In the book of Nehemiah in the Bible, we find a moment when God stirs the heart of an ordinary man to respond to extraordinary brokenness. When God called Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, the city had been in ruins for generations. The destruction wasn’t just physical - it represented vulnerability, shame, and despair for an entire people. Nehemiah wasn’t a builder or a military leader. He was a cupbearer - a servant - yet God stirred his heart for a work far bigger than his role or his skillset.
Nehemiah looked honestly at the devastation before him. He saw the broken walls, the burned gates, and the fear of the people. And he said, “We can’t leave it this way. Let us rise up and rebuild.” And the people responded. Not because they were strong, but because they trusted that “the God of heaven will help us succeed.”
That’s where our story picks up today.
“You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!...The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall.” Nehemiah 2:20
There is a place for you at the wall.
When Nehemiah followed God’s prompting, the task looked impossible. But God worked powerfully through the ordinary faithfulness of ordinary people. The wall wasn’t rebuilt by experts. It was rebuilt by fathers and daughters, families repairing the section right in front of their homes, priests and merchants and goldsmiths each offering what they had. A great work rose from small, personal acts of obedience.
Family preservation ministry in Greater Charlotte can learn a lot from Nehemiah.
> Do you see what trouble we are in?
> Do you see families lying in ruin?
> Do you see isolated parents desperately struggling alone until crisis becomes foster care?
> Do you see families whose bodies, souls, and spirits are crying out for hope and healing?
The weight of it can make you want to look away. Don’t. Don’t look away. Let us rebuild the wall and end this disgrace.
You are needed at the wall.
The Need Right Now
Over the past three weeks, these are just a few of the needs we’ve received through the Alongside Families Support Line:
Mom of an 18-month-old with nowhere for him to go while she gives birth
Mom of a 3-year-old who quietly repeated, “Family. I just need family.”
Dad torn between taking his daughter to critical medical appointments and working to provide
Mom in the ICU with two teenage boys and no safe place for them
Mom caring for her 10-month-old with a feeding tube, longing for a supportive friend
Parents with a baby in the NICU who cannot be discharged until someone cares for their children during required training
These represent just a fraction of the need in our community.
> And yet there are over 1,200 churches in Greater Charlotte.
> Not one of these needs requires a government agency.
> Not one requires a specialized professional.
> Every one of them can be met by the Body of Christ.
If the Church stood shoulder to shoulder, stone by stone, family by family, not a single one of these parents would walk alone. Not one child would fall through the cracks. Every family could be embraced by gospel-centered community and biblical hospitality.
Your Gifts Are Needed
Don’t look away. A need this big doesn’t require one type of person it requires the whole Body.
We need:
Host Families
Community Friends
Family Coaches
Babysitters and drivers
People to answer Support Line calls and pray
People who rally their church to get involved
Admin and organizational support
Storytellers and video editors
Lawyers, accountants, tech-minded people, creatives, fundraisers
Prayer warriors
There is a portion of the wall only you can rebuild.
Yes, the need is fearsome. It is impossible. And yet…
“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, His servants, will start rebuilding this wall.”
Your Call to Action
The wall is rising in Greater Charlotte, but the gaps are still wide.
You are not just invited you are needed.
Join us. Stand with us. Build with us.
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