By Briana Abraham
EDITORIAL
While the government shutdown appears to be winding down, the financial strain it left behind is still rippling through households. Missed paychecks, suspended SNAP benefits, and the overall uncertainty have reignited a long-standing debate: should welfare be the government’s responsibility – or should churches and faith communities step up to fill the gap?
One TikTok (@user), @nikalie.monroe, decided to put this idea to the test. She conducted a small but striking social experiment by calling churches across the country with one simple plea: “Would you help a struggling mother obtain baby formula for a starving baby?”
Anyone familiar with the life and teachings of Jesus might assume that the answer would be immediate and compassionate. But the results suggest otherwise. Out of more than forty churches contacted, only nine offered to help. Most of those willing to assist were Catholic, predominantly African-American congregations, or mosques.
Looking closer to home, I focused on South Carolina churches featured in the experiment. The list included the wellknown First Nazareth Baptist Church in Columbia—a historically Black congregation, central to the city’s. Yet, out of five local churches contacted, only Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church agreed to help. First Nazareth, to my disappointment, did not. Three others declined, and one never picked up the phone.
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Trinity Baptist Church, Gaffney SC: Would not help feed a hungry baby
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First Nazareth Baptist Church, Columbia SC: Would not help feed a hungry baby
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Columbia SC: Would not help feed a hungry baby
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Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church, Columbia SC: Would help feed a hungry baby
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Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Columbia SC: Sent to voicemail Though the sample is small, these findings cross denominational and ethnic lines, revealing a larger issue that transcends geography. If the church truly wishes to reclaim its place as the pillar of the community, then they must fulfill the primary purpose of a pillar – to support. There is a growing generation of young people, many facing worsening economic instability, who no longer feel connected to local congregations. For them, the church’s response in moments like this speaks louder than any sermon.
So it’s worth asking: how would your local church respond if faced with this call? Would they help a stranger in need? Do they already help strangers in need? And perhaps most importantly, how much of the tithe and offering collected each week goes toward truly serving the local community, rather than overseas missions or institutional upkeep?
Because in a time when faith is often judged by how many followers fill the pews or how many likes a church’s social media posts can gather, perhaps the greatest testimony remains the simplest: feed the hungry, comfort the weary, and care for those who call for help.
