A South Carolina preacher gave a live sermon as he filmed his house burning on Sunday, reminding his followers that ‘God is good.’
On November 7, 64-year-old Sammy Smith (aka ‘Apostle’), founder of Grace Cathedral Ministries in Piedmont South Carolina, streamed his burning house on Facebook. He said that he had never lost faith and only used his razor.
He watched as flames consumed his home but the chipper preacher insisted that he would attend church. Although I couldn’t shave I believed I could. This morning, it looks like I won’t be able or able to shave.
“But I want everyone to know God is good. We are blessed by Him. It’s all going to be fine. He will provide a way, even if we aren’t understanding. I have been saying lately that God may not give the blessing to you in your hands, but it is within your reach.
Sammy Smith (64), aka ‘Apostle,’ live-streamed the burning of his house via Facebook on November 7.
He watched his lovely house in Piedmont, South Carolina become engulfed with flames. Smith reminded his disciples that God is good and everything will be okay.
Sammy suspects that the fire started in Sammy’s house because of a heating system or other electronics. The fire started upstairs in a bedroom, and was contained on the upper floor. It was not fatal and everyone made it to safety.
Smith uploaded the video to Facebook. The large dark smoke plumes billowing out of Smith’s house are a result of flames that engulf his top floor.
Two of his neighbors used their lawn mowers to spray water onto the windows above the fire, and then the Simpsonville Fire Department arrived using a bigger and more powerful hose.
His brave neighbors helped him spray the house down even though the firefighters had arrived. In his backyard, other neighbors offered support and joined in with the preacher.
The video shows the preacher saying several times, “My home is on fire,” It’s now upstairs. I hope it don’t get downstairs. My house is on fire.
In a Facebook Live, the 64-year old preacher said that he had ‘never witnessed a fire in his home.
He said, “The house may be pretty much gone.” “But God saved us. God will always do what He wants. We sometimes don’t always understand God’s will.
Sammy told WYFF that although the exact cause of the fire is still unknown, he suspected it to be due to an electronic heating system or other electronics.
God is good. We are blessed by Him. It’s all going to be fine. He will provide a way, even if we don’t know it. As I have been saying lately, God may not give you the blessing, but He is within your reach.
The fire caused the loss of all belongings to his daughter and godson (whose rooms are upstairs), but nobody was hurt.
Additionally, the ‘apostle” thanked his supporters.
“They would bring up donations for me and give them to my hand. I was overwhelmed by their love.” Smith explained that they made her cry when she felt their love.
He was accompanied by his brave neighbours (pictured), who helped to put out the flames using lawn hoses.
After the preacher had begun filming his video, the firefighters arrived and helped the neighboring team to extinguish the fire.
Smith’s house appears to have suffered very little structural damage from the exterior, but the upstairs was blackened and windows were broken out.
‘And it was something… not about the house, not about any of that stuff not about the clothes that were lost, not about the stuff – their love moved me.’
A Bible study group from the church rejoiced that there were no deaths a few days later.
Thomas Bell, church member, stated that knowing God had preserved their lives was the most important thing to them as church families.
“We might be in mourning right now but we should rejoice that God has saved us.
Also, Sammy’s property was damaged by the damage to his home on Facebook.
The identity of the person who made Grace Cathedral’s video is unknown.
The five-and-a-half-minute video shows the charred middle peak of the mostly brick house. All around the house, black debris and grit were visible on the exterior siding. Additionally, the upstairs middle window was destroyed by the fire.
It is still standing, and has not been damaged by the elements.
The Grace Cathedral Ministries was founded by the preacher and he preaches at the Upstate location
Smith is pictured in this photo with his son. He told his followers on Sunday that he would still go to church even if it was not possible for him to shave. “Looks like it might be difficult to shave this morning,” Smith stated.