“Be Rich in Good Deeds”: Local Churches’ Initiative Shares Hope for Single Moms

“The Apostle Paul told Timothy in Scripture, ‘Be rich in good deeds.’ We should be funding things that are doing good in our community.”

Rahul Agarwal and Hamilton Mill Church have taken this exhortation from 1 Timothy 6:18 as a practical call-to-action through their Be Rich campaign. 

What started as one day of planned giving has now become multiple months of fundraising in North Point Ministries’ churches, including Hamilton MIll Church. In 18 years, they have raised over $100 million dollars, and 100% of the donations are given back to the community, often to fund important campaigns or staff positions for local ministries other donors may not consider.

“We helped one organization build an app, and now because of that app, they’re communicating with volunteers more than ever before,” Rahul shared. “We also funded a staff position to help a different organization manage their grounds.”

When Rahul became the lead pastor in 2021, he was thrilled to hear Be Rich had connected with Home of Hope as the home’s mission is close to his heart. 

“My dad passed away from colon cancer when I was four, and my mom didn’t know how to balance a checkbook because she was from India. Women didn’t do those things in that time and day and age.”

Extended family visited the United States from India to help Rahul’s family, but they soon had to return home, leaving his mother to raise two young boys alone. Without family nearby, Rahul’s mother knew she would need support.

“She found a community through people who taught her about finances, and then she took over the family business. When she took over the business, she hired another lady to work part-time.”

This new employee played an important role in sharing Christ’s love with Rahul.

“She would constantly love on our family, and she would get her church to take care of me and my brother since my mom was a single mom.”

Although Rahul’s family practiced Hinduism, the kindness of these Christians in their life sparked interest in church.

“My mom started realizing not only do these Christians teach good values, they actually live them out,” he shared. “So we started going to church, and we fell in love with the church.”

When he grew up, Rahul didn’t intend to enter ministry, and he attended college for a different vocation. But God had other plans. 

“I’m sitting in one of my favorite classes, and I felt this desire to let people know about the goodness of God because of what He’s done in my life.”

Rahul decided then to shift his focus to vocational ministry, and years later, the Be Rich initiative and Home of Hope gave Rahul the opportunity to serve single mothers like his own.

In 2023, Be Rich significantly helped to fund Home of Hope’s purchase of a new van to transport families to work, school, daycare and more. A year later, Be Rich funded HOH’s Child Advocacy Program and the Childcare, Rent and New Utility Assistance Program for an entire year. The latter program equips mothers who graduate from training by gifting them a check to put toward their first payments as they adjust to independent living.

But Hamilton Mill didn’t just contribute financially. When Home of Hope had maintenance needs, Rahul rallied his church staff to help. “We’ve painted, we pulled weeds and we worked the grounds.” 

Just as his mother’s employee and her church surrounded his family with love in their crisis, Rahul hopes North Point churches continue to support and encourage vulnerable mothers in Gwinnett county. He envisions a bright future for Home of Hope with the help of Be Rich and other generous donors. 

“I would love for them to not worry about funding so that any mom who comes in, they can say ‘yes’ to without hesitation.”

He also wants the work of Be Rich and Home of Hope to urge others to be rich in good deeds. 

“If you live this way – which is the way Jesus taught –  you feel freer, you feel more at peace, you feel better because you’re helping other people.”