Church offers a gift of gas

Fayetteville, N.C. — You may think the days of $2.50 for a gallon of gas are over. However, for a few of hours Thursday – at a couple of gas stations in Fayetteville – that was the going price.

"Just wanted to let you know God loves you, no strings attached. That's why your gas is a dollar off today,” Michael Fletcher, pastor of Manna Church, told a gas station patron.

For two hours, Manna Church helped pay for people's gas, $1 a gallon. The gas buy-down was held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kangaroo stations, one at Owen Drive and Boone Trail and one at Skibo and Cliffdale roads.

"People are not used to someone doing something for them for free – really and truly for free. And that's what God did. He showed us His love by His son dying on the cross, and that gift is free,” Fletcher said.

Members of Manna Church were not allowed to take advantage of the cheap gas, except for single moms.

The gas buy-down caused a bit of a traffic jam, but drivers didn't seem to mind.

"Oh yeah, gas prices are just too high,” driver Seanetta Graham said.

"You just experienced revolutionary love. Someone showed you revolutionary love, no strings attached,” Fletcher said of the free gas offer.

Fletcher also said drivers taking advantage of the offer were under no obligation to attend his church.

“Actually, the church has done a pretty poor job in communicating the gospel. People think they have to be good enough or religious enough and join us in order to go to heaven. But the truth is, Christians aren’t different from anybody else. They’re only forgiven, because they’ve received a free gift: God’s love, no strings attached. That’s the point," he added.

Manna Church paid for up to 10 gallons per car and served about 1,000 drivers. Thursday was chosen because it is the beginning of the Labor Day travel weekend.