Pastor Ralph Garth ministers to prostitutes, addicts, gang leaders, drug dealers and criminals.
“They are people that you and I have never invited to dinner (or church),” said Mary Jane Dillard of Brookwood Baptist Church.
Garth tells stories of reclaimed lives of the people with whom Jesus ate. Recently, his stories shared Jesus with a group of church leaders who needed to be reminded of what to do with a cup of cold water, Dillard said.
Garth didn’t have a church building to accommodate his growing ministry, but the group of leaders could help with that.
Birmingham Baptist Foundation Board, who assesses what to do with the property of churches that have closed or relocated, was able to award True Vine Ministries the former Inglenook Baptist Church building, located just west of the Birmingham Airport. As True Vine works to refurbish the building and fix up the new property, Brookwood has partnered in the work.
Brookwood Directional Pastor Tim Clark serves on the Foundation Board, and Brookwood member Ricky Miskelley works next door to True Vine’s former building and introduced its Garth to Tim Clark.
Even after True Vines’ doors open, Brookwood will continue to assist with literacy training, Vacation Bible School and a fall festival at the school, as well as building renovations and providing backpacks to students are nearby Inglenook Elementary.
Brookwood’s ministry with True Vine is one of several missional outreaches for the church. It sends mission teams to Mongolia, Peru, Uganda and South Africa and works locally with Firehouse Shelter, First Light and other organizations around Birmingham.
-Submitted by Mary Jane Dillard
