Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas, a cornerstone of the community with over 2,000 members, is extending its ministry beyond its congregation to address a pressing local issue: homelessness. Recognizing the constant stream of individuals seeking assistance, church leadership embarked on a proactive approach after a pivotal training session. This training illuminated the profound impact the church could have in homelessness prevention through a strategy known as diversion.
Spearheaded by Pastor Nathan Adams, the church’s administration decided to analyze who was reaching out and for what reasons. The findings were revealing. Approximately 30 individuals contacted Pioneer Drive Baptist Church seeking support each month. Pastor Adams noted this number was potentially higher than the number of new members seeking to join their congregation, highlighting a significant unmet need within their community.
Pastor Adams’ awareness of diversion tactics grew from his involvement with the West Texas Homeless Network, a local coalition dedicated to combating homelessness. He recognized a crucial opportunity for Pioneer Drive Baptist Church staff to play a vital role.
“The idea of helping people before they became homeless and preventing them from becoming homeless never dawned on me, yet makes so much sense.”
PASTOR NATHAN ADAMS
This realization sparked a shift in perspective. Pioneer Drive Baptist Church recognized it could more effectively serve its Abilene neighbors by proactively addressing homelessness. This involved learning to provide immediate and effective help to those at risk or experiencing homelessness, either directly or by connecting them with appropriate resources within the homeless response system. Previously, their social services primarily focused on food and rent assistance. Importantly, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church extends help to everyone in need, regardless of church affiliation.
With full support from senior leadership, around 30 pastoral and administrative staff members from Pioneer Drive Baptist Church participated in a half-day diversion training. This training was led by experts in the field: Alexzandra Hust, System Improvement Advisor at Built for Zero; Susan Clark, Director of Social Services – Family and Church; and Courtney Horton, Coordinator of the West Texas Homeless Network.
“Because of that diversion training, it led us to say, ‘What are real numbers that drive the reason we should be better at this?’” Adams explained. “And it’s like, ‘Oh, because 30 people came to our church this month for assistance.’”
Equipping his staff with diversion and prevention knowledge became Pastor Adams’ vision for expanding the church’s ministry. He envisioned Pioneer Drive Baptist Church offering the same level of support and care to those seeking help as they would to those attending for worship.
“We want to see everybody that comes into our church in an equal fashion and treat them the same with dignity and respect,” he affirmed.
The Unique Role of Faith Communities in Abilene’s Homelessness Solution
“They don’t have to go start their own nonprofit. They don’t have to go way overseas. That’s the opportunity — it’s local. It’s loving your neighbor, and all you really have to do is sit and listen and ask better questions when the time comes.”
Pastor Nathan Adams
When Abilene, a city deeply rooted in faith, embarked on its ambitious journey with Built for Zero to achieve functional zero for chronic homelessness (building on their earlier success in reaching functional zero for veteran homelessness in 2019), they encountered a critical realization. Many individuals entering the homelessness support system either didn’t meet the specific criteria or the system wasn’t the most appropriate solution for their needs. Furthermore, many Abilene residents on the verge of homelessness needed guidance in problem-solving, such as mediating landlord disputes, to prevent a housing crisis.
Abilene’s strong faith-based community, often referred to as the “buckle” of the Bible belt, plays a significant role in funding the local homeless response system. This unique characteristic presents an exceptional opportunity for volunteers and staff from churches like Pioneer Drive Baptist Church to actively participate in the community-wide effort to end homelessness by embracing diversion strategies.
“They definitely have the heart for it and empathy, active listening. A lot of this is conversations and hearing people,” Horton emphasized, recognizing the inherent strengths of faith-based volunteers.
Pastor Adams’ engagement with the West Texas Homeless Network broadened his understanding and appreciation for providing support “upstream” in the homelessness response system. He found immense value in learning from experts outside of the church community. The diversion training honed essential skills for his staff, including active listening and creative problem-solving. Griffin Jones, Associate Worship Pastor at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, who participated in the training, viewed it as a natural extension of the church’s existing ministry.
Headshot of woman smiling
“[Faith communities] definitely have the heart for it and empathy, active listening. A lot of diversion is conversations and hearing people.”
— Courtney Horton, West Texas Homeless Network
“It’s one of the maybe not easiest but simplest ways we can be the hands and feet of Jesus,” Jones explained. “To care for those who don’t have as much as we do, to care for those who are struggling and who are in dire straits. That’s one of the main calls of the church — to care for the widow, for the orphan, for the foreigner, for the less fortunate.”
The appeal of diversion extended beyond financial assistance. Instead of offering temporary fixes, like a night in a motel, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church staff can now connect individuals to the coordinated entry system of the homeless response, facilitating access to permanent, stable housing solutions.
“We can get better at the way we help our neighbors and work with a more unified approach,” Adams stated, emphasizing the collaborative benefit of diversion training.
Pastor Adams believes many church members are eager to contribute but often envision grand gestures. Diversion training empowers faith communities to make a significant difference through smaller, consistent, and potentially more impactful actions.
“They don’t have to go start their own nonprofit. They don’t have to go way overseas,” Adams reiterated. “That’s the opportunity — it’s local. It’s loving your neighbor, and all you really have to do is sit and listen and ask better questions when the time comes.”
People sitting around tables working and reading
Staff from Pioneer Drive Baptist Church during the diversion training session, learning practical strategies to assist individuals facing housing instability in Abilene.
Joining a Broader Support Network in Abilene
Faith-based organizations like Pioneer Drive Baptist Church are uniquely positioned to strengthen support networks across Abilene. They often already provide various forms of assistance to their neighbors. Courtney Horton points out that faith communities are often already engaged in systems work, even if they don’t explicitly recognize it as such.
For Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, collaborating with the local homeless response system was a logical step in their ministry. This partnership ensures they complement the efforts of other community organizations, creating a unified front against homelessness rather than unintentionally duplicating or hindering services.
Jones emphasized this systemic perspective: “Faith institutions, like churches and missions and parishes and other entities like that, have resources that can speak and move on the institutional and systemic level. There can be a bigger footprint in what can be accomplished.”
For example, the West Texas Homeless Network faces funding restrictions that prevent them from covering costs like furniture for new renters. However, donations to Pioneer Drive Baptist Church can bridge this gap. Similarly, food pantries, often run by churches, serve as crucial indirect methods of homelessness prevention, as food insecurity can directly lead to housing instability, as observed by Horton.
Headshot of man smiling
“Could the church go further? We don’t need to just be nice people. We need to be nice and smart people. And so I think improving our practices of loving our neighbor is important.”
— Pastor Nathan Adams, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church
Diversion training also challenged pre-conceived notions some church members might have held.
“I think there’s an assumption there about people that are using the system a lot — that they’re wrong or they’re bad,” Adams reflected.
Through the training, Horton and other leaders aim to reshape this perspective. If someone repeatedly seeks utility bill assistance from Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, diversion-trained staff can identify this pattern as a sign of a deeper, underlying issue requiring comprehensive problem-solving.
“Faith institutions, like churches and missions and parishes and other entities like that, have resources that can speak and move on the institutional and systemic level. There can be a bigger footprint in what can be accomplished.”
GRIFFIN JONES, Associate Worship Pastor at Pioneer Drive
“There’s a bigger problem here — someone needs to problem-solve with them,” Horton explained.
When the challenge is beyond the church’s capacity to address alone, connecting individuals with the homeless response system’s coordinated entry provides access to a wider array of resources and expertise.
Pastor Adams acknowledges the good intentions of his staff and faith communities in general. However, he stresses that learning from external experts can amplify their positive impact.
“Based on our belief system, we’re in the kindness business…Could the church go further?” Adams challenged. “We don’t need to just be nice people. We need to be nice and smart people. And so I think improving our practices of loving our neighbor is important.”
Empowering Staff to Be a Person’s “Yes” at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church
Pastor Adams views diversion and prevention training as a powerful tool for staff empowerment at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. It equips them with the confidence and skills to effectively assist their neighbors.
“When somebody hits our doors, and the minute we start looking for somebody else to handle that person, we’ve already lost, in my opinion, a chance of real connection,” he stated.
Regardless of faith background, Pastor Adams emphasizes the inherent value and worthiness of every individual seeking help.
“We’ve been given a privilege to engage with them,” Adams said. “How do we help them take whatever next step they need to take?”
During the diversion training, Horton shed light on the neurological impact of crisis situations, explaining how it shifts brain function into a reactive, survival mode. This insight underscores the immense difficulty individuals in crisis face when asking for help, considering the numerous obstacles they may have already encountered.
“Instead of a hard no, can we not work harder to find a way to say yes?” Horton challenged. “Shouldn’t we be ready to be that person’s moment for them, to be the yes?”
Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene is answering that call, becoming a beacon of hope and a vital “yes” for those in their community facing housing insecurity.
