On the Gulf Coast of Mississippi we had been active in ministering and helping others in need for over fifteen years through the Gideon Ministry, the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Ministry, Women’s Aglow Ministry, and personal ministry. However, when we left the coast, God had arranged for us to leave without much money, which I believe was intended to put us in a serious need basis to see if His church body would be moved to action. During this time, we did not know God’s reason for our being in this new situation, but we felt at the time that the LORD desired to use us in ministry.
During our first year at the church, very seldom did the leadership ever approach us even to say hello, much less to offer any assistance. I was so amazed. Sometimes the Pastor would approach and ask a question or two, then smile and walk away, and that was about the extent of it.
The Olive Branch Church had a pastor, an associate pastor (the pastor’s son), and an evangelist. Each of the three rotated in the pulpit. During the time we were staying at Jim and Bonnie’s home, there were many sermons preached with passion on the subject of helping someone if and when they saw a need. Now, I do not know if the leadership was trying to get someone to move to action, or if this is what the Holy Spirit was so impressing on them to preach. I believe the latter, since there were so many sermons about having mercy towards those in need. The irony was that the leadership doing the preaching was not even listening to their own exhortations. Each Sunday we would sit in the church desperate for some door to open that would give us a chance to get on our feet, but no one was ever moved to action. As the leadership goes, so goes the church. No matter how hard the ministers preached about finding a need to fill, their actions dictated differently, and the members copied their actions, not their words. I think two times someone from the church gave us a little money. These were times when members had given money to the leadership and asked them to give it to us. I believe a fundamental reason for the failure of the congregation to react to obvious needs within the church ultimately rests upon the shoulders of the leadership.
A couple of times someone in the church would come up to us and ask if the church was helping us out. I would answer affirmatively knowing that I was shielding the leadership. I simply did not know how to reveal the fact that the church was not doing anything. I have always trusted the LORD to provide our needs, and I did not want to complain as if I was expecting something out of the church leadership. I was wrong for not being truthful, but I simply did not know how to answer such a direct question concerning our personal needs.
Our hearts were crushed over and over again. A lesson here would be: 
If God lays it upon your heart to be concerned for someone in an obvious need situation, then the move to action should come from you to either do something yourself or ask the leadership yourself and not the person you are concerned about!! Follow through with your concerns to see that the need is indeed being filled. Sometimes a church’s leadership may not be aware of a need situation that exists and should be informed. God’s children are His church, so if you personally sense a need, step up and follow the leading of the LORD.
Had it not been for Jim and Bonnie, my family could have failed. I am certain that God could have caused help to come from someone else had this family not been there, but that is not the point I am making. In this situation the church failed, and unless there is a change in attitude all across America, many families could fail who do not have the faith and determination that we had to not only survive a homeless situation, but to do it God’s way. Wisdom dictates the Golden Rule. “Do for others as you would like them to do for you.”1
As the days continued to click by I held on to the Word from the LORD, “that if I had the faith, I could make it to the end.” I knew the LORD was working through everything, and I was determined to focus on following Him!