Yakima Union Gospel Mission Removing Religious Mandate

There's a big change happening at the Yakima Union Gospel Mission. Executive Director Mike Johnson says For more than 50 years they've required people to hear a Christian message before receiving food or shelter. But he says he's decided to remove that mandate. "So we're still going to have chapel but were not going to tie it to people's food and shelter anymore. Instead we're gonna rely on caring relationships and one on one offers of prayer."
Johnson says there's always people who are open and need spiritual care but he says bringing that message in a relational way rather than mandated way will make it much more effective. He says they'll phase in the change within the next two to three weeks.