40 Degree Church

Churches all across the country call us because they want to do “more” to help the homeless in their hometown during the winter.  Most of them do not have the money or space for a full-fledged homeless shelter.  But, they are doing what they can:  donating to Church On The Street (which I appreciate so very much), having a clothes closets, or a benevolence fund.  

Our solution for years has been to help these Churches start a 40 Degree Church.  This means, they become an emergency shelter for the homeless when the temperature drops below 40 degrees.  The winter months threatens the welfare of the poor who live on the streets and many homeless die every year.  This should not be!

Every 40 Degree Church is different in how they provide shelter.  Some Churches are open for women only, while others are just for men.  Some Churches have a limit of 10 to 20 homeless people on any given night.  Many other Churches provide round-trip transportation from full shelters.  In some Churches the homeless sleep on the pews, while others provide sleeping bags or blankets.  Some Churches make a hearty breakfast in the morning while others provide food all night long....  and the list goes on. 

Every Church is different, but one thing all of our 40 Degree Churches provide is love and shelter from the weather.  They take care of the homeless during a vulnerable time.  Praise the Lord for these Churches who care for Jesus as they care for the “least of these.”

I would appreciate your prayers for me in the next few months as we establish dozens of 40 Degree Churches.  It takes an enormous amount of time and money to make this happen.  And yet, it is worth it all to save one life from the bitter cold.