North Texas Church On An Inspiring Mission
Reporting
A North Texas church is thinking big as it takes on an inspiring mission. It’s doing more than providing hope for men, women and children, who are searching for help during these tough times.
Cornerstone Baptist Church in Dallas started as a little church, in one of the most crime ridden areas of the city.
“The corner of Grand and Ervay was notorious for a lot of drive by shootings and criminal activity,” explained Cornerstone Baptist Church Pastor Chris Simmons.
Now Cornerstone is on a very big mission. Volunteers from the church mentor adults and children and help people, living on the streets, with food, showers, even low-income housing.
The church owns several city blocks of land. One house, that was once run by drug dealers, prostitutes and thieves, is now being used in a program designed to help men and women just out of prison.
“Although people have viewed them once as useless, as they have made that change, and that turn, to see them as individuals who are useful and who have a lot to give back,” said Simmons.
Hope isn’t a new concept for the church; it’s been the theme here for years. When criminals ruled the streets, many people left the neighborhood, but with help from several other big North Texas churches, changes are taking place.
“Without hope you don’t have anything. I mean there are people that literally walk this street everyday that have not an ounce of hope in them,” explained Richard ‘Chico’ Smith who is a part of the church ex-felons program. “They don’t have anything to look forward to, other than what they’re living right today.”
Cornerstone Baptist Church now encompasses five city blocks.
According to members of the church leadership, the church has undertaken a labor of love to help change lives and it’s working thanks to their faith.
