I was amazed at the church that was scrutinizing us, wondering whether or not we were worthy to help, and at the same time degrading the family who reached out to help us through this difficult situation. Yahusha (Jesus) addressed this type of circumstance (His view of compassion on strangers) when referring to feeding those in prison or clothing the naked. We all know the scripture: “If you have done this for one of the least of my brethren, you have done it for me.”1
Another area of heart breaking disappointment was in the distributions from the food pantry that the church operated. The couple that operated it were dear friends, and I do not wish to hurt them in any way, but I must share these observations. Again, I feel the ultimate problem sits in the lap of the leadership.
While we were staying at Jim and Bonnie’s, we needed groceries. All of a sudden our two families were faced with a small army to feed. Two ladies from our church realizing our need, and without our knowing about it, went to the church’s food pantry, collected some food, prepared it, and brought it over to Bonnie’s home. Up to this particular time, Janie and I were not aware that there was a church pantry. When the church leadership found out about it, these two ladies were sternly corrected for their action. One lady was informed that if we needed food we should ask for it ourselves and that the ladies would not be allowed to use the food in the pantry to help us again. They were informed that if a family in need could not come and ask for food, there was an obvious problem with pride. This policy is in tremendous error. It basically sounds okay; however, it sn’t. First, when people are in need, the humility of the situation is great enough by itself. But to have people come and beg for food, so to speak, is degrading and promotes rejection. The pantry was open to all, but if anyone wanted anything he/she had to personally come and ask for it. S cripture even speaks to the matter of what is given in alms (money or goods given as charity to the poor). “But when you do a charitable deed do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”2
This is a leadership control issue because with such control the Holy Spirit is limited or cut off in how He may desire to minister to a person’s needs. It also blocks the church members’ ability to help others when moved with compassion to do so. The church position should be: how much can we help others, not how little can we help others! The church (leadership) never came to offer assistance or to even inquire if there was a need for assistance, yet still wanted to control those that were moved to help. Again, it appears the church had more concern about being defrauded than whether or not they crush families at a time of need. 
It is never the duty of a church to make anyone feel shame, because they are in a position of need.
We were very humbled by the circumstances in which we found ourselves, and we certainly did not feel it was the church’s position to heap even more humiliation on us with their rules and misdirected ways of distribution. God is well capable of humbling a person, and He does not need the assistance of other members of the body to accomplish it or add to it. This type of problem arises when the leadership and/or the people in charge of the pantry have never been in a similar situation. When a person has received ministry while in humbled circumstances, then that person will have a tendency to display greater mercy and understanding toward people that are in the same situation.