From Seed to Fruit: Communities in Action Is Helping Churches Transform Their Communities

That is the heart of ABCNJ’s Communities in Action Grant. Launched in 2022, Communities in Action provides seed funding for innovative ministries developed by local churches—ministries that proclaim the Gospel, strengthen communities, and participate in God’s transforming work across New Jersey. Since its launch, the initiative has awarded 23 grants totaling $58,000. Along the way, themes have encouraged congregations to welcome immigrant families, support youth well-being, strengthen families, nurture disciples, and build deeper connections beyond church walls. The vision has always been both simple and bold: Plant a seed. Trust God. Watch what grows.

One of the clearest examples began at First Baptist Church of Salem. In 2022, ABCNJ helped provide seed funding for The Lodge, a ministry established to serve people experiencing deep poverty and homelessness. The vision was straightforward: feed hungry people, build relationships, and share the love of Christ. Then the ministry began to grow.

In 2023, The Lodge expanded its reach by opening during the week so unhoused neighbors could find practical support, spiritual care, discipleship, connection, and the assurance that someone saw them and cared. What began as a single seed has now grown far beyond those early beginnings.

Today, The Lodge is joining with Loads of Love, a laundry ministry, and with the portable shower ministries Code Blue and Code Red to form Still Waters Mission, Inc. The ministry has also formed a board that includes representatives from First Baptist Church of Salem, First Baptist Church of Woodstown, and a nearby synagogue. Doors opened for the ministry to acquire the former Memorial Baptist Church in Salem as a permanent home, and additional funding has provided critical equipment for its expanding work. The testimony from Salem is a powerful reminder of what seed funding can accomplish.

ABCNJ did not have to know exactly how large the ministry would become. The Region simply had to be faithful enough to help plant the seed. And God gave the growth.

That same spirit continues through the 2026–2027 Communities in Action initiative, centered on the theme: Strengthening Parents • Nurturing Disciples • Building Community

Inspired by 1 Thessalonians 2:8, this year’s grants invite congregations to strengthen parents and caregivers as disciples, nurture faith within the home, build intergenerational relationships, and create meaningful connections with families in their communities.

Three congregations were selected to receive $3,000 grants this year.

• Eglise Baptiste de la Nouvelle Jerusalem will launch From Generation to Generation: Faith at Home, Hope in Community, a six-month family discipleship initiative supporting immigrant parents and caregivers through multilingual workshops, mentoring, family faith practices, shared meals, and community service. The ministry seeks to bridge generational and cultural gaps while forming relationships beyond the congregation.
• Union Baptist Church will develop Families in Focus: Moving Faith Beyond Sunday. Through its Community Choir, the church will bring families together around faith, wellness, creativity, mentoring, storytelling, music, filmmaking, financial literacy, prayer, and community service, culminating in a Family Film, Music & Community Showcase.
• Cohansey Baptist Church will begin a Flag Football Ministry serving approximately 60 children and their parents or caregivers in the Bridgeton area. Through practices, games, biblical devotions, prayer, mentoring, and parent-child faith conversations, the ministry will connect Christian discipleship with everyday family life while making participation accessible to underserved children.

These three ministries may look different, but they share the same heartbeat: Meeting people where they are. Building relationships. Nurturing faith. Sharing Christ’s love.

The story of Communities in Action is still being written. Some seeds will grow quickly. Others may take years before we see the full harvest. But First Baptist Salem reminds us that what begins with a modest grant and a faithful congregation can become something far greater than anyone imagined.

So we keep planting. We keep praying. We keep believing. Because when God’s people faithfully plant seeds of Gospel ministry, God can bring forth fruit that blesses entire communities.