What is the church to you? For me it’s definitely not a building, but rather believers in Jesus Christ gathering or assembling together to praise and worship His name. Now when I was a child if I was asked “what is the church” my answer would have been very different. I would have probably described a building….a brown, brick building we went to every Sunday morning and Sunday night. I would have told you about the sanctuary that had dark, wooden pews with 70s green upholstery. I would have told you about the most unique baptistery I’ve ever seen…do you know any other churches that have their baptism pool under the stage?? I might have told you about the choir room behind the sanctuary that had a hallway with all the choir robes hanging neatly…green ones for the adult choir and blue ones for the youth choir. I surely would have told you about the walk through the fellowship hall out the back door to the most fun swings and sliding board. Yes, as a child that would have been my definition or description of the church…not just any church…my church…the church I grew up in…the church where I came to know the Lord…the church where I was baptized…the church where I came to adore singing praises to God…the church where sometimes I laughed so hard I cried…or I cried so hard I laughed. Today…as an adult…I am so thankful to know what the definition of the church truly is. You see…that building that I could describe so vividly as a child and to this day isn’t even a church building anymore. It’s actually owned and operated by Catholic Social Services. But you see…that really doesn’t matter…because the church can be and can happen anywhere. Today…the church…my childhood church…gathered together for a reunion. It was a reunion unlike I’ve ever seen. The biggest, happiest family reunion I have ever been to. People came from all over to fellowship and worship together just like we used to in that brown brick building with green upholstered pews. The faces, hearts and souls of those who helped shape me into who I am today stood together to praise and pray to Jesus. In all honesty, it’s really too amazing to put into words what happened today, but it has lit a fire in me. It reminded me where I came from and how blessed I was to have been raised in a church of true believers who truly love the Lord.
That which was started in me all those years ago has carried on to a second generation…my children. You see when we married and moved to Elmore County it was a priority to find a church. We knew we wanted a church…not a building, but a church of believers…that we would grow spiritually and that we would want to raise children in. The bar was set high because I wanted a church just like the one I grew up in. I knew I’d know when I found it. Well one Sunday God led us to a “not too small” but “not too large” church near our home. We went one Sunday and I told Robert…that’s our church. I told him that it was just like the church I grew up in and that we had just found our church. Now, twenty one years later, it’s still our church. We’ve raised our kids there and they now carry with them the same memories, feelings and heart for the Lord that my church instilled in me when I was a child.
Today…I got to remember some of the best times of my life and I will cherish it in my heart forever. Thank you to all those people from Southside Baptist Church who were spiritual leaders and mentors and friends to me and my family. Also, thank you to Thelma Baptist Church for helping me grow as a Christian through my adult life and for being the spiritual leaders and mentors you are to my family and me!
There is and always will be a love that cannot separate us…and that’s the love of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Words of Heart 