Johor Bahru Churches Collaborate on Community Project

This article was published in the September/October 2010 issues of the National Evangelical Council Fellowship (NECF) newsletter.

JB Churches Collaborate on Community Project Most churches prefer to carry out community projects on their own than to collaborate with other churches as it is easier to coordinate the work. So, when news got around that Johor Baru churches have come together to do a joint community project, it raised more than a few eyebrows. Called CRS, or Crisis Relief Store, the project has the participation of several churches whose pastors are members of the Johor Baru Pastors' Fellowship (JBPF). Pr Sonny, JPPF spokesman, tells Berita NECF what the ministry is about. Tell us about CRS The store was set up as a collection centre for goods, such as clothing, electrical goods and foodstuff that are required in times of need. We mooted this idea when we conducted two rounds of "HELPING HANDS", first to help the Karen Refugees in North East Thailand, and then to communities in and around Johor Baru (such as the poor or less privileged), NGOs who are involved in running social homes (such as orphanages, old folks' homes and homes for the "orang kurang upaya" or physically disabled). We received all kinds of goods from people and we realised that we can do this on a more organised basis to respond to disasters which are beset-ting many countries. We envision that in peace times, churches which are already helping the poor in the community can have access to this store to requisite goods for the needy. In times of crisis, CRS store will be the first to be emptied to send relief supplies to the affected area. CRS is started by the JB Pastors' Fellowship. How did you manage to come together to do a joint project? Some pastors in the fellowship were already active in this particular area and we decided to come together to go forth from another platform - that of partnership and networking. Over the years of fellowshiping in JBPF, our relationship has become strong enough for us to come together. Remember an old song called "Pass It On?" The first line says, ""It only takes a spark to get the fire going." We are just the spark in the hands of God who will get this fire of the church reaching out to the community going. What are the benefits of churches working together on a project compared with a church doing it alone, as in the case of CRS? There's a verse in the Bible which says, "If one of us can put a thousand to flight, two can put ten thousand..." This is God's multiplier effect. We believe strongly that this will be the impetus to reach the community in a more effective way.