward. Downward trends in church attendance and giving combined with the shrinking population in rural America have forced our congregation to experience a great deal of loss in recent years; church members and church ministries have slipped away leaving powerful and painful memories behind. As a result, the church can be tempted to make caring for members the priority. 

 Our compassionate ministries have reminded us what the church’s mission is supposed to be.  Not only have they brought renewed focus to meeting the physical needs of those outside our church, but we’ve experienced a new energy and priority on their spiritual needs, too. Conversations about resources, budgets, and ministry goals are all being shaped by our growing awareness of needs. Our congregation is finding a deeper purpose.     

WNC is not a perfect church because of our commitment to compassionate ministry, but our identity has changed fundamentally. God called us to help others and brought new life to our church in the process. I’m confident that this focus on others will continue to shape our mission and identity as a church as we work to better love and serve our neighbors. 

Pastor Tanner Griffin has pastored Winamac Church of the Nazarene since February of 2017. He has a B.A. in Religious Studies and an M.A. in Religion; both from Olivet Nazarene University. Tanner is married to Jessica and they are parents to three children. His hobbies and interests include cheering on the Chicago Cubs, pretty much anything to do with motorcycles, reading, and spending time with family.