Meet Russ

I have served at Calvary Chapel close to 12 years now. I came to the Lord in the spring of 1994 and have just been blown away at the places God has lead me to.

The downtown outreach started in 2002 with a simple desire, seek and find those in our area that are going through some tough times and minister to them on a very practical and personal level.  A small group sacked up 12 lunches and began to roam the streets of Joplin looking for those who we could minister to.

To this day that purpose and vision is going strong. We build 80 sack lunches a week (almost 30,000 so far! Praise the Lord!!) and have been blessed with the opportunity to not only serve the less fortunate in our town but have come to know them on a very personal level.
The outreach has continued to grow and as we have let the Lord lead, He has taken us in directions we couldn't have ever imagined.
 
Our weekly service now focuses around the Salvation Army. We feel the Lord has opened doors for us to minister and have truly come to love the people that gather there weekly and the staff that dedicates their lives for the good of others. The consistant service at the Salvation Army has led us to be a part of so many different things including; our annual Family Day, disaster relief for the tornado victims, we have led services at the City of Refuge and have been in and a part of so many other things. We have celebrated birthdays, offered grief counseling and prayer support, rejoiced with them in the good times and stood by them in the bad times. It is truly an honor to know them and to encourage them the hope that is found in Jesus Christ. 
 
Join us at the church every Saturday @ 12:00 as we make the sack lunches and travel to the Salvation Army to serve. Your life will be blessed as you reach out to others. See you there.