Church Helps With The Pain At The Pump

Tuesday, June 26th 2007, 9:45 pm

By: News On 6

An Owasso church is discounting gasoline and sharing the gospel at the same time, and it has drivers saying "hallelujahâ€. The News On 6â€™s Emory Bryan reports a line of cars arrived even before the price changed, with drivers pulling in to get the blessing of gas at slightly lower prices, and then it happened, a 20 cent price drop with a one hour timeline.

â€œWe just thought for an hour we would do this and try to impact the community and see how God blessed it,â€ said Linzy Slayden of Friendship Baptist Church.

The members of Friendship Baptist Church decided to pay 20 cents of every gallon for everyone who showed up during the hour. The lines only got longer, with church members directing traffic and helping people get their gas.

The church members aren't just pumping gas at a discounted price; they're handing out water, washing windows and even praying with people at the pump.

The church members figure they made a lot of new friends in the hour, maybe made an impact on some lives, and certainly saved people a little money.

"We just felt like this is a way to give back to the community because the gas prices are high and this is a way our church can minister,â€ said Cheryl Hasting of the Friendship Baptist Church.

And the drivers felt like they left not quite as empty as when they pulled in.

â€œI think it's a wonderful outreach to the community and a good outreach for the church,â€ said driver Julie Crow.

The church expected to pump about 1,000 gallons of gas in the hour, but ended up discounting 1,347 gallons.

The church pastor said Tuesday's combination of gas and the gospel was so successful, they'll consider doing it again.

Watch the video: Green Country Church Discounts Gas For Area Drivers