Christians Doing Good – Changing the Face of Christianity

Experience the Joy of Discipleship This Christmas

December 24, 2013 By R. Brad White Leave a Comment

When you partner with us to disciple someone, you’re helping change that person’s life…forever! Miracles can happen when authentic love for God and loving others change the world they live in…even with global results.

Discipleship is a crucial piece of the puzzle that is missing in Christian communities today. People are busy. Churches often need help. Families are fragmented.

The solution is simple. Your financial partnership helps us to collaborate with churches and individuals who long to see all Christians respond, in unity with spiritually mature lives, to a world of confusion, turmoil, and suffering.

The result of your partnership with us is Christ-transformed lives

With your prayers and financial help, YOU can be part of the solution.

Help us grow Disciples in Jesus and become a part of our GOD-SIZED vision of the future. If you believe in our cause,
please contribute by December 31 and see your donation doubled up to $2,500.

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Help People in Oklahoma City

May 21, 2013 By R. Brad White Leave a Comment

Show your Christian love by donating to organizations who are moving quickly into the Oklahoma City area to provide relief to the tornado victims.

World Vision provides food and clean water around the world. And they are also involved in disaster relief here in the USA.

The supplies they provide will target the most vulnerable children and families in the hardest hit areas, and will include emergency food kits, cleaning supplies, hygiene items, blankets, and tarps.

Join me in donating to them in any amount you are able to:

Donate to World Vision

Soul Church of Downtown Dallas Has Soul

May 21, 2012 By R. Brad White 3 Comments

I had the opportunity to attend and serve at Soul Church in downtown Dallas this last weekend. It’s a church without walls…literally. There is no building, no stage, and no pews.

The church meets every Sunday morning in a parking lot on the south side of downtown Dallas. Besides that, they worship just like every other church; they pray, they sing, they teach God’s word.
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Great Works!

March 26, 2012 By KarenSmith 2 Comments

Recently, I was sitting in a pew at my church pondering my life versus God’s amazing power. I sat there and as I thought about how great my God is, I started to list all the amazing blessings and opportunities He has given me.

Missed Opportunities?

Many times I had chosen to take the quicker road of “getting the job done” so I could pursue a more selfish desire like watching a TV program.

I thought about all the avenues that He has given me to serve Him: Missions, coaching, volunteering with our Youth Group, participating in our Community Group, Girl Scouts… the list could go on and on. I was not proud of any of the things I was doing. I knew that with all of them I had missed opportunities to do better, encourage more and point people to Jesus. Many times I had chosen to take the quicker road of “getting the job done” so I could pursue a more selfish desire like watching a TV program. I began to feel smaller and smaller, selfish, guilty, and sad. I was starting to feel really horrible until IT happened!

God is Gracious

A gentleman in my church was giving His testimony on how he came to know his mission for God in his life. He knew years ago that God had a mission for him but it was only revealed to him during this past spring. In the spring he was invited to volunteer at a church that has the purpose of feeding the minds, bodies, and souls of the homeless community in downtown Dallas. Since then God has used this man to create an amazing partnership between our church and this downtown Dallas church! Wow!

Here is the kicker: He volunteered because some friends of mine invited him. Guess who invited those friends? Well, I did! My God is so gracious.

God is Faithful

It hit me like a sweet load of guilt-saving bricks. God knows exactly how He is going to use me!

It hit me like a sweet load of guilt-saving bricks. God knows exactly how He is going to use me! If I wake up in the morning and say to God, “Well, God how can I be of service to you today” or even “God, help me serve you today” then I have it all wrong. It is not about me! I should not take any pride in the ways that God is using me or even worry about if He is using me. God is faithful! He is using me just as I am.

I had no idea that God was using me when I invited my friends to go to that downtown Dallas church, and He was! In Ephesians 2:8-10 is says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

God Knows All

Now it is my resolution not to worry about how God is using me, or even how I can be used by God. Instead, I plan to get to know the Savior of the world better – so I can hear His voice throughout my day and know His heartbeat for me and my family.

Now, how is God going to use this? I will leave that up to Him. I now really understand it is not “Karen knows best” but “God knows all.”

House on the Corner – Christians Helping Our Communities

November 21, 2010 By R. Brad White Leave a Comment

Christians do more than just talk about loving our neighbors

Christians all over the country and the world are doing good in our communities, helping people who have a difficult time helping themselves

Christians all over the country and the world are doing good in our communities, helping people who have a difficult time helping themselves.
I’ve witnessed firsthand a Christian ministry doing good in the underprivileged Douglas Community on the east side of Plano, Texas.

The Christ United Methodist Church in Plano started a ministry in 2004 called “House on the Corner“.

How They Do It

Church members and community volunteers come together to build a house on the corner of their church parking lot. Once the house is completed, it’s moved to its final location. The church seeks applications from families in need and selects a family after careful consideration. The selected family also assists in the construction of the home as they are able. The construction costs are funded by a HUD grant along with generous donations from their congregation and local community. Volunteers build the homes between May and October and the family takes possession of the new home usually in late November.

It’s important to note that the new homeowners don’t get the house free. They must qualify for a mortgage loan and be able to make the small mortgage payments. What they receive is a house worth much more than their mortgage and a house payment close to half the cost of renting an apartment. This arrangement serves two purposes.

The new family can take pride and responsibility for maintaining their new home.
Due to the lower payment, they slowly earn equity in the new home contributing to their long term financial stability.

The church then takes money from the sale of the home to buy the lot for the next home and as seed capital for beginning the next home project.

About the Homes

The latest house is the church’s 7th home since they started this ministry. Each home they build is approximately 1,500 square feet, has 3 to 4 bedrooms, two full baths, living room, laundry room, and a kitchen. Each home is painted inside and out and is fully furnished by the church as needed by the new homeowners.

The home comes with all the amenities one would expect: a washer, dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator/freezer, stove, and oven.

About the Family

The newest family to benefit from this ministry is Mr. and Mrs. Okereke from Nigeria, and their three beautiful children named Blessing (9 yr old girl), Wisdom (6 yr old boy), and Anointing (3 yr old boy).

Wisdom suffers from Cerebral Palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. Due to Wisdom’s special needs, the church also built a wheelchair access ramp for the home. Mr. and Mrs. Okereke are very grateful to take ownership of their new home and feel blessed by the Methodist Church’s generosity.

How You Can Help or Get Involved

If you are interested in supporting this ministry with your financial gifts or interested in volunteering to help with the construction, contact Glen Thornton, or visit the House on the Corner website for more information.

You can also send a request for information, including your name, address and phone number, to: Christ United Methodist Church, HOTC, 3101 Coit Road, Plano, TX 75075.

See House on the Corner Construction Video:

See more videos from the construction projects…