With the average gas price in the U.S. above $4 per gallon, Pastor Brian Carn of the multi-campus Kingdom City Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, gave away $35 gas cards to more than 300 drivers on the west side of the city.
He spent $10,000 from his personal finances for the event called “Gas on God.”
A video shown during the church’s March 13 service shows a long line of cars in the street in front of the gas station waiting to receive the free gas.
Carn thanked those from the church who participated in helping orchestrate the event telling them, “You were able to minister to people. One lady came and said, ‘I don’t need gas. I just need prayer.’”
Another woman in the video said she drove about 25 minutes to receive her free tank of gas.
In an Instagram video, Carn told his 99,000 followers, “the pandemic isn’t over.”
He explained saying, “The pandemic is the spirit of fear. Now, people are fearful over whether they are going to have gas or they are not going to have gas. They shouldn’t have to make that choice.”
Churches around the country are doing similar outreach but their reasons are the same. They see a need in the community, and they are responding.
In a statement, the Church of God and Christ in Jefferson City, Missouri called the effort to give away free gas – “the work of our Lord in the community”.