Men from Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, GA served alongside of us at GAP the week of May 22^nd, 2016. The team worked hard fixing up a staff house for GAP’s new staff the McWherter family who will arrive and begin ministry on July 1^st. A few of the men also served food and ministered to our clients during BeansTalk on Tuesday. Thank you Smoke Rise Baptist Church for a great week of ministry and your continual partnership! (Click photo below to view more pictures.)

John Morris, Executive Director of GAP was named 2016 Kentucky Missionary of the Year. He received the award on April 9th at the Kentucky WMU conference held in Madisonville, KY. We would like to congratulate John as we celebrate this honor with him. To view the presentation of the award and to hear John share his call to missions, please click on the image below.

Joshua and Tasha McWherter were commissioned at the Kentucky WMU conference held on April 9th in Madisonville, KY.  The McWherter family are now North American Mission Board (NAMB) missionaries who will begin their ministry at GAP July 1, 2016. To view the commissioning service and to hear their call to ministry, please click on the image below.

South District Baptist Association in Central Kentucky held their annual food drive for GAP. Sixteen churches in the association participated in the food drive that not only supported GAP but 5 other food ministries in the state. Monday afternoon Parksville Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Danville arrived with 26,000 items for GAP! Praise God! Thank you South District Baptist Association! A special thank you to the swim team of Campbellsville University who came and unloaded the trucks and trailers; they were such a huge help! Our prayer is that our people here in the mountains will see God’s gracious provision and unconditional love through these resources He has provided. (Click image below to view more pictures!)

GAP’s theme verse for 2015 was I Corinthians 3:7, “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow.” I am so thankful for all the partners who have came alongside us this year to help plant the Word of God and water the seeds already planted. Prayer partners who have faithfully prayed, financial partners who have sacrificially given, and volunteer partners who have answered the call to go, have all played a vital part in the Lord’s ministry here at GAP during 2015.

This summer we saw the beginning of a weekly women’s Bible study at Left Beaver Townhouses. God provided two faithful ladies to lead this study, and although attendance varies from week to week, the ladies are growing in their relationship with Christ. One of the ladies from the study told us how much she enjoys the study and how the teachers seem to bring the Bible to life for her.

Last year was packed full of exciting ministry. Teams helped us hold several Backyard Bible Clubs, VBSs, wonderful ministry times at the Group Home, many great home visits, and there were awesome times of ministry at BeansTalk as teams engaged our clients with the love of Jesus Christ. I’ll never forget going to check on a team working on a client’s home (Nason) during some minor repairs. The excitement in Nason’s face and voice as he took me into his newly remolded bathroom to show me around, but then shared that he had knelt beside his tub that day with a member of the mission team and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior! It has been a year full of ministry.

As 1 Corinthians 3:7 talks about planting the seed and watering, the verse reminds us that it’s not about the one who plants or the one who waters; it’s all about Him. For it says, it is “only God” who can plant the seed. It is “only God” who can water the seed. It is “only God” who can give ladies a desire to study His Word each week and bring it to life for them. It is “only God” who can make Himself and His love known to others. It is “only God” who can transform any of us just like He did Nason. Praise be to God, forevermore!

It is “only God” who can bring together a bunch of broken, worthless vessels, like ourselves, for His glory and honor! Thank you for making 2015 a year of growth! Thank you for your faithful prayers of petition. Thank you for your generous financial gifts of support. Thank you for answering the call to “go” and serve alongside us in 2015. “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever, “ 1 Chronicles 16:34.

First Baptist Church Winter Garden, FL was on mission at GAP July 26th through July 31st, 2015. The week began shopping for distribution, replacing a kitchen counter top in a client’s home, ministering at Left Beaver Townhouses, and ministering at BeansTalk. Because Winter Garden has been a long time partner with GAP they have ministered to several clients throughout the years. This year FBC Winter Garden hosted what we called a “family reunion” which was an evening of food, fun, and fellowship for all the clients they had previously ministered to through construction projects. It was a wonderful evening! The team also ministered every day at Golden Years Group Home. They built and stained five picnic tables for the residents of the group home and also added a special touch by engraving scripture in the middle of the tables. Thank you First Baptist Church Winter Garden for an awesome week of ministry! (Click on photo below to view more pictures.)

Heartland Worship Center from Paducah, KY ministered at GAP July 20th – July 26th, 2015. This is Hearland’s 2nd mission trip to GAP this year and it was filled with ministry! The team held a four day VBS at Weeksbury Park averaging 30 children each day. They also served at BeansTalk, Senior Citizens, Golden Years Group Home, prepared for KidStock, and ministered at KidStock 2015. The team was extremely busy but it was a wonderful week of ministry! Thank you Heartland Worship Center for “standing in the GAP” and being the hands and feet of our Lord and Savior! (Click on photo below to view more pictures.)

South Orlando Baptist Church ministered at GAP July 12th through July 17th, 2015. The week flew by as they stayed busy with so many different aspects of ministry. The team held a two day backyard Bible Club at Ivy Creek Apartments, two women Bible study tea classes in different locations, two visits to Golden Years Group Home, client home visits, two days of client distribution, remodel the bathroom of a client, and hung drywall at GAP’s new educational building! They were busy! It was such a great week of ministry and fellowship with South Orlando Baptist Church. Thank you for “standing in the GAP!” (Click on image below to view more pictures.)

First Baptist Church of Barlow shared the love of Jesus Christ to the clients of GAP June 28^th through July 2^nd, 2015. The team replaced a family’s kitchen cabinets and built a new ramp onto their home. The ramp and cabinets will be a constant reminder to this family of God’s great provision and His love for them. The team also ministered at Golden Years Group Home, Minnie Senior Citizens Building, and BeansTalk. Thank you First Baptist Church of Barlow for a wonderful week of ministry! (Please click on the photo below to view more images.)

Forks of Elkhorn Baptist Church ministered at GAP June 21^st through June 26^th, 2015. The team ministered to the children of Left Beaver Townhouses by holding a three day Backyard Bible School. They also held the 3^rd Annual Sports Camp at the Wheelwright Gym which was a three day ministry event. They also served at BeansTalk, cut the hair of clients, ministered to the residents of the Golden Years Group Home two days, and worked on GAP’s newest building, the Educational Building. Wow! It was a wonderful week of ministry. We even had the privilege of witnessing a client come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! Praise the Lord! Thank you Forks of Elkhorn Baptist Church for your faithful partnership in sharing the Gospel. (Please click on the photo below to view more images.)