A Fire Brings Out Memories

An event early this morning in Temple, Texas, has definitely had an impact on my thoughts today. The First Baptist Church in Temple sustained major damage through a fire in the sanctuary, offices, and music areas. Some water and smoke damage is also present in other portions of their facilities. Many people are joining pastor Martin Knox and the FBC family in prayer.

For me, there are many personal memories tied to that church family and the facilities. Shortly after my birth, I was rocked in the nursery. It was my church home until after I married. My spiritual life was greatly shaped through the ministry of that church. I was baptized there when I was 10 years old. I experienced a call to ministry there. My wife and I were married there. My father's funeral was conducted there. My mother still worships there.

With many years of association with the church, there are many events, groups, and individuals that are part of my memories there. For my sake and theirs, I will not recount all of those here. But I will say that laughter and tears have both been part of those memories and relationships.

Obviously, the destruction of buildings by fire will not destroy the memories that I hold. But the fact that the fire burned the place where many of those memories were formed makes this fire seem more significant than might otherwise be the case. I sense the loss that many in that congregation are feeling today as they drive by or stand across the street and see the burned remains of their regular place of worship.

This I know - they will all survive this fire and the church will thrive. Afterall they have a history of such survival. After the fire that destroy their church in 1938, they rebuilt and moved forward. The new building of 1939 was the one that burned today. The same God who lead them through that fire will lead them through this one also. Today there is shock and tears and a great sense of loss. Tomorrow there is hope and promise and a great sense of victory. May the Lord bless FBC, Temple, as they move forward. May the Lord keep the memories of the past in tact as new and greater memories are formed.