Georgia Baptists reach underserved communities through back-to-school outreach

ROME, Ga. — Some 700 students across Floyd and Polk counties received backpacks filled with school supplies, and the hope of the gospel, thanks to a local partnership between 34 churches of the Floyd County Baptist Association, Mission Georgia, and Community Church Ministry.

Fourteen back-to-school block parties were held—13 in Floyd County and one in Polk. “The beginning of the school year opens all kinds of opportunities to serve our community,” said Tim Smith, director of missions for the Floyd County Baptist Association. Smith says more than 2,800 people attended the 14 parties.

At each event, volunteers distributed supplies, provided a meal, and shared the love of Christ through intentional conversations and gospel presentations.

“Mission Georgia provided 600 backpacks to the association at no cost,” said Smith, and participating churches supplied the remaining need. “We divided those among the churches, and they filled them up with school supplies. Volunteers from the brought the backpacks to the events to distribute, and met the residents.”

At an event held July 24 at Shade Tree Mobile Home Community, the majority of families who attended were Hispanic. George Nix of Community Church Ministry preached, and Isaías Campos of Ministerios El Vino Nuevo translated the message into Spanish. Volunteers from nearby Fellowship Baptist Church assisted with handing out backpacks.

“No one knows a community and its needs better than those who live there.  Through the generous giving of Georgia Baptist churches, Mission Georgia is partnering to help with ministry resources for churches and associations as they work to reach their communities," said Beth Ann Williams, Lead Strategist, Georgia Baptist Women/Mission Georgia. "This is a great example of partnership."

One mother described the event as “beautiful,” saying  it was “an example of loving your neighbor. The Bible tells us to love others, and this shows the church believes that.” Another woman, who said her family doesn’t attend church, shared that her daughter had recently gone to a Vacation Bible School and enjoyed it tremendously. “Each night,” she said, “she won’t let me go to bed without saying her prayers.”

The contents of the backpacks were carefully assembled to be practical and meaningful, including notebook paper, packaged pens and pencils, colored washable markers, folders, glue sticks, crayons, a New Testament or Bible, and more.

Though not every item on every school’s supply list could be covered, Smith is clear about the ultimate goal. “These backpacks will meet a need and open the doors for gospel conversations.”

Churches partnered with Community Church Ministry (CCM), a ministry George Nix describes as “dedicated to reaching communities with God’s love.” CCM handled logistics and provided activities at each block party while the churches brought volunteers to distribute supplies and share Christ.

“It is exciting to think about the number of people that we will have the opportunity to connect with at each distribution location,” Smith said, “and hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus.”

For Nix, the block parties are part of a broader strategy of going to people who may never walk into a church building.

“There’s a church on every corner,” he said. “But even though there are so many churches, people are staying away in record numbers.”

And if they aren’t coming to church, Nix said, the church must go to them. That’s why Nix believes ministry in mobile home parks, apartments, and underserved communities is not only strategic, it’s essential.

“A few years ago, we did a dinner and small group in a small trailer park in Rome. Jason, a boy who had never been to church before, accepted Christ that night,” Nix said. “That’s why we go.”