Every year, WORLD seeks ministries that offer challenging, personal, spiritual help—not groups that hand people money or a meal but do nothing to change counterproductive or even dangerous habits. We look for groups that are unashamed of the gospel and its life-changing power and make it the heart of their work.
This year, WORLD’s Addie Offereins traveled to Albuquerque, N.M., to report on a ministry that uses discipleship to help men coming out of rehab or prison find employment and housing; to Niles, Mich., to report on a pregnancy care center that focuses on holistic Biblical sexuality in addition to providing services to women; to Huntsville, Ala., to report on a Christian recovery program that holds men battling addiction accountable in a structured environment; and to Post Falls, Idaho, to report on a Christian recovery program that creates a gospel-centered family to provide loving accountability.
We asked our readers and listeners to vote for the finalist they thought deserved this year’s grand prize of $10,000. Voting ended on Aug. 12 and WORLD will announce a winner soon.
Bad news isn’t hard to find nowadays, but God is always building His kingdom. Scroll down to see some of what He’s doing through these four compassionate groups.
A home for the broken
Helping men and women overcome addiction in a family environment
by Addie Offereins
Beyond doorknob rehab
Helping men break free from addiction through a Christ-centered residential program
by Addie Offereins
Building stronger families
A pregnancy center that focuses on holistic Biblical sexuality as well as providing services to women
by Addie Offereins
Stepping into stability
Using discipleship to help men coming out of rehab or prison transition back into society
by Addie Offereins
If you’re looking for ideas about something you could start in your own backyard, please see our listing of the organizations we profiled since 2006, with their major focuses: addiction, babies, community, disabilities, education, family, gardening, homelessness, immigration, jobs, legal needs, medical, prison, repair work, sex (anti-prostitution), transportation, and youth.
The directory also shows what it takes to start a poverty-fighting ministry: a license, a specific skill (such as auto repair), experience (such as that a mother gains), or neighborliness (a simple desire to invest time in helping others).
