Our Mission
Love Thy Neighbor Ministry is the result of outreach by many people to minister in the Appalachia region of Southeastern Kentucky since 1982.
When the Pharisees confronted Jesus, they asked Him, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:36-40). We believe that God has called Love Thy Neighbor Ministry to bear witness to this fact. This ministry has sprung from a vision and desire to serve the people of Appalachia by helping them understand what Jesus meant in this teaching.
The mission can be summarized in a simple statement: Help the people of the world (especially Appalachia) to know of the love of God and teach them to take care of each other. That’s it! There is no desire on the part of any of the founding directors to steer the people we are called to serve into a particular denominational mindset. The teachings of Jesus are very clear.
Since we believe that this commission has come from God, and not the minds of men and women simply wanting to make a difference in the world, it would be impossible to provide a detailed accounting of each step we believe we must take in fulfilling our calling. The power of God is beyond measure and we realize the futility of attempting to contain His efforts to our own schedules and agendas. We will then continue reaching out to the residents of McCreary County, especially the impoverished ones, in an effort to help them care for their needs.
The simple hope of all those who serve in the Love Thy Neighbor Ministry is to help someone know they are loved and to give hope.