West Orange Church Gives Thousands In 'Good Deed' Cash To Congregants

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A church in West Orange has embarked on an interesting and inspiring social experiment, handing out thousands of dollars to its congregants with a simple request: use the money to do a good deed.

Last Sunday, The Life Christian Church in West Orange at 747 Northfield Avenue held a “reverse offering,” passing around a plate with cash in unmarked envelopes at their 9 and 11 a.m. services. Each envelope contained a different amount of money, from $2 up to $100.

Church members are able to spend the funds how they wanted. And some of them didn’t waste any time putting their newfound philanthropic largesse to good use.

“We went out to lunch right after church and paid the bill for another family,” said parishioner Andrew DaSilva, who said they left a note “letting them know that God loved them.”

“It was priceless to see their expression when the waitress dropped it off,” DaSilva said.

Lead Pastor Terry Smith said the cash campaign stems from the desire to “put our money where our mouth is.”

“Giving someone money is a very practical way to bless someone else,” Smith said.

According to Smith, a small-but-profound act like paying for someone else’s meal can echo through generations.

“Children will watch their parents pay for coffees, meals – you name it – and will catch this spirit of generosity,” Smith said. “Our goal is not a one-time act of charity. Our goal is for our community to become known for their generosity and for them to pass that discipline down to their children.”

The church is collecting stories about how the congregation distributed the money, and plans to share them during Sunday morning services on Oct. 22.

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