♦O 14, 2021

Montgomery Baptists will Proclaim the “Gospel Above All” by:

Meeting Human Need While Planting Gospel Seed; Revitalizing, Planting & Replanting Churches; Calling Out the Called

Lessons Learned From A Fire

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner
worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come
and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I
will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,
striving together as one for the faith of the
gospel.” Philippians 1:27, NIV
The arsonist arrived early in the morning on that
fateful Thursday. Her intent was to do harm. With
plans to destroy the church, the intruder made her
way from the receptionist center to the old sanctuary
Neal Hughes and then to the main worship center. Within
Director of Missions
minutes, the beautiful First Baptist Church
Montgomery was ablaze. Fortunately, with the assistance of
Montgomery’s finest, the damage was contained. The investigation
continues, and the arsonist is now in jail, awaiting trial.
To paraphrase scripture, what man meant for evil, God meant for good
(Gen 50:20). Pastor Mark Bethea and First Baptist Church have taught us
all many lessons from this tragic experience. Here are a few:
1. Seize the Moment to Share the Gospel- Every time you saw Pastor
Mark in front of a microphone, he was pointing people to Christ. Though
they were saddened and frustrated, the FBC disciples expressed their
concern that whoever did this would know Jesus. In his televised message
Sunday, Mark made a biblical appeal for salvation to the arsonist and all
watching. Lesson: Whatever season you encounter, good or bad, seize the
moment to point people to Calvary and God’s son.
2. Have a Grateful Heart- The First family displayed an attitude of
gratitude. Through the years, I would hear their pastor emeritus Jay Wolf
say, “Don’t whine, shine.” This church family has chosen to shine. Their
consistent conversation has always been how grateful they are that no one
was hurt, that damage was minimum, that the first responders were so
helpful, that…. Lesson: When you are in the fire, do you whine or shine?
Be grateful.
3. Worship the Sovereign, Living God- First Baptist did not waste any
time gathering the saints to worship. Thursday evening, they gathered at
the front door of the church and filled the adjacent parking lot with the
congregation singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sunday morning
will go down in history as one of the most glorious services ever in the
city of Montgomery. In the parking deck, the congregation gathered to
take the Lord’s supper. They visualized the old hymn: “Lest I forget
Gethsemane, lest I forget thine agony, lest I forget thy love for me, lead
me to Calvary.” Lesson: In tough times, get your head and your heart in
heaven (Colossians 3:1-4).
4. Love Your Enemy- FBC had the right to choose hate and be bitter.
After all, how dare someone enter the house of God and destroy such a
sacred place. But this congregation chose love. They loved the first
responders with meals and gratitude. They loved Montgomery with
comforting words via press releases. And they loved the arsonist. I bet
they will make it their life mission to minister to this young woman while
she serves her prison time. They will constantly be telling her, “God loves
you, Jesus loves you, and we love you.” Lesson: Forgive your enemies
and make them the center of your prayers and witness.
The carpet and floors will soon be restored. All the smoke and soot will be
gone. This will soon feel like a “blip” in First Baptist’s rich history. But New
the lasting memory will be how they chose to use this tragedy for Location!
kingdom good. Therefore, let us all heed the same lesson from the First Both
Baptist playbook. events will
be at
Mary and I love you and count it a privilege to be on mission with each of Eastern
you in the River Region. Hills.
Together We Can!
Neal
Montgomery Baptist Association • 20 Interstate Park Dr. • Montgomery, Alabama 36109 • 334-271-6227 • www.mgmbaptists.org
This publication is made possible by your churches’ contributions to Associational Missions.
 ♦O 14, 2021
Montgomery Baptists will prioritize the gospel above all by doing the following:
Meet human need while planting gospel seed;
Evangelize the River Region while planting and replanting churches;
Discover, develop, and deploy disciples of Christ to be missionaries across the street and around the world

Montgomery Baptist Association • 20 Interstate Park Dr. • Montgomery, Alabama 36109 • 334-271-6227 • www.mgmbaptists.org
This publication is made possible by your churches’ contributions to Associational Missions.