You may have heard of the J.B.F. Wright song (1925) “Precious Memories,” the second stanza of which reads, “Precious Memories, how they linger; how they ever flood my soul. In the stillness of the midnight, precious sacred scenes unfold.”
This post, and maybe a follow-up or two in time, is a simple compilation of some of the precious ministry memories that come to me in the “stillness of the midnight.” I have written almost 400 “You and God” installments since the spring of 2020, and I do not know how many more the Lord will allow me to offer up. Some of these have featured people, some have spoken to issues, and some have been Bible lessons. This one, and surely at least one to follow, will be different. I am going to my memory bank and just listing people who come to mind, people who have been at some time significant in my ministry. I will, of course, forget some and not mention all by name. People who are still current, I may save for a future date.
I will start with my first pastorate in Wichita, KS, beginning in the fall of 1971. I can only make a brief statement about each person or couple:
Ira and Goldie Pray: He an engineer at Beechcraft/farmer; first chairman of deacons; good folk;
Gary and Leah Wickham: Loved God, supportive of our work;
Mike & Amy Maguire: Very young/in Air Force, Catholic background, could not get enough of the Word, eventually attended Central Seminary and pastored in RI.
Bob & Cheryl Poliquin: In Air Force, very young; his life verses: Provs.30:7-9; Godly couple;
Larry and Jerrie Beery: He was killed while on duty as a Deputy Sheriff; a few weeks before he was murdered, he and Jerrie sang, “We’ve Come This Far by Faith”; Larry said, “I’d like to see this auditorium filled with people one day.” It was full of Troopers from everywhere the day of his funeral. We have kept in touch with Jerrie through the years and over the miles.
Ronnie and Pat White: They loved God’s Word and encouraged this young pastor and his family in so very many ways.
John and Nancy Healey: Got excited about Bob Jones U. and moved there to put their children in the Academy; I just heard from their grandson that they both passed away this year; their son also died this past week; he was a dentist in Greenville (Matthew Healey); their grandson—a current student at BJU—is heading eventually toward a seminary in Detroit;
Fred and Lillian Liebau: She had cancer and prayed that God would allow her to see her children grown; He did and then she was graduated to glory;
Mrs. Stanley: A widow whose husband had sung in the choir; a wonderful, godly woman who prayed for us but was “inactive” because of her frail health;
Archie & Pat Conduff: Their 13-year-old son died of cancer, and as young pastor, it was my first time dealing with such an agonizing loss; it was a totally inadequate feeling but God’s grace was, as ever, sufficient.
These are some of the names and faces that pop into my mind and heart, sometimes in the middle of the night. Voices and faces out of the past. This list of Wichita co-laborers is not complete; there are many more, but these are some that are on my heart as I write today. God was so good to give us a core of committed people to assist us in our fledgling first attempt at ministry to a local church.
Next, God led us to a startup ministry in Newton, KS. There were about 40-50 people who had come together and had organized the Liberty Baptist Church, with an interim pastor, Sammy Hartzler, leading them. They assured me that they were not a split out of any other local church, but that God had led them to come together. Some of their names and a sentence or two that comes to my mind are as follows:
Wayne and Helen Partridge: His business was the largest salvage yard at that time in Kansas. He was rough around the edges but had gotten saved and totally committed to Christ, to getting the good news out to whomever—and however and whenever—he could. Wayne eventually moved his family to Greenville, SC, where he would head up the maintenance department at Bob Jones University.
Bill and Billie Krehbiel: These wonderful people lived in the neighboring town of Halstead, where Bill served as the high school football coach. They loved Christ, His Word, and the church. Bill was a World War II veteran and had fought for his country in the European theatre. They visited us several times on their way to Division reunions. Both are now with the Lord. Billie was a sweet Christian woman whose countenance exuded the love of Christ and His virtues.
Charlie and Della Mae Harr were graduates of Baptist Bible College (Springfield) in its early years. They were members of this young church, and Della Mae owned the piano keyboard. Charlie led the singing, and we made the little Methodist Chapel on Broadway in Newton ring with joyful music. The chapel was our temporary meeting place. We were there two and one-half years. The Harr’s son, Brian, was a teen-ager then; after my one-year interim pastorate at Coatesville Missionary Baptist Church in Coatesville, IN, Brian became the pastor there in 2021. He had pastored in Greenville, SC, and had been on the Bob Jones University Security staff for several years.
There were, of course, many other key people in this Mennonite community that became good Baptists and were part of our fellowship. That church got its permanent building built and is still a lighthouse in that community.
In 1979, after Dr. Fred Moritz went into full-time evangelism, Thompson Road Baptist Church in Indianapolis was seeking the Lord’s will about a pastor. A friend of mine, Pastor Tom Kent (Joy Baptist Church), gave my name to the pulpit committee, and in August of that year I candidated. The first Sunday after Labor Day, I began what was to become a 40-year assignment at this good church. I will share some memories of people (except those currently in the church family) that have made indelible impressions upon my mind/soul in an upcoming “You and God.”
“The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Romans 16:24)
YOU and GOD 