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I spoke to Bro. Jerry Wilkins, Director of Missions Tuscaloosa County Baptist Association shortly after three black churches mysteriously burned to the ground in Greene County Alabama in 1996. His association borders Greene County Alabama. Though he has no authority over the three burnt churches, he wanted to help.

He challenged his Executive Board to get involved. They immediately voted to allocate $3000.00 of the Association's money for assistance. Bro. Jerry encouraged the local churches to follow his generous example and help. Why would they give? After all, the churches that burned weren't even his.

I asked Bro Jerry if he felt these burnings were "hatecrimes." Though he didn't want to jump to that conclusion, he said: "I think it was, there is still a lot of hatred in people." He joined District Attorney Barrown Lankster in that suspicion.

The dust has settled since my meeting with Bro. Jerry, now we know the cause of these fires. According to Reuters News Service, "The National Church Arson Task Force, created in 1996 to investigate a rash of church fires in the South, said in an October report that it had convicted235 arsonists in 173 church burnings. It identified a total of 670 church fires, bombings or attempted bombings since 1995 . . . The motives uncovered for he church fires included racism, religious hatred, feuding with a minister, covering up a burglary, pyromania or simple vandalism." (Reuters, 2-25-99)

Jay Ballinger, was charged last month with setting sevenchurch fires in Indiana, and is a suspect in around 50 other fires in 11 different states. Authorities believe his devotion to Satanism motived his crimes. (Reuters, 2-25-99)

B'nai B'rith's Anti-Defamation league donated $244,000.00 to the National Baptist Convention to help rebuild these churches. A court convicted Henry Lyons, the head of the convention, on February 27, 1999 for, among other things, keeping most of the money for himself instead of passing it on to the churches in need. He defended himself by saying that he returned the money when B'nai B'rith asked for it back. (Reuters, 2-28-99) Why would he do it?

On March 3, 1999, Rev. Eric Daniel Harris, was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for torching his church, the Kentucky Missionary Baptist Church near Benton, Arkansas. The authorities first thought it was a hatecrime, like other church burnings in the south, but the evidence lead them to suspect the pastor of the church. The prosecutor would not suggest a motive, (Reuters, 3-3-99) but I will. I believe all of these stories have something in common-they didn't understand that these churches belong to God!

If the racists really thought the church belonged to God, instead of those who worshiped there, he wouldn't have burned the building. If the Satanist knew the power of the Risen Lord, he would never draw a pentagram on His Church and set it ablaze. Instead, he would have bowed beneath the cross of Jesus and repented of his sin.

If the church official would have thought the church belonged to God, he wouldn't have stolen money that was given to God, rather, he would insured the money got to the churches that needed the help. If the pastor would have thought the church belonged to God, instead of to him, he never would have struck a match and lit it on fire.

It was because Bro Jerry Wilkins knew the churches didn't belong to him that made him want to help. He knew the churches belong to Jesus Christ.

Paul learned that lesson on the Road to Damascus. He was on his way to destroy churches when a light from heaven blinded him and "He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?'" (Acts 9:4 NLT)

Make no mistake about it, this church does not belong to the pastor, the deacons, the church officers, the charter members, or even to the congregation-It belongs to God! It is His. Period.

It was Jesus that redeemed the church with His precious blood. He was the one that kissed death, hell and the grave, but rose victoriously on the third day with the keys in His hand. He is the one that is worthy to break the seven seals, and make no mistake about it, when the trump sounds, and the Lord descends, he is not coming to get our church. He is coming to get His church!

After Peter's confession of faith. Jesus said, "Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it." (Matthew 16:18 NLT) He did not say, I"ll build the Catholic Church or I'll build your church or you'll build my church. He said "I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH."

The scripture uses several metaphors to describe the church. In Romans 12:5, it is the "Body of Christ." In 2 Cor 11:2, the church is the "Bride of Christ." In 1 Cor 3:9 the church is a field and a building, then in 1 Cor 3:16, the church is the "Temple of God." Pick a metaphor-they all point in one direction, the church belongs to God!

Don't think for a second that Paul ever forgot the lesson he learned on the road to Damascus. Listen to his introduction to his second epistle to the Corinthians, "This letter is from Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our dear brother Timothy. We are writing to God's church in Corinth and to all the Christians throughout Greece." (2 Cor. 1:1 NLT) Paul made it clear that he was writing to GOD'S CHURCH.

We know that the church is not the building, it is the people-God's people. Literally the word means "those called out." The membership of this church is comprised of those who God, by his effectual calling, brought to Himself and placed in this body. Since this precious church belongs to God, shouldn't we treat it with the respect it is due? Shouldn't we treat it like He told us to? Shouldn't we support her and her leaders?

• •Shouldn't we attend faithfully?

• •Shouldn't we worship wholeheartedly?

• •Shouldn't we give cheerfully?

- One day, a one-dollar bill and a one-hundred dollar bill got folded together and began talking (as currency is apt to do) about their life experiences. The hundred-dollar bill began to brag:

"I've had a great life," he said. "I've been to all the big hotels. Donald Trump himself used me at his casino. I've been in the wallets of Fortune 500 board members, and I've flown from one end of the country to the other! I've even been in the wallet of two Presidents of the United States, and once when Princess Diana visited the U.S., she used me to buy a packet of gum."

In awe, the dollar humbly responded, "Gee, nothing like that has ever happened to me, but I have been to church a lot!" (50 Spiritual Adventure Guide)

• •Shouldn't we serve gladly