Since the beginning, Ransom Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has had a heart to serve the kingdom by serving others. Lead pastor, Reverend Phill Tague, reflected upon the 2009 launch of Ransom Church and their initial goals: “Early on, Ransom Church committed to our primary goal of teaching people to serve.” This emphasis led them to cultivate environments and events for their people to practice serving. One such event was The Closet, where people from the community could receive clothing for free.
Beginning around 2012, The Closet existed in a large event format for about five years. It was then they recognized their desired outcome was not truly being met. Rather than developing an event that helped people in a sustainable way, Ransom Church had merely created something that they felt good about as a church. The people being served waited in long lines, and because of how the process was designed, an attitude of entitlement was being fostered among the participants. Most importantly, there was no time for real relationships to form.
Ransom’s Compassion Director Angel Metzger oversees The Closet ministry. She recognized, “The event was good, but we had to humble ourselves and ask, ‘Am I doing something that makes me feel good or something that can transform their lives?’”
After prayerfully considering next steps, Ransom shifted The Closet ministry from a one-time event to a sustainable, ongoing ministry. Having designated space within their facility, Ransom regularly collects clothes. The schedule is created based on the number of volunteers available to fill appointment slots. People can RSVP, without an application, to shop at The Closet for their clothing needs. In a normal month, there are 10 to 15 two-hour timeslots available with three to four families attending at a time.
Ransom’s volunteers pray over the space before the families arrive. With every appointment, the team works to elevate the dignity of the experience and form a relationship with those they serve. The Closet is designed to look like a department store, complete with dressing rooms, background music, a checkout and tags on the clothing. They are constantly asking themselves, “How do I help someone shop without making them feel like I’m in their face?”
For families who come in with children, a designated volunteer hangs out with the children in a specially designed kids space furnished with books, toys, a television, snacks, drinks and noise canceling headphones. This intentionality allows parents to have a stress-free shopping experience. All children leave the store with a book and a toy, which in addition to the clothing is also donated.
Angel describes the difference between The Closet and what children often experience: “Kids are used to standing in lines, getting what they get, and rather than that, when they come into The Closet, it is fun, and it changes their perspective on what church is.”
When a family checks out with their items, volunteers remove tags, fold and place the clothing in a boutique style bag. Families are asked if there is anything else they need and resourced with flyers for other area services. Angel is clear about the goal: “When we can increase dignity and keep the enemy from creating any shame, then we have the opportunity to talk about the why of what we do, and that is Jesus.”
Participants, who are deliberately kept anonymous, feel the love of Jesus.
“My experience was great. The ladies were very pleasant to work with. They made everything easy and did not make me feel like I was a burden, which I truly appreciate.”
“The opportunity to get a few clothing items has helped a lot. The people were very friendly and helpful. Thanks again for your help.”
“I really appreciate everything. It meant so much and the staff prayed with me and my mom; it was beautiful. I work weekends but I am going to make a point to attend a service or watch online.”
When the volunteer team sees a family come through multiple times, Angel reaches out to them. One notable story was when an immigrant family came through several months in a row. Because they were unable to find work legally, they were forced to spend all their money on other necessities and unable to afford clothes. Angel connected them to an immigrant ministry to assist them in acquiring legal documents. They have not seen the family at The Closet for months now, because they have been launched into sustainability.
The Closet has undergone recent renovations, contributing to the shame-free shopping process that they seek to create. As they consider the future, Angel recognizes the truth of Jesus’ words, reminding us that we will always have the less fortunate among us. However, Ransom’s goal is to assist The Closet’s participants in beginning to move out of poverty. With all The Closet does, Angel simply wants to bring people to Jesus: “The release of shame and guilt and increase of dignity is what it is like to be with Jesus.”
Rev. Jacob Gibson is the senior pastor at LifeSpring Wesleyan Church, Richmond, Indiana, and graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University and Wesley Seminary, Marion, Indiana.
