The recent church fires in Alabama appear to be the work of anti Christian people or hate groups. The thing these people do not understand is that a church building is not the Church proper.
The Church is the community of those who profess faith in the salvation of Jesus Christ. As Christians we each go about that profession of faith a little differently, but in general, we profess the same Jesus Christ.
Jesus, true God and true man. Jesus, priest and sacrifice. Jesus, who was crucified, died, was buried, rose from the dead, and who ascended into heaven. Jesus who died for each and every one of us so that we might be saved.
Throughout history there have been people like these arsonists who believe they can stop the Word of God. Throughout history individuals, governments, and empires have tried to destroy Christ and His Church. They have used fire, murder, lions, political intrigue, and much more. Perhaps these folks should read Eusebius, the Church History: A New Translation With Commentary.
But, guess what? It doesn’t work. Buildings can be destroyed, people can be killed. Jesus said as much. What we rely on is far better. It is His promise that, regardless of what happens, we will have true life as long as we remain faithful to Him.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.
You can burn churches and persecute Christians. You can wallow in a culture of objectification and death, but you cannot stop God.
From the AP via Forbes.com: Update 2: Another Church Fire in Ala. Ruled Arson, by Jay Reeves
A weekend fire at a Baptist church was ruled arson Sunday, the 10th in a recent string of blazes set at churches in rural Alabama, authorities said.
The Saturday afternoon blaze severely damaged the Beaverton Freewill Baptist Church in northwest Alabama, near the Mississippi line.
“It’s definitely arson,” said Ragan Ingram, a spokesman for the state fire marshal’s office, which was investigating whether the fire was connected to the other blazes that have destroyed or damaged nine churches since Feb. 2.
Saturday’s fire was the only one that wasn’t set in the pre-dawn hours.
Investigators have said they don’t know a motive, but there is no racial pattern. Five of the churches had white congregations and five black. All were Baptist, the dominant faith in the region, and mostly in isolated country settings…
No, there is no racial pattern, for we are all Christians. As St. Paul tells us
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
The only pattern is that Jesus Christ remains as the same target of evil and sinfulness. He is mocked today just as He was the day he was crucified. Best of all, He remains triumphant.
Another excellent article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch discusses the reflections of those who suffered through the church arsons that targeted that city in 2004.
Virginia church fires unsolved: News of Alabama blazes stirs memories of arson that hit 7 churches in Richmond area
When the Rev. Greg Ott heard about a string of Alabama churches getting torched in the past two weeks, he immediately thought back to Jan. 6, 2004. That was the day his church was set ablaze.
“It’s not something you easily forget,” said Ott, pastor of Trinity Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Hanover County. “At least we haven’t.”
Ott and his congregation also can’t help wondering whether the fires in rural Alabama — 10 in all after authorities yesterday ruled that a fire Saturday in the northwestern part of the state was arson — might be linked to a string of six still unsolved church fires in the Richmond region between July 2003 and February 2004. A seventh occurred in January 2005.
For Ott and other affected congregations, it was like a light bulb snapping on.
…
Most of the Richmond-area churches have recovered.
Ott’s congregation renamed their church after the January 2004 blaze gutted the sanctuary at the former Holly Ridge-Lakeside Christian Church at 8469 Atlee Road.
Before the fire, “this congregation was made up of two merging congregations, and they had no identity,” Ott explained. “The fire actually brought them together, so that all of a sudden they did have one thing in common: They were all part of this fire.”
The blaze caused nearly $500,000 in damage. “We were one of the fortunate ones,” Ott said. “We didn’t burn down to the ground.”
A week later, an intruder burned down Poplar Springs Baptist Church at 5236 Charles City Road in Varina. The church has yet to rebuild that structure — one of several on site — although plans are in the works.
Since the fire, the congregation has been meeting in its 23,000-square-foot “Christian Life Center” about 1,000 feet away. The building that will replace the destroyed sanctuary will be built out front.
“We hope to propose something to the church in maybe March or April,” said Greg Jones, associate pastor. “The church is alive and well.”
Jones said his church hasn’t focused that intently on the Alabama fires. “We haven’t specifically talked about it as a church, but it definitely brought back some thoughts from January 2004,” Jones said. “But they’ve been in our prayers. There’s no question about that.”
Hardy Central Baptist, which also suffered a fire to its sanctuary, has fully recovered from the September 2003 blaze.
“We have a much more beautiful sanctuary than we had before,” Smith said. “And attendance is better than it was before the fire. So we’re grateful to the Lord for that.”
God works in mysterious ways. Recovery, unity, prayer, support —“ all as a response to evil.
Pray not only for the congregations affected, but most especially for these arsonists. May their hearts be converted. May they repent and come to Christ Jesus.
