Generation to Generation

Guest blog by Devra Thomas

In many ways, Baptist Temple is my second home. My mom first brought my brothers and I to Baptist Temple when I was seven.

As a child and a young adult I remember always being involved. I remember attending Sunday School, Sunday evening worship and activities, Wednesday services, children’s choir and youth choir, performing musicals and at choir festivals, caroling at nursing homes, children’s camp, youth camp, Pre-Easter retreats, mission trip, lock-ins, Vacation Bible School, Fall Festivals and much, much more. Just about every weekend was filled with something to do at church. I guess you could say our church was alive very much the way it still is today and the way we need to ensure that it continues to be for generations to come.

So many people that helped teach me are still here today. This is the kind of dedication that really touches my heart. This is the kind of dedication I hope to show not only my children and grandchildren but, also, to your children and grandchildren. This is the dedication that I hope my children and grandchildren will show their children and grandchildren and so on and so on. But how are they to know if they only hear us talk about being committed to Christ? We need to be God’s people of action and not just words. SHOW God’s love and not just tell about it. In II Corinthians, Paul said that we prove our love for Him by our giving. How can we say we love Christ if we are not giving to meet the needs of His church? Because this building is HIS.

As someone who works quite a bit with our children, I see the hope that we instill in them and, through sharing God’s love, we fuel their desire to want to be more like Him. Our children are really motivated in learning to have hearts for Christ and in that same way, we should also be Heartstrong for CHRIST! Haggai 1:8 says “Go to the mountains, bring wood & rebuild the temple that I may be pleased with it & be glorified.”

I’ve heard several stories from other parents, and have a few of my own, where our kids have reminded us of what God says and what God wants from us. Our children get really excited about wanting to please God and SO SHOULD WE. We need to get excited about what the future holds for this building....Excited

I am still praying about what God would ultimately have me give and about things I don’t necessarily need and can do without. But, within my means, and the same holds true for you, no matter whether my amount matches up to be smaller or greater than yours, if we put God first and we are true to Him, He will put all of our amounts together to serve his purpose here.