Indiana church opens clothes bank for those in need: 'Doers of the Word of God'
An Indiana church that has fed its neighbors for more than a decade is now working to clothe them, too.
New Birth Ministries International of Evansville, formerly known as Bethesda Ministries International, opened the New Birth Ministries International Clothes Corner near its church building last week.
New Birth Pastor Tanya Cook told The Christian Post on Monday that the purpose of the facility is “to assist in meeting the whole need of our community neighbors.”
“The building was given to us by a gentleman Bishop Darrell Cook met seven years ago who he shared our vision for a clothing bank with,” Cook explained.
The bank is open the first Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. local time until noon and by appointment only. The available clothes come from multiple sources.
“The clothes are donated by members of the community as well as purchased by others and given to us,” Cook told CP. “We have also collaborated with another clothing bank in the city, which desires to share their excess inventory.”
The area surrounding the church and the clothes bank is also considered a food desert, with New Birth Ministries having operated a food pantry for the past 12 years to meet that need.
Cook told CP that her church teaches that “we must be doers of the Word of God and not just hearers only."
“Our witness of Christ is best exhibited by the love we show. Jesus himself being the best example," she said.
The pastor cited Matthew 25:35-36, in which Jesus tells the saved that “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me.”
According to its website, New Birth Ministries seeks to be a “place where barriers are brought down, limits are taken off God and the focus is meeting the needs of the whole person; body, mind, soul and spirit while strengthening the individuals and families.”
Additionally, the church has identified its stated mission as to “educate, develop and prepare the body for effective service through the preaching, teaching and life application of the word of God.”
