Why we stay at Great Hills

Over the past almost 14 years, we've seen lots of ups and downs.  We've seen so many friends leave over the years and I'm afraid it is going to happen again.  I'm not writing this to try to change anyone's mind although I wouldn't mind giving some food for thought.  Pastor Lewis used to say that if you find the perfect church, don't join it because you'll mess it up.  The thing is that all churches have problems.  They all have areas that could be improved.  That will continue until we are in heaven.... the only place with a perfect church.  We are sinful although saved people and so are those in authority above us.  The only difference between the two is a calling over your vocation.  It isn't an easy calling and it has obviously huge accountability to God for the decisions you make.  I do not envy anyone who had to make the choice to lay of any of our wonderful staff two weeks ago.  There is no easy way to do that and make everyone happy.  It just plain stinks.

I will say that the thought crossed my mind that maybe we should look elsewhere.  I was sad and disappointed that Bill was one of the ones layed off.  I didn't like it.  I still don't but that's not a good enough reason to leave.  Eventually another church would have something that would upset me.... it's just a matter of time.  Plus we'd have to build relationships all over again and that is hard work.

So here's why we stay....
1)  God hasn't called us anywhere else.
We could clearly go to a church closer to our house.  We pass by many on our commute into "town".  We haven't felt that God has called us away from where we are.  We continue to be committed to this church.  This isn't the easy way.  In some ways, it's like a marriage, commitment is a choice.

2)  People
Perhaps this isn't where it should be in my personal priorities but I'll be honest and say that this is huge for me.  I've never lived anywhere as long as we've been in the Austin area and therefore, have never been involved in a church this long.  I have no experience with the ebb and flow of a church membership.  In Vidor, people get mad and just form a new church with people who agree with them or with the offended minister who was made to leave.  It's why a police officer (looking in the phone book, tells you how long ago this was) told Ken (while he was working on the computers not there for other reasons) if you couldn't get a hair cut, a hamburger and get saved in Vidor you weren't trying.  That was a "squirrel".... sorry.  But the thing is, when I look out at the congregation from the choir on Sunday morning, I see kiddos I've taught, their parents, ladies I met in Bible study, friends from Sunday School, people who have prayed for us and people I've prayed for.  I've seen God do amazing things.  I see people who have been through incredible grief and seen this church love and support them.  One person I always look for from my perch is Sue Starnes.  I taught her grandson when he was in preschool.  I will never forget running into her when I was attempting to heat up a bottle for Coralee when she was tee tiny little.  She made a fuss about Coralee and told me that she had prayed for me when she saw me in choir.  There were so many Sunday mornings in choir that I could hardly contain the tears.  Maybe it was because there was a pregnancy announcement in Sunday school.  Maybe it was another failed cycle or some combination of the two.  While I felt alone in my suffering, someone was praying for me because she'd been there and knew that pain.  It's been almost 8 years since she told me that but it made a precious person even more precious to me.  My church is filled with that kind of person.  It isn't just about the people on the stage.  They get called elsewhere.  They come and go.  The people that remain are important and are the church.  When I was having those doubts about whether to stay or go, I walked in to the church to leave the kids' ice cream for AWANAS.  It was about 4:30 and the building was virtually empty.  There was a grief even thinking about leaving because of who we would leave.  It was a turning point for me.  Those halls have so many sweet memories not of staff members but of people that I most likely wouldn't see again except maybe on Facebook.  I rarely run into anyone I know during the week running errands so I'm not hopeful that everyone would suddenly come at the same time to the 1890 Ranch Target so I could have some fellowship.

God's word is always on time.  This week our lesson was about Unity vs. Uniformity.  Unity is in spite of differences and problems.  Ken and I are committed to unity within Great Hills Baptist Church.  I have so loved the class we're in.  We were so excited to join with Shane & Brandi Walker almost 4 years ago.  I have loved the sweetness of the couples in this class.  Sure, we all have our preferences and sometimes problems but getting together isn't taken as an opportunity to complain about them.  One of my favorite verses from that lesson on Sunday morning was I Peter 4:8, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."  It also covers over preferences and disagreements.

Ken & I are committed to making the job of those remaining staff easier, not more difficult.  Hebrews 3:17 says, "Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you." 

We are committed to continuing the work that Bill started at Great Hills..... loving on people, doing life together.  I can think of no better way to honor him than that.  What would we do if he had not been laid off? 

Monday evening I took the dogs for a walk and listened to Chad's podcasts from back in January.  It was about God's sovereignty.  We aren't called to a happy, wonderful life.  We're promised hardships and things we don't understand.  God uses those things as part of His process of sanctification.  He uses the scary stuff to make us have to lean on Him and then He comes through and does amazing things we'd never expect.  I remember hearing the song "God of this City" a few days before we heard Pastor Lewis was going to Plant City which is the last time we faced this kind of upheavel.  Last week I heard it again and was encouraged.  God's work isn't strictly accomplished through one person or just people on church staff.  While we  put so much emphasis on those on top, the real work is to be done by the people of the church.  There are still greater things to be done and I look forward to how God will use Great Hills to do that work.