First, Borger helps neighbors

BORGER?t1:place>First Baptist Church in the 14,000-population town of Borger helped more than 1,600 people who entered the church’s benevolence ministry facility, called Living Water Ministries, in 2003. And since the ministry began in late 2002, 143 people have prayed to receive Christ, the ministry reported.

Deacons at the church wished to provide practical ministry to their area’s needy, and after a church member donated a building, which the deacons renovated, Living Water Ministries was born.

The ministry’s guiding Scripture, board chairman Conny Moore said, is Isaiah 61:1-3: “Bring good news to the afflicted, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, freedom to prisoners, comfort to all who mourn.”

A special projects offering administered through the ministry drew $6,000 and six other area churches signaling their intent to give monthly or yearly offerings to help with the ministry, Moore noted in a letter about Living Water.

Everyone who comes to the ministry is presented the gospel using the Four Spiritual Laws and volunteers must be born again and are trained to share the gospel.

“Whenever a person requests funds or clothing, or if they just come in and we can’t help them, that person is always asked if they know Jesus as Lord and Savior,” Moore wrote.

In 2003, the ministry gave 3,639 food baskets and $18,529 in financial assistance to needy families.