They’ve been called “unique,” “innocent,” and “uplifting.” The so-called “promise cards,” designed to pop open, revealing a Bible text or inspirational thought, are used all over the world. They’re not big—smaller than a business card—but since their first printing in 1986, they’ve caught the attention of many. Promise cards are the name of a product that has encouraged thousands, and even kept some from taking their life.

Dave Yancey, a Seventh-day Adventist, started a unique ministry, something “altogether different,” in the words of one client.

The company, WordBytes, sends millions of promise cards around the globe. Yancey sees this ministry as a small way to help others—and a “thank-you” to those who have supported him in the past. It’s about the people who have helped him along life’s journey.

“It’s people like Nick and Genny,” Yancey says, speaking of friends at the Staunton Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where he lived years ago, people who encouraged him. “I’ve always wanted to be able to touch an individual’s life without being ‘in their face.’ Nick never preached about his faith, but he would certainly drop wonderful hints that were non-threatening. People along my way were influential, and I just simply wanted to leave something with an individual, to plant a seed,” he says.

So, in 1986, Yancey began a company on his kitchen table. His two sons, Richard and Wesley, 11 and 9 at the time, served as his vice president and administrative assistant. “I made them business cards. They were very involved,” Yancey says, and adds that he even took them on his trips to the bank, introducing them as his vice president and administrative assistant.

“I asked Wesley how many cards he thought we should print at the start. He said, ‘Oh, dad, I think we should print a whole lot,’” Yancey laughs. With virtually no advertising, the business was word-of-mouth. But they sold several million cards the first year.

“I had the boys take samples of cards and go up to people in airports,” Yancey explains. “Tracts today do not have a receptivity, so I wanted to make sure we had something people liked. Almost 10 out of 10 [people] would take the card.”

I want to let people know how much they’re loved, that life is worth living,” he adds. “It’s an innocent little card.” 

A box comes with 96 cards—none of them repeat the same Bible text or inspirational thought. Yancey says that often the text someone finds is just what they need at that particular moment in time. He continually receives letters of appreciation from people who have felt blessed by a promise card someone handed them. Some of his clients in the United States include people at the Pentagon, the White House, and members in the Supreme Court. And then, of course, there’s the “wonderful, ordinary people” who use them, Yancey says.

Promise cards can also be used as business cards—a person’s company, title and other information is printed on the back.

“It’s a great witness card,” says Leonard Isaacs, president of The Fellowship of Christian Companies For Christ in Tennessee. “I’ve used them probably for eight to 10 years at least, as a business card, as a witness card. It’s the best business card you could possibly have.”

Isaacs, who was introduced to the promise cards by a friend, introduced them to his friend, former winning Nascar driver Darrell Waltrip. Isaacs attends a ministry of more than 100 men in Waltrip’s three-car garage every Tuesday morning from 6:45 a.m. to 8 a.m. “We decided we’d use those cards in Franklin Fellowship,” Isaacs says, speaking of this ministry. They gave each person two cards—one for themselves and one to invite someone to Franklin Fellowship. “[We ordered] 2,000 with Darrell’s signature, welcoming them into Franklin Fellowship.”

People that are in this ministry at his house are blown away by it,” Isaacs continues. “They’re using it in their businesses.”

Isaacs explains that Waltrip’s wife, Stevie, puts a promise card on her husband’s dashboard at the beginning of every race. Others have taken notice.

They request a card of their own, Yancey says. “They’ve gotten so they expect it now.”

On Feb. 18, 2001, in Daytona, Florida, Dale Earnhardt said to Stevie Waltrip, “Stevie, I want one of those cards too. I want one on my dashboard.” She taped the card on his dashboard. According to Isaacs, it read, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and they are saved.” Earnhardt, who had accepted Christ, said to Stevie, “I’m the righteous one.”

“Yes, you are,” Stevie told Earnhardt. He was killed on the last lap of the race.

“Other drivers know about [the cards],” says Isaacs. He explains that the Waltrips started a ministry that has grown so much that they’ve called a fulltime minister. “At every race track, they have a church service prior to the race. [It’s for] the drivers, families, crew chiefs, crew members. It’s been a great ministry. A lot of drivers have come to the Lord.” He says the Waltrips plan to introduce the promise cards to others as part of their ministry.

WordBytes offers several types of cards—from perhaps the most popular “special promise cards” that each hold a different Bible text, to kid’s promise cards, Christmas promise cards, cards with inspirational thoughts, personalized business cards that hold a promise inside, and others.

“I’ve had people open it up and cry. People that I hadn’t seen in awhile [will] reach in their billfold and say, ‘I’ve still got your card,’ or ‘I keep it on my mirror,’” Isaacs says.

Yancey is thrilled with the reception the cards have had over the years, but, giving God the credit, he compares himself to the little boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish in the Bible. “The story wasn’t about him, but can you imagine when he went home and told his mom, ‘Guess what happened?’”

Yancey’s desire is for people to “take this medium and use it to bless others.”

And for something so small and simple, the blessings have been huge.

For more information, visit www.wordbytes.com.