Pastor John Lindell wants to ‘give a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name.’ Responding to these words of Christ (Matt. 10:42, 25:35), Christians have always desired to love and care for people in need.
But one cup of cold, clean water is only the beginning for Pastor John Lindell and the 6,000 believers of James River Assembly (JRA) in Springfield, Missouri. During JRA’s Spring Missions Week in February, over $200,000 was raised for water well drilling equipment for Africa. This outpouring was met with an additional $200,000 in matching grants from God TV and the Angel Christian Television Trust.
The combined $400,000 contribution goes directly to purchase drilling rigs and support trucks. This heavy machinery will enable WorldServe and its partners to drill as many as four water wells in new communities every week. Through this creative investment, hundreds of rural communities will gain access to safe water and ultimately, hundreds of thousands of people will be served.
While projects like this are often called ‘compassion ministry,’ Pastor Lindell believes the water need is different. “I think people saw this need for clean water as something that should not be happening in our world,” he said. “In the United States, we have an incredibly high number of water taps per person. But in places like Africa, there are millions and millions of people without access to clean drinking water. At that point it is no longer a matter of compassion or even mercy – it goes beyond that and becomes a matter of justice.”
Seeking justice by providing clean water is integrally connected to James River’s desire to bring about the Kingdom of God. “Jesus said to go and preach the Kingdom,” Pastor Lindell continued. “Wherever we as Christians go, we are bringing the Kingdom to people.
“The reason we give water to people is not simply because of values such as mercy and compassion. It’s because in the Kingdom, there will be water for people. There’s provision, there’s supply.”
Through Biblical passages such as Isaiah 58 that detail God’s concern for justice, James River found a call to act quickly. “The Africa water project has a great deal to do with God’s heart for justice. We can’t stand by and do nothing. When we love justice and act justly, we will be in concert with what God is doing and we’ll receive His blessing.”
Seeking justice by providing clean water is one of the primary ways that JRA is reaching out to people in Africa and beyond. Other initiatives include sponsoring missionaries, donating high-tech medical equipment, and caring for people with HIV/AIDS. By supporting people who bring the good news of Living Water – Jesus Christ himself – JRA seeks to offer both physical and spiritual healing to the thirsty.
Partnering with WorldServe is a key component of JRA’s mission of loving God and loving people. “God has raised up WorldServe for this hour and for this project,” Pastor Lindell said, “because its impact could be far beyond our ability to calculate or even imagine.”
Questions or comments? Email info@worldserveintl.org