Waverly Church of the Nazarene in Tennessee was recently thrust into the national spotlight after being targeted by a viral TikTok challenge, according to a March 11 report. The church, which serves a small town of about 4,000 residents and has around 350 weekly attendees, became one of many places of worship contacted by influencer Nikalie Monroe posing as a mother in need of baby formula.
The incident highlights how social media trends can have significant impacts on local communities and their institutions. Churches like Waverly Church of the Nazarene (WCN) found themselves unprepared for the scrutiny and backlash that followed participation in Monroe’s series, which reached millions online.
Monroe made more than 40 calls to various religious organizations across the country, asking for help with obtaining baby formula. Her videos typically featured her calling churches and other faith-based groups while playing a recording of a crying baby. If directed to resources such as food banks or pregnancy centers, she insisted those avenues had already been exhausted. Only nine out of forty-three organizations offered direct assistance; others were portrayed as indifferent or unhelpful, leading to harassment campaigns against them.
Some organizations benefited from positive exposure. Heritage Hope Church of God in Kentucky received nationwide support after offering help during Monroe’s call. “I think what got people’s attention is I asked, ‘What flavor?’” said Pastor Johnny Dunbar. Similarly, Portico Story, a pro-life pregnancy center in Tennessee, reported receiving donations from across the country following their inclusion in the series.
However, many churches faced thousands of harassing messages and were forced to change phone numbers or shut down websites. Leaders like WCN’s Pastor Daron Brown defended their staff’s actions and said they would continue referring callers to legitimate resources while taking steps to verify future requests.
Experts say this type of campaign is unprecedented in scale and presents new challenges for faith communities. Tim Glemkowski from Amazing Parish noted that most churches are not coordinated or prepared for such situations. Patrick Diener from Partners in Mission emphasized that leaders must balance organizational responsibility with maintaining community trust: “The thought of being Christ at all times for the world has to manifest itself in a new way… every time we answer the phone.” As social media continues to shape public perception rapidly, churches are left searching for ways to adapt without compromising their values.
