Have you ever wondered if what you have and who you are is enough to make a difference in the world?
In our fast-paced and often superficial world, where grand gestures and monumental achievements often steal the spotlight, it’s easy to underestimate the significance of small, consistent actions. The story of First Baptist “Brick-A-Day” Church in Montgomery, Alabama, serves as a powerful reminder that when individuals contribute their seemingly modest pieces, the collective result can transcend their limited imaginations. This truth is not just inspiring but deeply biblical. As Christians, we are called to use what we have to participate in building God’s Kingdom.
The Story of First Baptist ‘Brick-A-Day’ Church
Established in 1867 by 700 African-American worshippers who had previously attended services as slaves at the First Baptist Church on Perry Street, the Brick-A-Day Church emerged as a testament to faith in God and a resolve to worship in a way that honored their full humanity as the imago dei. After a fire destroyed their original building around 1910, the congregation, led by Pastor Andrew Stokes, decided to build a new church. Lacking financial resources but being rich in determination, members contributed by bringing bricks to church each time they came.
Week-after-week, brick-by-brick, their efforts brought to life a structure that would not only serve as a house of worship but also a center for practical community benefit. By 1916, the church had grown to 5,000 members, becoming the largest Black congregation in America at that time. Decades later, the church played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, hosting mass meetings and providing refuge during critical moments like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Freedom Rides.
When I visited this historic landmark, I was taken back that this incredible legacy began with ordinary people contributing what they had — one brick at a time.
Biblical Foundations for Small Contributions
The story of Brick-A-Day Baptist resonates deeply with biblical principles. Scripture reminds us repeatedly that God works through individuals, uniting their seemingly small gifts and efforts to accomplish extraordinary purposes. Consider the following passages:
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 emphasizes the importance of each member in the body of Christ:
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ… Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
Just as each brick was essential to constructing the physical building, each believer has a role to play in God’s Kingdom. - Ephesians 4:15-16 underscores the power of unity:
“From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
The strength of the church in the world lies in the collective effort of its members, each contributing their unique gifts as empowered by the Holy Spirit. - Romans 12:4-5 highlights the diversity of roles within unity:
“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ.”
No role is too small, no contribution insignificant. Together in Christ, we create something far greater than ourselves. - Acts 2:42-47 provides a picture of the early church thriving through shared resources and collective action:
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”
These scriptures challenge us to shift our perspective. Instead of focusing on what we lack, we are called to recognize the power of small pieces coming together to invest in something eternal. It’s bigger than a physical building.
The Unexpected Power of Small Acts
The story of the Brick-A-Day Church and these scriptures inspire us to embrace the unexpected power of small contributions. Imagine the individual members of that congregation, each holding a single brick. On its own, a brick seems insignificant – heavy, ordinary, and without grandeur. But in the hands of faithful people, united by a shared vision, that single brick became part of a structure that would endure for over a century and play a pivotal role in the fight for justice and equality.
This principle is echoed in many aspects of life:
- A voice in a choir harmonizes with others to express beauty.
- A single donation helps fund life-changing ministries.
- A word of encouragement builds up a discouraged soul.
- A prayer whispered in solitude joins the cry of intercession that moves mountains.
- A drop of water in a river flows to nourish the land.
- A pixel in a digital image adds to the clarity of the whole picture.
- A vote in an election casts a ballot to influence collective governance.
- A march in a protest joins others to amplify a call for righteousness.
- A player on a sports team works together to achieve victory.
- A cook in a kitchen prepares a meal that paves the way for transformational conversations.
- A teacher in a school shapes the future of a generation.
- A volunteer at a shelter offers time to create a safe haven for others.
- A gardener in a community garden plants seeds to feed a neighborhood.
- A nurse in a hospital cares for one patient in a larger system saving many lives.
- A farmer in a co-op grows crops to sustain a community.
- A discipler around a table shares wisdom that bonds the group.
No act of faith is too small when offered to God.
Your Brick Matters
As Christians, we are called to contribute what we have, trusting that God will multiply it. Perhaps you feel like your gifts or resources are too small to make a difference. But consider the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-14), where Jesus used a boy’s lunch to feed a multitude. God delights in using the humble and the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary.
Brick-by-brick, piece-by-piece, our contributions come together to form the Body of Christ, the church. Whether your “brick” is a talent, time, financial resource, or prayer, it has value in the hands of God. The story of Brick by Brick Baptist Church reminds us that every offering, no matter how small, becomes part of a greater story.
What is Your Brick?
The story of this historic church in Montgomery challenges us to examine how we are contributing to God’s Kingdom. Are you holding back your “brick,” waiting until you feel you have something bigger or better to offer? Or are you willing to bring what you have, trusting that God will use it to build something beyond your imagination?
Here are practical ways to apply this principle:
- Surrender Your Whole Life To God: It is easier to give of ourselves when we’ve already yielded to the lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of our life.
- Cultivate Intimacy with God: Continually spending time with God in prayer, scripture, fellowship, and rest makes us sensitive to prompts of the Spirit.
- Take Inventory: When we reflect on how God has uniquely designed and endowed us with gifts, talents, and skills, we can better invest it.
- Give Generously: As we understand the spaces and places where God has sent us, may we commit to being a faithful contributor and discipler there.
Building for Eternity
The Brick-A-Day Church stands as a testament to what God can do through ordinary people committed to his purpose. Over 100 years later, its walls continue to tell a story of faith, perseverance, and unity. As we reflect on this legacy, let us be inspired to contribute our “bricks” to the spiritual structure God is building – a Kingdom that will stand for eternity.
Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:18:
“On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Your contribution matters. Together, we are building something eternal. Brick by brick, piece by piece, we are the Church – the Body of Christ – and there is no limit to what God can do through us when we work together for his glory.
