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  • The Rev. George Kreger, pastor of New Hope Community Church in Bryan, Ohio, speaks near the site of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, which was destroyed in the May 22 tornado. Kreger is one of many ministers leading cleanup and relief efforts. Globe | Anne Brown

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October 17, 2011

Ohio pastor’s organization helping Joplin churches destroyed by tornado

By Rich Brown Globe Columnist

JOPLIN, Mo. — Although George Kreger has been a pastor in Ohio for the past 25 years, he has carried fond memories of Joplin much longer.

It was those memories and his connection to Ozark Christian College that spurred him into action shortly after hearing of the devastating tornado in Joplin.

“When the monster tornado struck this past May, I was riveted to the news for several days,” said Kreger, who first visited the area as a teenager with his church youth group during a weekend rally at OCC. “The destruction and devastation was unbelievable. We had the opportunity to participate in several of the relief efforts that materialized over the following days. But, even as I did so, there was a sense that we might have the opportunity to do more.”

Then, Kreger, lead pastor at New Hope Community Church in Bryan, Ohio, said, he received a magazine in the mail.

“I received the Compass from Ozark Christian and in it was a 12-page insert called ‘Rebuilding Joplin,’ about the tornado,” he said. “So I felt we ought to do something more and within two days I got a call from Howard Brown, a layman at Southside Baptist Church in Joplin.”

Brown, whose church at 2302 Grand Ave. was destroyed in the storm, had noticed Kreger’s ministry through the Ohio pastor’s website and gave him a call.

“During our conversation he told me that there were about 15 churches that had been totally destroyed,” said Kreger. “And I knew then I needed to move forward with what we would be willing to do to help those churches and also protect them from the predators who will come looking to rip them off.”

The avenue he decided to use was his nonprofit online network, Save Your Church Money , which he had created to help churches keep safe and be well-served when buying the goods and services they need.

Kreger, who recently visited Joplin to talk with pastors, said several partners with SYCM have offered to provide services or products in unique ways to help the rebuilding process.

“For example, our church furnishings ally, Church Furniture Partner, has already contacted several leading church furniture manufacturers urging them to offer special discounts for the churches of Joplin,” said Kreger, who seriously considered attending OCC as a teenager but opted for Lincoln (Ill.) Christian College and Seminary since his youth minister at the time was a Lincoln graduate. “Church Furniture Partner will forgo any and all profits in order to help Joplin’s churches rebuild. Other partners of Save Your Church Money have also agreed to help churches with building design, construction and fund-raising. Together we believe we can help churches make the best of the opportunity God has given them to rebuild.”

Kreger said he has contacted each of the churches affected by the terrible tornado.

“We know they have already realized that God is faithful in the midst of the storm,” said Kreger, who met former OCC president Ken Idleman at Lincoln Christian when Idleman was a graduate student there. “We desire to be an additional affirmation of that same truth and are confident that the churches of Joplin will be restored, bringing glory to Jesus Christ.”



Address correspondence to Rich Brown, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802, or email rbrown@joplinglobe.com.

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