CONGREGATIONAL LEADERS

Rusty Arp, Missions Director, Westlake Baptist Church

“Through the efforts of the Compassion Coalition, our church has adopted an inner-city school and is currently conducting weekly tutoring of students, periodic fun activities for the students, and teacher support.  We are also providing "Meals on Wheels", feeding the homeless through a local shelter, delivering furniture to the needy, and preparing to provide support to the local runaway shelter. This may not seem like much, but our church was not aware of and therefore not providing any services one year ago.”


Doug Banister, Pastor, All Souls Church

“God has raised up the Compassion Coalition to help the whole church reach the whole city with the whole gospel.  They are mobilizing the resources of the faith community and increasing our capacity for blessing our city.  I thank God for Compassion Coalition!” 


Rick Dunn, Senior Pastor, Fellowship Evangelical Church

"Compassion Coalition significantly empowers our church to reach its redemptive potential in Knoxville.  Our intensity and impact have been strengthened by the vision opportunities and resources of the Compassion Coalition.  Thanks, God."


Phil Nelson, Missions Pastor, First Baptist Concord

"Compassion Coalition has helped mobilize First Baptist Concord to be His witnesses right here at home where we can be the most involved and see the greatest result. Thanks to CC, we are more focused, involved, and optimistic that together we CAN see Knoxville transformed into the likeness of our Lord while being transformed ourselves!"


Steve Ritter, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Church

"The training provided by the Compassion Coalition did an excellent job of giving us the motivation and resources to begin."


Steve Sallee, Senior Pastor, Cokesbury United Methodist Church

"In terms of local outreach, the Compassion Coalition has changed who we are and what we do."


Todd Stewart, Former Pastor, Bridgewater Baptist Church

“The Compassion Coalition has changed our church from the inside out.   It has allowed us to network with other like minded people and glean from their wisdom.  The CC has exposed us to the needs of our city and caused us to take a hard look at what we were doing.  Ministry involvement, giving, and enthusiasm have all increased over the last two years as we have engaged the needs of our city.”

Todd Stewart's Testimony at the First Annual Compassion Coalition Fundraising Breakfast

John Stone, Senior Pastor, Berean Bible Church

"As a pastor I had been looking for wisdom as to how I could touch the world for the Kingdom of God.  We are now able to motivate and direct our people into areas of need more effectively than at any other time in my ministry as a pastor."


John Wood, Senior Pastor, Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church

“For those concerned to show the compassionate heart of Jesus to the city of Knoxville, I know of no resource comparable to the Salt and Light Guide Book. It also serves as a fine introduction to the vision and mission of the Compassion Coalition, and invites study, prayer and action in the name of the one who for our sake became poor. It is a privilege to recommend the ministry of the Coalition to all of the congregations of Christ's Church in Knoxville.”

Phil Young, Senior Pastor, Salem Baptist Church

"When Jesus established the purpose of His ministry, He stood and read these words from the prophet Isaiah: ..."

Read more in Phil Young's Testimony at the First Annual Compassion Coalition Fundraising Breakfast


NON-RELIGIOUS GROUPS

Vrondelia Chandler, Program Director, Project GRAD Knoxville

"Project GRAD Knoxville serves 14 Heart of Knoxville (inner-city) schools and 7500 K-12 students.  The Compassion Coalition has been a particularly strong partner."


Whitney Clower, Guidance Counselor, Richard Yoakley School

"Thanks to the Compassion Coalition of Knoxville and the networking the group has done, over two hundred hours of volunteerism has taken place!!! Before our relationship with Compassion Coalition, we had almost zero volunteerism. Now, church groups from this area are tutoring and mentoring students. Students earning privileges for good behavior have the opportunity to play chess, basketball, board games and many other activities with outstanding role models."


Barbara Kelly, Executive Director, Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee

"Without a doubt the strength of the Compassion Coalition is seen in the connections they make, hand to hand, heart to heart, offering hope and opportunity to people in need who had given up that anything good could ever happen in their lives."


Claudia Robertson Lineberger, Principal, Knoxville Adaptive Education Center

"Over 70 church youth and adults joined some of my staff and me in painting dark, depressing hallways light blue and cream.  After we painted, we shared lunch and joined hands to pray.  I was moved to tears by the overwhelming thankfulness to God and these wonderful volunteers.  When the students, many of whom suffer from severe depression, returned on Monday, they were amazed at the difference.  Brightening the halls helped brighten the moods and attitudes of staff and students alike!"


Project Grad Campus Manager, Beaumont Elementary

"The residents of both homeless shelters and the largest housing development in Knoxville are zoned for our school.  The Coalition members have begun mentoring the children and families in our shelters, visiting them weekly at the facility as well as having lunch with them at the school to enhance their sense of comfort and support. I cannot begin to express my gratitude, or that of our students, for the blessing that is the Compassion Coalition and their presence in our school."


Steve Sword, Assistant District Attorney

"The Compassion Coalition's participation in the Knox County Juvenile Court's Restorative Justice initiative advanced the program's launch date forward by 6 - 12 months.  Without Compassion Coalition, approximately 500 juvenile offenders would have missed out on an opportunity to pay back the community and be restored to a position of peace with their victim.  Furthermore, the assistance of Compassion Coalition will free up many hours of government resources to perform other tasks."