Great News Story on Pastor Gary Faulkner and Cummings Street Baptist Church

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SPECIAL REPORT -- Can a single action by one person change a life or perhaps touch others who don't even know you? It did for a Memphis woman who was out of job and a home. Yet she still made a small church offering that resonated with others in a way no one could have expected.

"I explain it as God's goodness. I don't know what they explain it as. I believe he does supernatural wonders cause I'm one of those supernatural wonders," says Porche Ward.

Porsche Ward, 33, is a single Memphis mom who knows the power of prayer can mean miracles even during the darkest of days.

"My son has asthma and there was just so many things, one after another -- bills, him being sick and me being sick and I just couldn't hold a job. I never wanted a job. I wanted a career and it got to the point when I thought maybe my kids should go live with their father," says Ward.

Times were tough for Porsche -- no job, a sick child, a lot of bills and she'd lost her apartment. But she never lost her faith and her commitment to do her individual part in making a 'small' offering at Cummings Street Missionary Baptist Church.

That offering, unknown to her, would forever change her life in a 'big' way.

"I had $40.00 in my purse and took out $20.00. I said 'God, I got to go work. This is my gas money. I got to buy lunch'. And in my mind he was saying 'Porsche, I will take care of you and I always will," says Ward.

Overcome with a spiritual awakening, Porsche was determined to take her $20.00 to the altar.

"Something said 'Just go...go because the more you sow the more you reap.' It's funny because when I originally walked up, the deacon told me I couldn't pass the rope and I sat back down. I was antsy and I tried to do it again. But this time I didn't ask him if I could pass the rope. I just did," says Ward.

When she did, it led to what some call a miracle.

"People just started coming . They just started coming out of the balcony. They're dropping money over the balcony and I had no idea the money was coming to me. He [the pastor] was saying he was going to bless somebody and I never felt God was going to bless me," says Ward.

"The more I started talking about how we're going to bless somebody with this, they started coming even more. Not only did they walk down, some formed a small line and said they wanted to write a check and meet the person that was going to receive what had been given. It was literally raining dollar bills and it was a remarkable day," says Rev. Gary Faulkner, Sr., Cummings Street Missionary Baptist Church Pastor.

It was remarkable because almost $8,000 was collected and remarkable because no one knew who the money would benefit.

Since that Sunday Porsche has paid her bills, found a job as a surgical technician and feels her life has a new mission to help others going through dark days.

"I know I wasn't the only single mother who felt she wasn't able to take care of her kids. I think it's young mothers who need to understand if you make the first step, God will make the next one. I want to be a blessing to someone to let them know if you get up and try that it will happen if you believe," says Ward.

A Chain or a Crown?

I was speaking with another preacher the other day and I was kidding with him that he would soon be wearing a gold chain, which would symbolize his ascent to the bishopric in our denomination. He then went on to tell me that he is not working on wearing a gold chain, but his focus was on one day wearing a crown. This stimulated me to think that it is totally amazing that some preachers aspire to reach man made benchmarks of success instead of God's benchmark of success. We are living in a day when everyone has an armorbearer and some have adjutants, but the question of the hour is will some of the preachers who are seeking fame and fortune lead themselves and their armorbearers to Hell? Should we focus on the gold chain, the signet ring, the trappings of ecclesiastical success, or a title as much as we should focus on one day wearing a crown?

Guest Columnist,
Pastor Stephen F. Smith
Sure House Church, Inc.