It ain't rocket science but it is probably the most important contribution I will make in my lifetime.
GRANADA HILLS, Calif. (PRWEB) December 03, 2019
"Since giving up a six-figure rocket scientist's salary to devote full time to the ministry, I have worked many 20 hour days on 4 hours sleep" says Aaron Schwartzbart, founder, president and pastor of MotorGospel Ministries. "I and my colleagues were highly-educated and well taken care of in the space program but I was never sure of whether I was doing any good for mankind. Now I work for free in my tiny office lined with pictures of lives that have been touched or possibly even saved by MotorGospel Ministries. I no longer doubt whether I am benefiting mankind. It ain't rocket science but it is probably the most important contribution I will make in my lifetime."
Schwartzbart founded MotorGospel Ministries in 2001 but was a self-described "amateur minister" until he left the day job in 2012. The ministry has both Christian activities and non-religious benevolent activities such as the unique anti-street-racing campaign that MotorGospel operates in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, the courts and Los Angeles City Councilmember John Lee. The anti-street-racing campaign features a variety of elements such as after-school auto shop and legal 150 MPH driving instruction at racetracks throughout Southern California. With degrees in physics and theology, Schwartzbart is a 4-time champion race car driver and an ordained minister. He has personally coached over 100 students one-on-one at the track and reached millions with the anti-street-racing message via print, broadcast and social media.
The tiny ministry is also unique in that they never ask for donations and they have no paid employees. Plenty of people do donate spontaneously and the ministry puts the donations to good use, but they never ask. Schwartzbart's model for charity is to extend a hand to the needy, not to donors.
So it is ironic that MotorGospel Ministries (EIN 46-4682864) has received the Guidestar Platinum Seal. Guidestar lists approximately 1.8 million charities. Many of them have highly-compensated executives and lavish fundraisers. By focusing on charitable work instead of bureaucracy and fundraising, MotorGospel Ministries has received the Guidestar Platinum Seal. This puts the tiny ministry in the top 1/2 of one percent of Guidestar’s 1.8 million charities in terms of trustworthiness and transparency. (see https://www.guidestar.org/profile/46-4682864)
For more information about this little organization making a big impact, see this excellent writeup from Brett Becker: https://nasaspeed.news/columns/must-read/taking-racing-off-the-streets/
