Serving the Gospel to Houston’s Hospitality Workers

Mission Centers of Houston’s Compassion Center Ministry continues to grow in our goal of serving small churches and organizations by equipping them with physical resources and training to do outreach in their neighborhoods and communities in need throughout the city.

One emerging ministry that encapsulates this goal is Brandon Atchison’s “Serving Up Ministries.”

After working for decades in Houston’s hospitality industry, God planted something beautiful in Brandon Atchison’s heart: a burden for the souls serving behind every restaurant counter and bar. He recognized that hospitality workers often face a unique spiritual isolation.

Jesus is available anywhere at any time.

All it takes is a willing servant to be His hands and feet as an extension of the Church.

While most people attend weekend services, restaurant staff work their busiest shifts on those days, making connection to a faith community nearly impossible. Brandon's burden became a calling from God that led him to found Serving Up, a ministry designed to reach these individuals with God's love.

Armed with Mission Centers of Houston’s Compassion Center resources such as refreshments for the workers, toys for their children, and other needed items to help them in their jobs, Brandon visits restaurants before and after shifts, offering these items along with prayer and pastoral care to exhausted servers, line cooks, and bartenders.

Making Connections

On a recent visit to Snooze Eatery, Brandon met Joey, a server who had drifted from his faith over the years. As Brandon made himself available, Joey opened up about his story and the spiritual void he'd been experiencing. Through Brandon's gentle encouragement, Joey expressed a renewed desire to reconnect with church and cultivate his relationship with Christ again. This breakthrough only happened because someone showed up and met Joey where he was. 

By identifying and developing a passion for this particular unseen community and thoughtfully developing a plan for solutions, Brandon has created a ministry that works on a practical level to meet this broad need.

His interaction with Joey is just one example of the truth that Jesus is available anywhere at any time. All it takes is a willing servant to be His hands and feet as an extension of the Church.

Better Together

Brandon's story connects beautifully with our mission at The Compassion Center. He's a member of Woodlands First Baptist Church, where our own Jeff Chadwick and Jackson Shupp also worship and serve. Jeff also serves on the board of Serving Up and has walked alongside Brandon to develop this ministry into an effective and God-honoring operation.

Please pray for Brandon and Serving Up as they reach what is, in many ways, an unreached people group right here in our city. If you're looking to learn more about Brandon's ministry specifically, visit their website at servingup.org.

Mission Centers of Houston is UBA’s local mission subsidiary aimed at meeting the physical and spiritual needs of marginalized people throughout Greater Houston.