Sunday morning I had the absolute pleasure of taking my grandson to Sunday School at The First Baptist Church. On this day he was given a little church bank for gathering money for Jesus. From an early age, I learned about how the church needed money to operate, to share the gospel of Christ with others and that’s why we would give of our first fruits in order to meet this need. When I saw that bank I was so happy that at the age of 3 he would hear of his responsibility to help share the Gospel of Christ by investing.
Our family has a long-standing love for this fellowship dating back to the 1940’s when my maternal grandfather, Clifford Long came to Jacksonville for work. He left his family farm and the small town of Estill, South Carolina to find employment in Jacksonville, Florida. Here, he began working on Liberty Ships along the St. Johns River. It was about that time that he and my grandmother, Lula realized they were “lost and undone” as she once put it and at some point joined The First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida under the leadership of Homer G. Lindsay, Sr. I don’t remember ever going to their home that we did not hear, read or have discussion about something going on at their church. Our grandparents wanted us to know Christ and we heard about Him often from their lips.
I remember as a young person going to the Hobson auditorium to church. My grandparents sat near the front by the pole in the aisle. Our family went time and time again to the church and when I had opportunity to be back in Jacksonville after graduating from college, I visited myself. When my children were young, we too joined and have grown in grace and fellowship since.
Now a 3rd generation is visiting the fellowship and as when I was young, is learning about God’s plan for his life at a young age. Glory!
Sunday, our pastor laid out the vision and plan for a building program. The emphasis was not on the money aspect of the plan as much as on the presentation of the Gospel to an area that is fast-growing and would need money to bring the Gospel for outreach to these new homes and families. Obviously it will take a great deal of money to build a fellowship to meet the needs of the thousands who will come. Each of us can do our part, even the little ones.
My grandson has already put some nickels, dimes and quarters in his bank. When he asked if he could begin filling it, he inquired if his grandma (me) could give him some money and I did! Just as my grandparents showed a love for the Church at the corner of Ashley and Hogan so do I have that love and devotion for this fellowship. And it is not for the building or the big church, it is for the love for Christ in my heart given to me by The Holy Spirit when I trusted Him. This love is for what the Church represents, Jesus, our only Hope and with that a desire to share Him with others and especially my grandson.
As my grandparents did for me, I will do everything possible to help my grandson fill that bank so that he might learn to love giving to the work of helping others come to know Christ. Our church motto over the years has been, “That Jacksonville Might Know Christ”. Now, as the church moves into other places of growth it could be said, “That Jacksonville and the World Might Know Christ.” I certainly want my grandson to know Him, love Him and invest in Him. Jesus is our only true hope for our future.
