Appalachian Coalfields Backpack Ministry

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Thank you for the great response to the Baptists on Mission Backpack Ministry. The association office served as a regional collection point for 426 backpacks. The following NRBA churches contributed: Darlington, Community Center, Rosemary, Scotland Neck, Bear Swamp, West Edgecombe, Southside, Red Oak, Macedonia, Halifax, Hickory, and Gaston. Other participating regional congregations in NE North Carolina were Sandy Cross, Plymouth First, Fellowship, Coinjock, and Peachtree. Special thanks to the volunteers from Halifax Church who provided critical help by loading the backpacks for delivery to the Red Springs Mission Camp where they were processed for distribution.

This growing ministry distributed backpacks to needy children in areas like Southwest Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and West Virginia that may not receive any other gifts this Christmas. The backpacks are distributed by local churches that know the needs of their local communities and the families that would benefit the most. During a special Children’s Christmas Event these gifts are presented to the children; the gospel is shared; and a Bible and a Christmas Story Gospel Tract is included in each backpack. This is part of a continued ministry strategy that will help build stronger relationships between churches and families that need Christ in their lives.

One benefit of this ministry is that it is a great opportunity for small churches and church groups to participate. Even one backpack can be a group project that reflects our desire to be used of God to share the gospel with a child and their family. This growing ministry exceeded the 2019 goal of 17,000 backpacks given by churches in NC with over 81,000 collected by churches across the Southern Baptist Convention. God is doing great things through this ministry and He is giving us a spirit of cooperation and desire to minister to others in His Name by being a part of this project.