This article is written by Bobby and Cariann Smith of the White Cloud SDB Church. Hope you enjoy this picture of how God is at work in and through one of our local SDB churches participating in the SDB Church Revitalization Grant program. 

Considering the times and after reading God’s word, we see in 1 Corinthians 12:27 that it’s the church’s job to feed, minister and help the people of our land. Scripture quotes, “we are the body.” It is the hands and feet of God that need to be busy reaching out to the people who are lost and in need. James 2:14 – 17 tells us that “faith without works is dead.” These verses inspire and direct us to serve our community based on the tools our Lord has given us.

Faith In Action took root in the White Cloud community with the understanding that people were in need of ministering, feeding and helping. With a budget, phone, and faith, we posted fliers around the town and online. The very same day the fliers were posted, our Faith In Action phone exploded with phone call after phone call. As it turns out, many people are unaware of the resources in our area that are there to help them. Many who had tried to get government help were denied and had given up looking for help trying to face their mountains on their own. Faith In Action provided us with an opportunity to get to know each and every caller, give them a resource list, and follow up with them a few days later. Since we have established a relationship with them and we are in fact ministering to them, we stay in touch with those families that are going through hardships. We do find ourselves being teased, at times, because what one person wants could be another person’s need. After prayerful reflection, some callers received support from the Faith In Action budget. We want to help the people, not enable anyone. Some examples of how the Faith In Action budget was spent include buying blankets and propane for a homeless man who was living in a camper, providing food for a family, providing wood pellets for heat during the cold winter, and paying for auto repairs. Faith In Action not only helps people experiencing financial difficulties. Faith In Action helps spiritually. Romans 12:13 states, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

About the Authors: Bobby and Cariann Smith have been married 12 years, are followers of Jesus, parents to 2 boys, and have a passion for helping those who are in need. They are active members of the White Cloud Seventh Day Baptist Church and are always ready to serve.