A fire that broke out at a church in Texas has left nothing but one cross standing.
On Friday, a fire swept through the building of Balsora Baptist Church in Bridgeport, Texas. While authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire, the fire department said that the roof started collapsing while firefighters were still inside. Several firefighters were treated at the site.
What appeared to be a "sign from God," however, was a charred cross that was left standing amidst the smoldering rubble of the Texas church. According to NPR, contractors at Balsora Baptist Church took their lunch break after working on its roof, only to come back and find the building ablaze. Parts of the church were about 100 years old and were destroyed by the fire, except the cross in the sanctuary that was seen standing among the ruins and smoke.
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Lone Cross was a 'Sign from God,' Pastor Says
The Friday fire at the Texas church did not stop the congregation from gathering on Sunday at 10 a.m. for worship, CBS 4 Indy reported. In a Facebook post, the Boonville-Balsora Volunteer Fire Department wrote that while the Texas church fire was a "devastating loss," the community remains strong. The department quoted Matthew 18:20, writing, "The church is the congregation, and where two or more gather, there He shall be also."
Meanwhile, Balsora Baptist Church's Pastor Sonny Smith told reporters that the cross remaining amidst the rubble was a "a sign from God, saying, 'Don't worry, I'm still here and I'm going to lead you forward,'" Faithwire reported.
"Shed some tears together over what was - but also create some excitement for what God plans for us in the future," Pastor Smith advised. He remarked that the survival of the cross from the fire was "an absolute miracle."
The cross meant a lot to the Texas community, as church members would hang pieces of paper on the cross with their prayer intentions on it.
Bibles Survive Church Fire in West Virginia
Friday's Texas church fire was not the first time that things inside the place of worship survived a blazing fire. Back in 2019, bibles remained unharmed when a fire engulfed the Freedom Ministries Church in Daniels, West Virginia, ABC News reported.
According to the Coal City Fire Department, which worked with the Beaver Volunteer Fire Department to put out the fire, the church building was so hot that firefighters "had to back out of it." The assumption was that everything inside should be burned, but firefighters were surprised to find that the church's Bibles were spared from the flames.
In a Facebook post, the fire department wrote, "Not a single Bible was burned and not a single cross was harmed! Not a single firefighter was hurt!" The post quickly went viral, with many chiming in to share messages of support. Freedom Ministries also took to social media to share that they were "overwhelmed" by the community's response and were "grateful" for it.
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