October 1, 2009
No one will forget the act of terrorism on the United States on September 11, 2001. On the eighth anniversary of the tragic event that forever changed a nation, The Alliance remembers one of its own who gave his life to save others. (Original release date, September 18, 2001)
Todd Beamer probably wouldn’t have thought of himself as a hero or a martyr. But it has been said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. The seed planted as a result of Beamer’s heroic demise already is taking root.
Beamer, who by every account was a gentle man, sharing his faith in Christ with a servant’s heart, has been credited with his efforts to thwart the plan of the enemy on United’s Flight 93 September 11. Knowing that death was eminent, Beamer, with the cooperative effort of several other passengers, selflessly threw himself in harm’s way to prevent the probable attack on another target.
As word spread of the heroism on Flight 93, so also did the testimony of Beamer’s conviction that Jesus was his Lord and Savior. On countless TV talk shows, Beamer’s wife Lisa reiterated time and again that her husband had absolute faith in Christ, and his life exemplified that to all he met.
When Russian TV reporters wanted to interview Lisa about Beamer’s Christianity, they were invited to the C&MA’s Princeton Alliance Church in New Jersey. In Beamer’s Sunday school classroom, the reporters saw a diagram on the “white” board, showing the chasm between man and God because of sin and how Christ’s death on the cross bridged the gap between them.
A Russian bureau chief, Eugene, commented that he never had seen anything like the bridge diagram and wanted to learn more. Eugene accepted Christ that day as his Savior. He returned to Russia to prepare a news broadcast about Beamer that will be shown to millions of Russians. It will include the bridge diagram.
Church history has shown that millions of people in places such as China and Vietnam have come to Christ after what were, by man’s understanding, tragic deaths of His servants. Yet our sovereign God has shown throughout history that He can use the most heartbreaking events to fulfill His purpose, bringing peace and healing to the lost and hurting.
In the cloud of evil inflicted on the American people on September 11, 2001, the silver lining brings us renewed hope-in men who laid down their lives for their fellowman and in a loving God who longs for us to turn to Him in our time of need. For Lisa Beamer, that hope is her source of strength.
“Still other seed fell on good soil . . . and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” Luke 8:8.
Watch video of Todd Beamer tribute on 9/11 anniversary.