Flint Central High School: When the Walls Come Down

Focus Scripture:

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." – Isaiah 40:8

Rumor has it that Flint Central High School, the once-proud red and black beacon on Crapo Street, is finally being demolished. As a proud alum who walked those halls from 1984 to 1986, it’s hard not to feel a deep ache in my heart. My grandma graduated from Central in the 1930s. My parents followed in the 1950s. I followed in the 1980's (I attended Flint Central 1984-1986, then transferred to Flint Powers 1986-1988). My heart was ALWAYS with Flint Central and I remain a Flint Central Indian. For generations, it was more than a school, it was a legacy.

From spirited pep rallies in the auditorium to Friday night lights at Atwood Stadium, Flint Central was where friendships were formed, dreams were chased, and memories were cemented in the bricks. And though I transferred to Flint Powers Catholic for my junior and senior years, Central still feels like part of my foundation, one I share with many lifelong friends.

Now, the building may be crumbling, and bulldozers may soon erase what once stood tall, but here’s the truth, memories are not made of mortar. You can demolish a building, but you can’t demolish legacy, laughter, or the lessons learned within those walls.

Scripture reminds us in Isaiah that while earthly things fade, grass withers, flowers fall; God’s word and truth endure forever. Buildings fall. Years pass. Photos fade. But the impact of a place, the values instilled, and the lives touched endure when rooted in something eternal.

Central shaped minds, hearts, and futures. But more importantly, it reminds us that nothing in this world lasts forever—except what we build in Christ.

Life Application:

As we reflect on places that once held our hearts, like Flint Central, we must also ask: What am I building today that will last beyond me?

When I think back to the halls of Flint Central High School, I can still picture the tall windows that poured light into the classrooms, the echo of footsteps in the corridors, the banners of school pride hanging high. Those walls held laughter, dreams, and friendships that shaped us. Yet now, when you drive by where the school once stood, the building is gone, leveled and silent. What remains are the memories and the people whose lives were shaped there.

That image reminds me that everything we see, touch, and build in this life eventually fades. Paint peels, bricks crumble, and time marches on. The legacies that endure are not made of concrete and glass but of character and faith. They are built in the unseen places of the heart. The conversations we have with our children, the forgiveness we extend when it’s hardest, the prayers we whisper in the quiet, all of these things outlast the physical world.

Scripture reminds us of this truth. In Matthew 6:19–21, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The things of this world may fade, but what we build in Christ remains forever.

So, what kind of foundation are you laying? Are you investing in eternal things, faith, love, forgiveness, purpose; or are you spending your energy building temporary walls that will one day fall? Every act of love, every word of encouragement, every time you choose grace over anger, you are laying bricks in a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

When I think of Flint, I think of builders, people like my family and countless others who poured their hearts into creating homes, communities, and lives. But God calls us to be spiritual builders. First Corinthians 3:11 says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Everything else, no matter how strong it seems, will eventually crumble.

Maybe your “Flint Central” is a relationship that’s changed, a career that ended, or a dream that didn’t unfold the way you hoped. Even those losses can become holy ground when surrendered to God. He rebuilds. He restores. And what He builds cannot be destroyed.

Buildings fall. But Christ is the cornerstone that never crumbles. If we anchor our lives to Him, everything we build, our families, our faith, our legacy; will stand firm, not because of our strength, but because of His.

Closing Prayer:

Father God, thank You for the places that shaped us, schools, neighborhoods, sanctuaries of growth and friendship. Thank You for Flint Central and the generations it served, including my own family. Though the walls may fall, may the memories live on. Help me remember that true legacy is not built in brick, but in love, faith, and obedience to You. Let me invest in what matters most, Your Word, Your people, and Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.