As I’ve noted in the past few articles, while Sheila & I were in Georgia a few months ago, we spent time visiting several great historical sites. One of those included the Fort Fredericka and its community. Within this large tract of land sat nearly 90 lots, divided by two main cross streets. At the corners of this community were guard stations, & right at the waterfront was the fort itself. In each of those lots sat businesses, homes, & other buildings. Today, almost none of this remains, except the streets & the foundations. You must use a bit of your imagination, but it’s really like nothing I’ve seen up to this point.
In 1736, when the town was being built, the hope was it would serve as a support to the British military in America. This is because St. Simon’s Island, where the Fort is located, was the headquarters of the British military during that time. From here, General James Oglethorpe sought to defend the claims of the British empire. So the town supported the military during this time, helping keep them fed, dressed, and encouraged. All across that historic site, you will find candle makers, blacksmiths, bakers, butchers, a carpenter, and even a doctor. They were all there to help each other and the uniformed men in their quest to defend their claims. But Oglethorpe knew the needs of those at Fort Frederica were much more than just practical, but spiritual.
So, with this in mind, Oglethorpe sent word to the British Empire that he needed resources to outfit a church. While he waited, he went about getting ready for the coming worship services. He designated the upper room of a storage building to be the sanctuary. When his supplies finally arrived, the people of Fort Frederica began to worship together. And you know what supplies Oglethorpe sought in order for their worship services to take place? Candlesticks to see, a Bible to read, and a trough to baptize people in. Oglethorpe knew there were only a few things necessary for the church to exist and to worship.
Colossians 3:16 says “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” You see, Oglethorpe and the apostle Paul knew that what matters in worship isn’t all the trappings – but the heart. And all we need is the Word of God, praise in our hearts, and whatever is necessary for us to obey it – that’s it. In our modern era, it can be easy for us to attach our hearts to many things. While these things might be gifts from God, they should never become points of contention or sorrow for us, if we’re doing what the word tells us to do – letting the word of Christ dwell in us.
Comments