The Little Church That Could!
Most people know the children’s story, “The Little Engine That Could.” The moral of that story is that believing in yourself, persistence, and a willingness to help others can lead to success, despite the challenges.
On April 19, 2025, Bethel SDA Church in Clinton, NC, pulled off a Community Giveaway event that many may have thought was an impossible task for a church that hosts about five members each Sabbath. The members set plans in place. Each member led a task that aligned with their gift, and they went to work. Weekly check-ins ensured everyone was keeping up and that everyone was supported.
This event was designed to lay the groundwork for our Pentecost 2025 Evangelistic Series, and we set a foundation that will be built upon. Our theme was “The Community Knot – Tied together for a common mission of service”. Our goal was to initiate the establishment of our church as a resource in the community. We succeeded. In collaboration with Judy Toney of Combined Unified Services, our little church distributed food, clothes, furniture, hot meals, and much more. Each recipient was given a gift pack, which included a scriptural message in a bottle, a bookmark, and an invitation to our evangelistic series. They were asked to fill out an information card so we could stay in touch, and four people won a $25 gift card for submitting their information. The information cards facilitate opportunities for our Pastor, Lovel Spence, and the bible worker to be in touch before the evangelistic series starts.
Our day began with a charge based on 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, which states, “For the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body, being many are one body so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit”. We were
encouraged to do “What’s Good for the Body”. It was emphasized that although we are different in our gifts, we are one body, with different functions, working together in harmony for a directed purpose. Our little church exemplified what can be done when we work together. Can you imagine the possibilities available to all our churches, regardless of size, if we would learn to do what’s good for the body of Christ instead of what’s good for individual preferences?
Our day ended with a short dramatic presentation entitled “The Mission”. Written by one of our newer members, we were reminded that we are all part of a rescue mission by God. God loves us so much that despite our flaws, sins, shortcomings, or conditions, He rescues us! A handful of people who comprise our little church shared that powerful message with the community, and it was well received.
We are the little church that could, and we did! We believed, persisted, and were willing to help others!
By Deborah Harris, PhD
