By Misty Cryer
In the Electric Light Parade that opened Christmas on the Pecos, viewers may have noticed a float with a nativity scene and three crosses featuring the Bible verse for John 3:16 that reads, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This Christ-themed float was designed and decorated by the youth group and Blodgett Street Baptist Church members.
“I was hoping that maybe even just one person in the crowd would look at it and think about Christ and remember why it is that we have the holiday season,” said Matthew Stephens, Youth Leader of Blodgett Street Baptist Church. “That was the whole point of us putting the float together and making sure that we stayed Christ-themed or Christ-centered,” he said.
Stephens said he started working with the youth at Blodgett Street Baptist Church two years ago. “We were in the parade last year, too, and if I remember correctly, I think we were the only Christ-centered or Christian-themed float.”
Last year, Blodgett Street Baptist Church got an honorable mention for their float in the parade. “That was amazing,” said Stephens.
He said he and his wife, Paige, run the youth group. “Our youth put this float together. We have a bunch of faithful members of our congregation who help out; they help us put everything together. The youth put a lot of work into the float, decorating, and everything, so it’s cool to see them do that.”
As a kid, Stephens said he remembers seeing several floats with Christian themes in the light parades. For whatever reason, he said, that is something being seen less in the culture and even in the local community. “I think it is good for us at Blodgett Street Baptist Church to continue to represent Christ and hopefully remind people—those that do go to church often or maybe those that have never been to church—to help them remember why it is that we’re celebrating this Christmas season.”
At the Electric Light Parade, Stephens said, he was walking around with a bullhorn with the youth kids and church members. “We were all yelling and screaming ‘God Bless You’ and ‘Remember the reason for the season,’ and just telling people about God. It was a great opportunity to witness to people,” he said.
Stephens said they want to make sure Christmas stays Christ-centered because this is a season of giving. “I think it is important for people to remember that God gave the greatest gift of all when He gave His Son to us on that cross so that we could be in the right relationship with Him through His Son. That is our paramount point, that we have to represent Christ, especially for this Christmas season.”
The essential points of the Christmas story, as explained by Stephens, are, “That God sent His only Son, by a virgin birth, to atone for the sin of man, and that, through His birth, His life, His death, and His resurrection, we now are in a position to be able to have a relationship with Him by His Son.”
Stephens said talking about the story of Christmas reminds him of the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 5:21. “It says, ‘For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’ The Christmas story is just the essential beginning of the miraculous birth—this first miracle—that starts Christ’s extraordinary life that actually changed redemptive history for the entire world,” he said.
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