there are so many ways you can reach out!

Churches can reach out to First Responders to show the love of Jesus in practical ways.  Below is a list of ideas to help you get started.

*Serve them a meal at their station and pray for them.

*Deliver snacks and drinks and let them know your church appreciates them.

*Give them gift cards for a dinner date out with their spouse.

*Churches with counseling ministries can let first responders know this is a safe place with counselors who care.  

*Pastors can become law enforcement chaplains to minister to officers in some of their most difficult times.    

Here are just a few examples of creative ways some churches have reached out with their Bridge to the Badge ministry:

*First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls - gives gifts with a letter from pastor given to every new police and fire academy graduate

*Faith Baptist Church in Wichita Falls - one weekend each month volunteers deliver 3 dinners to the fire station, making sure to feed every shift 

*Crownridge Church in San Antonio– monthly visits to constable's office with breakfast tacos, prayer, devotion, building relationships

*Abundant Life Church in Killeen - delivered 325 handmade Christmas stockings stuffed with hot cocoa and all the fixings

*Life Fellowship Church in Hurst - delivered 75 gift bags with hand-written cards to the PD

*Outdoorsman Church in Midlothian – provided breakfast for a training day at the Police Department

*Southpoint Church in Whitehouse – Delivered Easter Baskets for Police Department

*New Vision Church in San Antonio – stocked the Firehouse with food and drinks

Churches, please note - we highly recommend going to the first responders to do outreach. Meeting them where they are is far more effective than asking them to come to your church. This is for many reasons, including that many of them are working a shift at church times. The only time we have seen great success with a church hosting a special service for first responders was when they had already been making monthly visits to the station for at least two years. The relationship that was built was the reason the officers came to the church. Please reach out to them by following the great commission command of Jesus...to GO.