North Point Church almost had a real mess on their hands this morning.
As I noted yesterday, NPC had announced they were going to hold an event where they pumped gas for just $2.42 a gallon for 52 minutes starting at 10am today. I thought that it would likely have folks lining up early so I hopped in the car at nine and reached the area of the gas station in less than five minutes.
Here’s how far back I was in the line when I arrived. In case you can’t tell what’s in the photo, it’s a parking lot half a block away from the gas station. Cars were lined up from the entrance in a line back to the main parking area and each row of places to park had cars lined up in them.
I thanked God that my spot in line was in the entry way to the parking lot and under a big pine tree. Weather Overlord Kevin Lighty allowed us to have a pleasant day today.
So I sat there listening to the new CD from local band One Star Story (which flat out rocks) and relaxing in the nice weather. I did, however, have a very interesting thought:
There’s no way they can get all these cars through the pumps in 52 minutes.
I wondered why they hadn’t cut the line off at a specific amount of cars because in a church the size of North Point you know someone had to sit down and figure that 52 minutes divided by the average time at the pump for a car at that location times the number of pumps was the maximum amount of cars that would be able to be a part of this activity.
So as I was still sitting in the parking lot at 10:40 knowing full well they couldn’t get everyone through the line. I saw some press in the area and I thought how bad it was going to be if they came and told the people who’d been waiting two hours that they were left high and dry. Instead of the lovely, beautiful and talented Michelle Sherwood leading the KSPR newscast talking about the great way North Point helped the community, the lead would be how hundreds were left angry after being cut off after waiting most of the morning.
Then I heard someone come on one of the walkie-talkies and say the church was going to keep pumping until the gas station was dry.
God put a challenge in front of them and they went the right way…not just for PR reasons but for “serving others” reasons. 
So props to North Point Church for not cutting off anyone who waited in line sometimes two hours to get gas today. I don’t know how long they were out there today (and they probably still are as I type this) but they did the Godly thing today. More churches in the Ozarks need to look for ways to make practical impacts on the community the way North Point did today.
I mean this as an honest question, and not cynicism:
How do you know North Point Church’s motives were service, rather than PR, in the first place? A lot of people could easily see it as a gimmicky promotion.
Well, I had that cynical POV at first but I’m basing my opinion on what I heard their staff saying to each other as I was waiting in the parking lot and then what I heard one of the folks pumping gas saying to someone who looked like they worked for Autotronics. They seemed to be about helping folks out.
I can’t say it wasn’t a gimmick in the first place but when they were there it was about helping all the people who turned out and who needed some help.
While covering the event for the media, I really got the vibe that they were just happy to be able to help people that really needed it. Honestly I can’t think of a better way to help people right now than in the area of probably their largest consistent financial expenditure, and that’s what NPC did.
James River Assembly (my church) held a single mothers’ and women’s care day a couple weeks ago, and volunteers from the church changed oil, mowed lawns, you name it. Same concept but the reason NPC’s event made the news is because the gas price increase is a national problem that is hitting everyone hard, and NPC just wanted to help people and relieve their woes at the pump for a day.
Their service to the community aligns perfectly with Jesus’ words that if we give someone a cup of water in His name, we have done it unto Him.
More churches would do well to give that cup of water unconditionally.
And another point I should have made earlier: since when is questioning our Christian brothers and sisters’ motivation to serve others as Jesus commanded us, the right thing to do? Did Christ go around asking if people were helping others for the right reason?
No. He just said go out and do it, and that’s what NPC did.
It makes NO difference if the church received publicity for this or not. Far to often the “motives” of an organization is questioned instead of looking at the “good” an organization is accomplishing. The main benefit of this was it is a PRIVATE organization doing the giving instead of a governmental one.
One point of contention would’ve been HOW many people in that line REALLY needed the price reduction on the gas ? I wasn’t there so I don’t know how many NEWER cars were lined up receiving this gesture of good will as opposed to those that can’t afford a newer car. Far to often those that aren’t really needy are the first ones to form up. For those that waited in line to get “cheap” gas at someone else’s expense a pox on your house. For those that really needed the help then they received a temporary reprieve, my hope is that the larger percentage of those that received this good will gesture will return the favor to someone who is worse of then they are, if not then they haven’t learned any value from this church function and the giving of ones bounty to help others.
Tom–
Great points. I can’t believe some people would conjure up a negative view on something that was entirely positive. I also wonder about who needed the price reduction myself. If it was just the normal person like you and me, we could eat our $15 and let someone who needs it more than we do get it.
I don’t know why though, but back to the topic of people questioning NPC’s motives, it really really REALLY irks me when children of God question the motives of brothers and sisters in the faith.