Baptist Press
By Josh Parsons, posted May 5, 2025
An older pastor once told me that at Christmas, the Christian and secular cultures sync to embrace the joy of the season. But I have also learned another factor has power to bring these communities together and even open gospel doors—tragedy.
Soon after we heard about the horrific accident in Chatham (Illinois) that claimed four young lives and critically injured several others, our family minister and I planned visits to the students in our church who lived in the school district. And we immediately thought of Alex.
Alex was the 12-year-old member of our youth group who passed away unexpectedly last December (2024). Many in my church, my family, and the community where Alex’s school is located, still feel his loss intensely. My mind instinctively went to the common questions: Why did this happen? Why do tragedies involving children keep happening? And, what does a pastor say in this situation? More Here
