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Tell Me More is a weekly podcast hosted by Katy Reed Hodges and Luke Stehr, where they unpack the Sunday sermon with Dr. Dennis Wiles. This podcast is designed on the premise that Dr. Wiles always has more to say than can fit in a 35 minute sermon - so we have fun discussing it here each week. We hope that in listening you are educated, encouraged and more connected to the pastor and his teaching!
Welcome to another episode of Tell Me More. Today, we reflect on twenty five years of doctor Dennis Wiles. We also talk about prayer and living a life focused on outreach. We hope you enjoyed this episode, and we will see you next week.
Speaker 2:So Kurt and Kim and Cindy and I are walking through San Jose, Costa Rica.
Speaker 1:Have we started to there?
Speaker 2:After a mission trip. And Sounds like it. We're just going down the street. Welcome. And all of a sudden, and there's all kinds of things.
Speaker 2:It's crust. It's Tell me more. Everything is crowded. And there's a clown standing, a grown a grown life-sized clown in front of one of the stores.
Speaker 1:A human being or a sculpture?
Speaker 2:Just a look like a, you know, just a
Speaker 3:Statue.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Walking by it and I got and Kurt and Kim and me and Sydney and I walk right in front of it and the guy goes
Speaker 3:Oh, we were trying to bury the lead.
Speaker 2:I'm telling you. I thought I was gonna have clean out my pants. I'm telling
Speaker 3:you, Kurt Bryce
Speaker 2:thought it was the funniest thing because he said that guy had no idea the knowing No.
Speaker 3:It was perfect.
Speaker 2:Well, those who
Speaker 3:are tuning in, we have been deep diving before we hit record on Dennis Wiles and his fear of clowns. Oh my gosh. Yeah. And
Speaker 2:Which are we is this the welcome?
Speaker 3:Well, you know what? And you started talking.
Speaker 2:This is an odd story.
Speaker 3:We're trying something new with, like, a teaser and then you know?
Speaker 2:Welcome to Tell Me More.
Speaker 1:It turns out this is just one rolling conversation.
Speaker 3:Cold open on a TV show, and now the credits. Welcome to Tell Me More. Oh, man. He didn't as well as reminded us the depth and longevity of the clown.
Speaker 2:Phobia? Yeah. Uh-huh. Cholorophobia? Is that
Speaker 1:what it's called?
Speaker 2:Yeah. Cholorophobia? Oh, just normal. I think it's just normal.
Speaker 3:Well, it it started because we're talking about magicians, and we wondered is he loves magicians.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:But not And ventriloquists.
Speaker 3:And and yeah. Ventriloquists. But if it's a clown doing magic,
Speaker 2:then Then that's out.
Speaker 3:Something Off limits. Is what we heard. Big thing. So
Speaker 2:It it would if a clown is doing magic, it would be dark magic.
Speaker 3:Oh. And we stay away from that. We do. We stay
Speaker 2:away from that.
Speaker 1:It's all got in trouble today.
Speaker 3:Well, see y'all next week. We have a lot to talk about.
Speaker 1:We do. Do. It was
Speaker 3:a good Sunday. Yes. I'm gonna Can I bookend open and close with next week? We're celebrating our twenty fifth anniversary at 10AM in the sanctuary. Reception beforehand.
Speaker 3:And there's room for everybody. We're gonna overflow but it's thoughtful overflow. It's well kinda produced overflow. So, I know not everybody will fit in the sanctuary but I think even the overflow have a lot of fun energy and feel like you're connected to it all. So Yep.
Speaker 3:Just come early, stay late, be loud.
Speaker 1:And so, there's a reception beginning at 08:30.
Speaker 3:08:30 is the official start.
Speaker 1:Yep. And then one worship service.
Speaker 3:10AM?
Speaker 1:10AM, no bible study.
Speaker 3:No bible study. No. There is coffee. That's our joke. No bible study, no coffee is our late December service.
Speaker 2:You have to have coffee.
Speaker 3:But we will have coffee on Sunday. Because there's a yeah. There's a reception with really thought out food bites and
Speaker 1:It's all Mexican food.
Speaker 2:That's awesome.
Speaker 3:Yep. Served by clowns. Speaking of where there it is. Yeah. With with the Alabama Alabama jerseys on.
Speaker 2:Right? Say. Wearing crimson and white.
Speaker 3:Love it. So
Speaker 1:It will not be that.
Speaker 3:No. But that is come plea everybody come. Everybody come, but it's at ten.
Speaker 2:It's crazy.
Speaker 3:Starts at ten.
Speaker 2:It's hard to believe.
Speaker 3:It'll be really sweet.
Speaker 2:I mean, twenty five years, yeah, it's it's hard to believe. On the one hand, feels like it's just gone by so quickly. On the other hand, feels like we've been here our whole lives, so it's interesting feeling.
Speaker 3:Gerald Bernard posted the service on Facebook of your first service here.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 3:I went back and just skimmed through it. Yeah. I didn't watch every minute like some of our fans and followers did. A lot's changed in twenty five years.
Speaker 2:Oh, buddy.
Speaker 3:You have a much thicker thicker kinda Alabama twang in those early in those early videos.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. Don't you think?
Speaker 3:Mhmm. Oh, I do. Oh, yeah.
Speaker 2:See what you look what y'all have done to me.
Speaker 3:You've still got it.
Speaker 2:You've taken my accent and Texas side.
Speaker 1:It's mellowed. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It has.
Speaker 3:And it's still you, though. Like a good
Speaker 1:tea in the sun.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 3:It's just you at 41. How old were you? 41? 42?
Speaker 2:I was 41.
Speaker 3:41.
Speaker 2:I came. And
Speaker 3:yeah. Crazy that we
Speaker 2:went Long time ago.
Speaker 3:To a 41 year old.
Speaker 2:I know. It's pretty scary. But, yeah, I I watched it. Our family Josiah wanted to watch it, so we did, but I didn't notice the Alabama. It just sounded like me.
Speaker 2:So I don't
Speaker 3:know. Yeah. I know.
Speaker 2:But I've never thought I had one, to be honest with you. I've I've never felt like I sounded like I was from the South.
Speaker 3:I said something last night, and Jack corrected me. Jack, my son, questioned the way I said a word. Because I print out some of my long i's, like, nine, like, we're gonna go to bed at nine. Yeah. Or if I need a oil change, that's all I do those sometimes.
Speaker 3:And I think I said naan and naan, and Jack goes, naan?
Speaker 1:Like, just like, You know, we can't all have perfect midwestern accents.
Speaker 2:You're right.
Speaker 3:I thought I had I think normally I have pretty non regional diction from growing up in my generation to watch Sesame Street and all that. But every once in while it comes out, my East Texas And when I get tired too, it comes out. Tired. Tired.
Speaker 2:Well, were in Colorado a week ago for the week, Cindy and I. And we went into a store in Durango, and there were several ladies standing there. And they just said good morning or what a good afternoon, whatever it was. And I said, hello. And I said, so how are y'all today?
Speaker 2:And and the lady said, I'm sorry. Did you say y'all? And I said, yes, ma'am. And she said, are you from, like, Alabama? And I thought
Speaker 3:How many Texan tourists?
Speaker 2:What's your name?
Speaker 3:I feel like all of Colorado is Texan tourists. Absolutely. Texas Texas license plates. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And I'm surprised by that.
Speaker 2:I know. Kinda surprised
Speaker 3:you I'm a faithful y'all speaker. Do you say y'all?
Speaker 1:I do. It's grammatically really useful.
Speaker 3:It is. It is. Bethany, my friend who's from Kentucky, that she says you you you all. Yeah. And she'll say, like, you alls is
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Instead of y'all what I would say y'alls. So anyway.
Speaker 2:No. I don't I don't I don't hear my accent, but because it just when I hear friends of mine from Alabama, I think, man, you gotta
Speaker 3:You gotta
Speaker 1:gotta twang, dude.
Speaker 2:You sound Well,
Speaker 3:you had more of them when you came. Yeah. It's true. I've watched a few of those videos.
Speaker 2:Rounded out a
Speaker 3:little little bit. And, of course, you were lanky and kinda mullet.
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 3:But it was it's still you.
Speaker 2:Fit the stereotype. Is that what you're
Speaker 3:saying? Oh. You said it not me? How's that? No.
Speaker 2:Ada's comment was she would look at the TV. She'd look back at me. She looked back at the TV. She looked back at me, finally, she said, puppy, you're you know, your your face has just gotten bigger.
Speaker 1:No one quite speaks with the savagery of a seventh grade girl.
Speaker 3:I said, well, thank you. And
Speaker 2:but it was pretty sweet. But I but I remember that Sunday. I remember that day. You know?
Speaker 1:It's funny. Are what are some things you remember about that Sunday? I know because we're gonna have you
Speaker 2:next week.
Speaker 3:We can't do this next
Speaker 1:So let's let's dally a little bit.
Speaker 3:Let's think back to August 1.
Speaker 2:Yeah. You know, the the the sermon
Speaker 3:2001.
Speaker 1:The year is 2001.
Speaker 2:Yeah. You know, I I remember
Speaker 3:It's pre 09/11.
Speaker 2:First of all, I remember My two k
Speaker 1:did not ravage the country.
Speaker 3:Did not.
Speaker 2:Well, we had 09/11 did. We had an ensemble.
Speaker 3:Bookends there.
Speaker 2:And I remember this this group of men that sang that morning. And and I just remember sitting there thinking, man, there's some talented people in this church.
Speaker 3:Remember who was in it? It was it's gotta be men who are still here. Some of them.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Most of them are. Some of them are actually no longer with us. They've actually died, to be honest with you. Yeah.
Speaker 2:But oh, yeah. I mean but but Kyle O'Neil was in it. Barry was in it. Jeff Stewart was in it. Jeff is was the chairman of Deacons when I came, and he has died since then.
Speaker 2:Ron Hopkins, Peter Knapp, Carrie Hendrickson, Doug Engel. Yeah. It was just a very talented group of guys. And I remember the choir singing. I also remember used to, and we did this for actually a long time, but doctor always did the introductions of anybody that joined the church, you know, and he did that that morning.
Speaker 2:And I remember that. And also remember the that it was our custom to for the number of staff members to sit on the platform during the service. So I remember that being a reality. And we also had the
Speaker 3:orchestra like staff that where you came from in Alabama? Uh-huh. On the platform?
Speaker 2:Yeah. It was formal.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. No.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And so that felt very normal. And it was just to me, there was a I don't know. There was this kind of a vibrancy that I felt when I came, and I just loved it. I immediately loved the just the vibe of the church.
Speaker 2:And the and the the worship in those days was, I guess, would say blended would be the the best way to put it. It wasn't as formal per se, but it also wasn't contemporary by any means really. But it had just a certain indigenous feel to it. And I remember, you know, us joining the church. We joined in the first service.
Speaker 2:I remember I remember getting in that morning and getting our kids to Sunday school, and that was a little scary for them. And, you know, because they especially Hannah was pretty entrenched in our church back home. And so you had kind of a everything was just brand new. You get up that morning, you're like, okay. Everybody's experiencing new today.
Speaker 2:So let's all just embrace it. And and I think we tried to do that as a family. And then not long after that, we we ended up doing some modifications to our house. My brother Tommy came and helped me with that, and then we moved my mom and dad here. And so they ended up joining.
Speaker 2:They stayed
Speaker 1:with Mhmm.
Speaker 2:With family for a little while till they actually came with us. And because they lived with us in Alabama. Mhmm. And so, yeah, was kind of a wholesale, everything new. It was it was a fun season, a lot of exploration.
Speaker 2:So Mhmm. And just getting to know everybody, that was an that was it took a while, you know, just getting to know the staff and but but yeah. Yeah. I I remember it all. I remember I remember that, you know, being I don't know if anxious is the right word.
Speaker 2:Just the night before, just recognizing, okay.
Speaker 3:I think anxious is probably the
Speaker 2:right word. We're starting a new venture, but but the journey to get here had been so incredibly powerful and meaningful that we just knew it was right. Yeah. And it's almost like the things that we prayed for, things I prayed for, they just happened. And so it was pretty remarkable, you know?
Speaker 1:What, you know, if you had Dennis Wiles from twenty five years ago, what do you think would surprise you about what then, about everything that's gone on now? So what over the course of twenty five years do you think would amazing
Speaker 3:What dentists be
Speaker 1:surprised would by?
Speaker 3:Most surprised. Because I'm sure most
Speaker 1:I'm sure there are a lot
Speaker 3:of surprising along the top the top tier. Mhmm.
Speaker 1:Or Let me rephrase my question. What would young Dennis be proud of?
Speaker 3:Think Again, top tier.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Well, I think one, I would say the the whole mission journey that this church has been willing to embark on with us. We we told the church. We came here with the world on our hearts, and we weren't really sure how will the church respond to that because the church was already initially invested, it's primarily known for its local mission investment. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:I would say that was what it was most famous for. Not to say that it didn't do global work, it did, but not not at the level that we felt called to at least. And I'm I'm I'm proud of the how the church has just grown and matured missiologically along with us because we have as well. But that's probably one big hallmark to me. I would also say I wasn't sure how we would navigate all the worship conversations because that was pretty prominent.
Speaker 2:So my the the Sunday that I came in view of a call, we had an afternoon session. The very first question, as I remember, that was asked of me was, what are you going to do about contemporary worship? So this is July 2001, and I actually had no idea what First Baptist Arlington had done or the conversations they had had. I'd only had really one serious conversation with Barry, and it was when we were it was that very weekend, we were there in view of a call, and we were staying at the Sheraton, the the hotel that just got
Speaker 3:Which was, like, the premier.
Speaker 2:It was a great place then. And Barry came and had breakfast with me, and we just talked about some of the journey he had been on. And and so I talked to him a little bit about the journey we had been on back in Huntsville. And so I really had no clue as to what might happen here. And that's I think that's one of the first questions I was asked.
Speaker 2:Well, when are gonna bring contemporary worship to us? And I was like, well, that was a great question. And I just tried to say that word contemporary is a loaded word. What does it mean? And you know, when Martin Luther wrote, a mighty fortress is Our God, that was a contemporary hymn Right.
Speaker 2:At some point in time. And so I just tried to say, don't really know. I don't I don't have some big plan, but I but I will say this, we will do it together. And I'm really proud of how our church did navigated that really well. Didn't know how we would do that.
Speaker 2:I think I think also it's not really a surprise, but one of the things I'm proud of is they've let Cindy be Cindy. They didn't force Cindy into a mold of kind of what the pastor at First Baptist is supposed to be like. They they just have let her be who she is and have embraced it and blessed it, and that's been a great blessing our family. So, yeah, I think, I think all that, I'm I'm grateful for, proud of. I would also say something I didn't see coming.
Speaker 2:We didn't know the whole downtown dynamic has changed so much since I came here.
Speaker 3:Since I came here. Yeah. I mean
Speaker 2:It's just so different.
Speaker 3:In the last ten years.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So different. And the church, I think, has lived well into that. So yeah. I think too, you weren't you know, you go to a new place.
Speaker 2:I mean, probably the biggest question I had was, will I fit the DNA of First Baptist Arlington? Will will this really be a marriage that can last? And so
Speaker 3:What do you think?
Speaker 2:Well, so far, you know, we The chances are high.
Speaker 3:Jerry's still out.
Speaker 2:We've had a handful of getting off spots, you know, and it's been fascinating. Because, you know, when when I went into this, Cindy and I kinda made an agreement when we once we got to seminary, and I think I've told y'all before, I ended up thinking I was leaving the seminary, going back to Alabama, and going to medical school and all that. Once we got that out of our system, it was like, okay. We're not doing that. We're we're going we're doing this, whatever this is.
Speaker 2:We kind of made a commitment to each other. Wherever God calls us, we're going. And if we really believe in our hearts that God's calling us, we're going to go. No matter what it is, no matter where it is, geographically, we're not putting any kind of limitations on God. That's just our heart calling.
Speaker 2:And so, so when we lost out in the ministry, I would say that everywhere we ever went, we thought, okay, this is this is us. This is where we will be. And the Lord has given us great connections at every church we've ever pastored. So when we came here, we were a little bit in a different place in our career, if you would say, because, you know, I'm 41 years old. I guess feeling like you're I don't know what you wanna call it, your prime years of ministry.
Speaker 2:Not not not to in any way demean what had already happened in the roles that I had played because I'd had, I believe, significant experiences already.
Speaker 3:But you matured into Yeah. Yourself. A little bit Figured out your strengths.
Speaker 2:A little better view of who I was. And so, you know, then once that happened and we come here, well and I think also just being the pastor of this particular church, it it just opened some doors in places maybe I didn't anticipate to where, you know, there were opportunities for us to leave here and go and do other things. And I don't know. It's just it it along the way, it just seemed to us like every time that would happen, it would just further deepen our calling to this church if that I don't know if that makes sense to y'all or not, but it's like, no. This is just not this isn't and it's not because we're not willing to go.
Speaker 2:It's not because we're not willing to do whatever. As I said, whatever we felt like God was calling us to do. I believe I can look at the Lord one day and say that. I I think I can. But every time, we would look at each other and go, you know, no.
Speaker 2:This this we're supposed to be right here. This is this is where we are. And so I think, you know, I wasn't sure when I came how that really gonna feel. And so I don't know that I anticipated the the depth of love that I have for First Baptist Arlington, you know, and respect for it as a as a church and wanna steward it well. And so that was I know it was a great church just by reputation.
Speaker 2:But it's been a great church to you. Yeah. It has been a great church to me.
Speaker 1:And to your family.
Speaker 2:Yes. It has. It's been a great place for us. So I mean, yeah, it's full.
Speaker 3:We should probably quiet the rumors or the questions too. This isn't your retirement party.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm not gonna retire. No. Unless y'all are unless I'm gonna find that outside of house. Heck
Speaker 3:no. Heck no. No. There is no bait
Speaker 2:in I'm kinda hoping y'all already thought thinking about my thirtieth. You know? Okay. That's what I would hope.
Speaker 3:We have
Speaker 2:a discussion. So so at least leave some room for my my next one. No. I love it. I love I probably would say I I think I've been through seasons here.
Speaker 2:And in in some ways, it it feels like eras of ministry have I've I've walked through them, and we're just walking into into a new one now is how it feels to me. Mhmm. I love that.
Speaker 3:So I'm
Speaker 2:excited about it. I really am hopeful. I'm probably as anticipatory right now as I've ever been. I'm not as anxious as I was when I was younger, if that's the right word. I don't know that I'm I'm not a very y'all know me.
Speaker 2:I'm not an anxious person, and I don't mean that in any any way, but I can You can be. Some things I can get anxious about
Speaker 3:I've seen that.
Speaker 2:That bother me. But right now, it's more of, I don't know, just an anticipation. I just think there are things on the horizon for us that I'm I love that. Excited about.
Speaker 3:So good. We don't want you to go anywhere.
Speaker 1:So if I can ask you another reflective question. Mhmm.
Speaker 3:You're to prayer? Is this a transition statement?
Speaker 1:This is a a transition question. Love it. Mhmm. You know, on Sunday morning, you talked about how when you pray, you see things happen.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:Over these past twenty five years in pastoring First Baptist Arlington, do you have a story that you can share? Because I recognize some of these things are probably in progress.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:Of times when you've been praying and you have seen God open the doors because the catapult story is super fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But where have you seen this play out in your life, in the life of the church? Kind of in a real life Mhmm. How have you seen prayer change things Mhmm. For you and your ministry? And you've got twenty five years to share about.
Speaker 2:Man, well, have been many. I would say one that stands out on the mission journey. We, we first got here. We were just getting the lay of the land, trying to understand, get our kinda get our hands around the missional DNA of First Baptist Arlington. And and, of course, as I said, it's very well known for Mission Arlington and a lot of local investment.
Speaker 2:And so we really felt like God was leading us to the world. And so we were we put a plan together, and we decided because we had done some of this back in Alabama. So we were like, okay. We feel this call to West Africa. So let's go ahead and get some plans together.
Speaker 2:So we did. We were planning a trip. It was actually going to be a medical trip. And as we were putting it all together, we met a little bit of resistance from some folks who felt like, this is maybe we're biting off more than we could chew. Might not be
Speaker 3:Our our people.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Our people. This may not be the right time. Maybe we need to wait. Well, we'd already put some things in place and kinda made some commitments, I guess you would say.
Speaker 2:But but everything wasn't coming together, and we really needed some money because there were some things that we needed to launch the medical work, and it was a dead end every single time. And so I came home one evening from work, and Cindy was sitting at the table, and we kinda she kinda had all there in front of us because back then, she was kinda the one who was planning these trips for us. And we looked at it and and she just said, we you know, we're not gonna be able to do this. We just don't have we don't have the resources. And it's just I guess we're just gonna have to cancel it.
Speaker 2:And she starts crying. And, of course, we're kinda new here and we're still trying to find our way. I'm not really sure who to call, who who do you even
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:You know? I I had no answer and and nobody in my mind, well, I just need to call so and so. I need to check with so and so. There was no so and so. And so we so we sat there.
Speaker 2:Well, then I started crying mainly because she was crying. And I said, well, honey, I don't know. All I know to do is let's just pray and ask God to show us because this right here is impossible. We don't have the funds for any of this, but we felt led to do this. So we just prayed there and asked God to answer us in a very practical way.
Speaker 2:And could you just truly bring the resources to this? If this we believe this is what you want us to do, but I have no idea who to ask about it. And I don't even know where to press because it it it's just not
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:It's just not in front of me right now. So we prayed, and she prayed, and then I prayed, and then she prayed, then I prayed. You know, it's one of those times where we would just you just stop praying because we felt like we'd come to an end. So neck very next day, it's a Tuesday, I get a phone call from a man in our church and said, hey. There's a lady.
Speaker 2:I just got through talking to her, and she needs to come see you. And can can she can she come see you? And I said, well, yeah. I guess she can. We I mean, yeah.
Speaker 2:What do we need to do? I don't really know her. I've met her, but I don't know her. He said, well, she really needs come see you. And I said, okay.
Speaker 2:So we set up a meeting. So that afternoon, she comes in with her son and daughter. They were grown adults. And a sweet lady, and she's no longer with us now. She she died years ago, but she comes in very dressed like it was pictorial directory day, you know, very church dignified, very sweet lady.
Speaker 2:And she said, you know, pastor, I've been praying about, what's going on, and you're wanting to do all this stuff, all this new stuff at our church and all this mission stuff that I don't really even understand. She said, but I just wanna I wanna help if I can. So she put a check on how to back in those days, had a, a little kind of a coffee table, I guess you'd call it. So she laid a check on the coffee table. I looked down at that check, and we needed about $45,000 to do what Cindy what we had all laid out because it was purchasing a whole new mobile medical thing.
Speaker 2:And I mean, it was a whole lot of stuff. Yeah. It was for $10,000. And so well, naturally, we had just prayed the night before. And so I thought to myself, I thought, well, thank you, Lord.
Speaker 2:At least we're you know? So I I kinda glanced at it, and I looked at her, and I said, what? I said, well, thank you so much. And, you know, this is this is really gonna be helpful.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:And she kinda looked at me, and she said, well, do you do you need more money? Is it is is do you need more? And I wasn't quite sure what to say because you know what I'm yeah. You wanna be gracious. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I was younger. You know what I mean? I was like, well, I don't I don't know. And and I said, but I my goodness. I'm just grateful that you're this generous.
Speaker 2:She said, well, is that gonna be enough to help you and Cindy? Because I know I heard Cindy mention there's some plans in place or whatever. Well, I wasn't sure
Speaker 3:what to say. So I looked back down at
Speaker 2:the check. Well, it was a $100,000.
Speaker 3:I missed it.
Speaker 2:I just missed it. And I looked at her and I said, that's a $100,000. And she looked at me and she said, I know. Is that is that enough? And I went, oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:Yes. Yes. And I
Speaker 2:and she said, was it okay? I said, yes. It's okay. And and her son and daughter were sitting there and and I looked at them and they said, well, is it Is that enough to help? I said, yes.
Speaker 2:Yes. It's enough. I'm sorry. Yes. And then I finally said, I said, I'm sorry and don't don't hear this wrong.
Speaker 2:But when I first looked at it, thought it was $10,000 and I said, and $10,000 is fine. Amazing. But it's a $100,000. And she said, I know. I I wrote the check.
Speaker 2:Y'all, they leave. I literally picked the check up in both hands and I walked down to Terry Bertrand's office and I said, Terry, here's the thing. All the stuff we've been talking about, go buy it. Go call Cindy.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:And here it is. And this and and she said, put this in some mission account, and y'all go do this mission thing. Wow. What she called it. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:Was the very next day.
Speaker 3:Yeah. And
Speaker 2:more even
Speaker 3:more than you Yes. Asked for.
Speaker 2:So here's what's crazy. We we we needed $35,000 to finish out the 2nd Floor for the counseling center cause we were remodeling it, just getting it started. And we had come to a dead end. And Terry had just told me, we're, you know, we're done. We we gotta we've gotta find $35,000.
Speaker 2:So I go, okay. Whatever. So we end up sitting down with Cindy and some others, and we we purchase all the stuff needed to launch the whole medical mission ministry at our church. It was $65,000. Terry comes to me and says, we've got $35,000 left and the and the and the gift is for a missional connection.
Speaker 2:What what should we do? So we said, well, let's finish out the counseling center. So we went to finance committee and told them what our facilities we did all the stuff we're supposed to do. But nevertheless, so in that one moment, we we launched the global ministry work and we also finished our counseling center and started our counseling center from that one that one meeting with this dear lady in our church. So, yeah, it's it's etched in my brain that and along the way, I would say, for the most part, it's not always been quite that direct, but I've had a whole lot of kittens laying in the garden, so to speak, in twenty five years, you know, of just direct answers to prayer about things.
Speaker 2:Not always been money. Many times been people or it's been circumstances. Just just been amazing. So but that's the one that I remember that really launched. And it was one of those things when we went to the missions team and the finance committee and said, here's what's happened.
Speaker 2:They were all like, okay. Then let's do it. This is I love it. It was just the hand of God. And so, yeah, we Cindy and I still remember that day sitting at our kitchen table crying because we, you know, we weren't back in Alabama.
Speaker 2:We didn't you know, back in Alabama, we had You knew who to call. Yes. We did. We were just entrenched, you know, and there was nobody to call. You know?
Speaker 2:And turns out the Lord we called on the right one. You know? So yeah. It's pretty awesome. Well And a whole journey launched
Speaker 3:Determined some more than that. From that
Speaker 2:moment. And I think about all the lives that have been changed. I'm not saying we wouldn't have done all the global ministry stuff we've done without that, but I'm just saying that was the testimony we could share and people just more and more people got involved and just said, oh my goodness. This is obviously of God. And it just yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna say what I'm gonna say. A little tongue in cheek. Okay. It's a little bit weird, isn't it?
Speaker 3:About that? About that. Here's your transition statement as well. So I gave doctor Miles a little
Speaker 1:bit of grief before we sat down because I
Speaker 3:You're trying to redeem the word weird.
Speaker 1:I wanna redeem the word weird.
Speaker 2:Okay. I let you. I won't let you.
Speaker 1:And so the reason I have some pushback, I don't think Christians should be rude, creepy Mhmm. Hostile, aggressive, any of those things.
Speaker 2:Right. All of which will be weird to me. Yes. But go ahead.
Speaker 3:We may be playing a semantic game.
Speaker 1:We are playing a semantic game. I wanna chase it down because I think it's important for our witness in the world. And the earliest Christians were known as really weird people. Mhmm. So we talked about this a little bit beforehand, but I know you know.
Speaker 1:What are some of the things early Christians were accused of by their culture?
Speaker 2:Well, you know, when you're when you're not allowed in, and the Romans were very suspicious of secret societies. And when they hear that they're in there drinking blood and eating flesh and everybody's getting a kiss
Speaker 1:Marrying their brother and sister.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Everybody everybody's called a brother and sister. Yeah. Polygamy, you know, bigamy, cannibalism, homosexuality. They were accused of pretty much everything you can think of because people were hearing them talk about these things.
Speaker 2:And, so yeah. So Sunday morning, what you're alluding to is I said, I want I know that you're nervous about evangelism because you don't wanna be weird, and you don't have to be weird. What I mean by that is you don't have to be someone who is so off putting that the gospel never gets a hearing. That's really what I was talking about. But there is no doubt the gospel's countercultural or it's not the gospel.
Speaker 2:It is. You know? So somehow, at some level, there's a weirdness factor.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So be a little In the right suit. There's a missiologist named Michael Frost who I think is where the, you know, fishing is a communal activity and Mhmm. You know, the gospel of the fishing is done by nets. You know, he talks about live a questionable life.
Speaker 2:I kinda like that.
Speaker 1:And so live a life that evokes questions. And you still share the gospel, but you live this kind of questionable way. And the early Christians did that. They had a really strong witness by the way that they lived, but they also talked about Jesus everywhere they went. But, you know, to quote Peter, they did it in a way that was gentle and respectful.
Speaker 1:They're just focused on the hope that they had. That's a command. That's second Peter three fifteen.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:You know, Paul writes, the gospel is foolishness to the Greeks, and it's offensive to the Jews. Mhmm. And so
Speaker 2:So there's a weirdness factor.
Speaker 1:There's a weird factor baked in.
Speaker 2:I'll let you push back on it. I'm good.
Speaker 1:So, you know, and I think it just boils down to don't be rude
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:Aggressive Mhmm. Off putting.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:It's that gentleness and respect piece is super important.
Speaker 3:But there's also a reality which can be hard for us, our culture, our current landscape. That we may not be liked.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. That's right.
Speaker 3:I mean, just the truth.
Speaker 2:Yeah. You know, years ago, I was Persecuted. Seen Yeah.
Speaker 3:Killed killed for
Speaker 2:it. Well, we were in Ghana, and we're on our way to a meeting. And there's there's a certain kind of starter food. I can't remember what it's called in Ghana, but you you see merchants on the side of the road and it's in these these blue plastic bags that you see all over West Africa. And so, you know, you would you would be driving down the road and there's like a little market with several tables and there's like 50 of those blue bags, you know, and there might be five or 10 women because they're the ones that are selling the the meal.
Speaker 2:Of their food and the the men are all out working in the farm, but the women are all there kinda selling on the roadside. So there was a missionary who was with us as we were riding. And after I'd seen, like, five or six of those, I said to this missionary, I said, you know, my wife, if she was selling my starter, she'd put hers in red bags. You know? Because you got we've just seen blue bag after blue bag after blue bag after blue bag.
Speaker 2:And I and he started laughing. He said, Anne, she would never sell one thing. He said, in fact, she would be shunned from the community. And I said I said, no. We would want we would want people to come to us.
Speaker 2:But why is yours in red bags? He said, exactly. He said, this culture would shun that you can't you can't do that. You can't be you have to fit in and live among these people if you won't have any credibility. He said, so if you wanna totally ruin the gospel, go ahead and put all your stuff in red bags and nobody will ever
Speaker 3:hear words
Speaker 2:you have to say. And I thought, that's interesting. And It is. He said, you gotta find a different way to do it. So he told me.
Speaker 2:And I thought that was fascinating because he'd he'd been living there forever. Mhmm. And and there's something about that. You gotta find a way to distinguish Snapshot. Yeah.
Speaker 2:But you're going to you've you've got to be connected enough, but at some point, it does have to diverge.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Well, and Paul is a genius. Paul's a mythological genius in this. And so, you know, anytime we go into the New Testament, you read these like household codes is what they get called, know. So if you get to the end of one of Paul's letters and he's writing, you know, wives, do this with your, you know, husbands, slaves, act this way, children do this.
Speaker 1:Those those household codes popped up everywhere. And so Paul includes them in his letters, basically, let me define household relationships for you. But I think sometimes what we miss as modern day readers is he completely within the system, he flips them.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:And so like in a Roman household code, you would never have husbands care for your wives. Right. Which just never appear. Right. But Paul writes that.
Speaker 1:And so Paul has these subtle ways of saying, live inside the framework of Roman culture but do it in a completely subversive way.
Speaker 2:That's
Speaker 1:right. And so
Speaker 3:Which might be questionable. Is that the word we like?
Speaker 1:Bingo.
Speaker 3:There it is.
Speaker 2:I do. I like that.
Speaker 3:I'm listening. I'm following. Because Participating from over here.
Speaker 2:I mean, we are we do have a very different worldview than than the secular West we've talked about. The eminent frame. Yeah. We just have a very different worldview. It has to come out somewhere in our speech and in our lifestyle.
Speaker 2:I mean, it just, it just does. And so, so in the fall this year, we're going to spend the
Speaker 3:entire fall transition.
Speaker 2:Figuring it out.
Speaker 3:Heard it. Heard it.
Speaker 2:You know? Trying to figure out how do you do it. How do you do it in a way that's indigenous to you? Maybe do it in community with others.
Speaker 3:You doing a teaser? You wanna do a little teaser?
Speaker 2:Yeah. I'm just I'm just hopeful that those conversations are going to bear fruit in our church's life because we've got to do it. And I was really convicted just in this prayer from Jesus when when he says that people are going to believe through your message. I mean, through your how you deliver this. Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know? And I think it was encouraging to the disciples because it meant people were gonna believe their message. You know what mean? So you listen to Jesus pray.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:It's almost like he's speaking prophetically. This this this seems like it's going to work. But I also feel the convictional side of that. Mhmm. That we've gotta decide ourselves how do we communicate this gospel.
Speaker 1:Oh, it's so important. We were doing training for our Leaders for Alpha Yeah. Last night. And one of the things that
Speaker 2:Sponsored by First Arlington.
Speaker 1:By First Baptist Arlington, which this is a really good plug, is we talk about evangelism. Yes. Our church is hosting Alpha on Sunday nights at 05:30 in the student buildings, which is a eleven week course really designed for people who are skeptical about faith and just providing a safe space for them to come, ask questions. And, one of the things I emphasized in our training for our leaders last night is, you know, I think sometimes when we think about evangelism, we we start to think about like, well I'm gonna have to argue, I need to know all the apologetics, I'm gonna I be have to be able to win. Right.
Speaker 1:And so one of the things I love that they talk about in Alpha is really, we're not trying to ever win the argument. We're trying to win the person. Yeah. And you may win the argument, and that person may never come back.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Lose the person.
Speaker 1:Yeah. But if you win the person, they're gonna hopefully just keep coming back. And when they come back, they'll hear about Jesus. And if they come back again, they'll hear Jesus again. And so, in your evangelism, this is a very alpha way of doing it, focus not so much on winning arguments, but focus on winning people.
Speaker 1:Mhmm. That's a
Speaker 2:great word, isn't it? And hence, gone fishing. Mhmm. Fishing for people and understanding people is so important. You know what?
Speaker 2:While we're in Colorado, and I'm gonna use this when we get to the series. Mike Stiger, we stayed with Mike and Kay in their home there. And and Mike is an he's an expert fly fisherman. He knows trout. He he knows where they are, what season of the year, where they are, why they're where they are.
Speaker 2:Even the down to the kinds of food that's available to them in the Pine River. Hence, the bait that you use matches what you know what I mean? In other words, it's this well, it's summer, so there's no reason to use these flies right here because these flies hadn't even hatched yet. Mhmm. So these trout are smart enough to know
Speaker 3:That's not right.
Speaker 2:That this they're not gonna I'm not
Speaker 3:gonna eat that.
Speaker 2:They're not gonna eat this, you know, but they'll eat this. And I told him, I said, you've really helped me to think about evangelism because you you've taken the time to try to figure out what you're really hunting for and why and what really works. Well, that's a good word to us. You know? And the good news is we're all people.
Speaker 2:It is. And so we should know what works with us, you know, in terms of gaining respect and trust. So I'm pretty excited about that. So, yeah. Anyway
Speaker 1:Me too.
Speaker 2:So this weekend, thank you all already. I'm sorry I be won't here next Monday to tell everybody thank you. So I'll just What will you be doing? Thank you. Thank you.
Speaker 2:Thank you. I will be teaching a doctoral seminar at Truett Seminary on preaching through the book of Isaiah. That's gonna be so fun. Yep.
Speaker 3:With Rebecca Pohayes.
Speaker 2:With Rebecca Pohayes.
Speaker 3:From Willow. Yeah. Doctor Still will preach
Speaker 2:Speaking of Truett Todd Still.
Speaker 3:So we'll have to podcast without
Speaker 1:Was another true professor here this past weekend. Dennis
Speaker 2:Tucker.
Speaker 3:Let's talk about it.
Speaker 2:So we've got For
Speaker 3:a minute.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Dennis Tucker, old testament. Todd Still, new testament. Two great scholars.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. Speaking of the fall, starting after after this weekend, starting September 6 is the first Sunday of September, we're doing for our bible study adult bible study curriculum, the book of Jonah Mhmm. Along with some equipping sessions in fellowship hall with our team to so it's studying this quote unquote reluctant missionary that is Jonah through the lens of evangelism, his failed attempts and maybe successful attempts. God's successful attempts And to it that then in the fellowship hall, in a rotating your class will know where to go at what time. But there's some equipping times then about how you might be less than reluctant, but maybe an open evangelist.
Speaker 3:And how to
Speaker 1:do it Practical tools.
Speaker 3:Yes. And how to be weird but not off putting. Putting.
Speaker 1:To live a questionable life.
Speaker 3:Effective. Effective and not stagnant, all that. So I'm really excited about it. But to prepare for Jonah, we asked doctor Dennis Tucker from Truett Seminary who is an Old Testament scholar to come and teach our teachers, teach our bible study teachers the book of Jonah. And honestly, we were both here, Ryan and I, but I was more the mom.
Speaker 3:Like, I was with the boys and just dipping in and out, and Ryan was in each session. And so from what I heard with my ears, my own ears, and then what I heard secondhand, it was just
Speaker 2:It was
Speaker 3:Like, 10 out of 10.
Speaker 2:Really, really good. It was incredible.
Speaker 1:So good.
Speaker 3:And I personally feel that Jonah is very timely Mhmm. Because the topics that the text can bring out just about our own biases. Own hesitancies towards certain people groups, god using us despite our deficiencies, all of it. It's all there in Jonah. Really, if you're talk about evangelism in this culture, it's really really applicable.
Speaker 3:And he took it and then made it extremely applicable. And he wrote the bible study that we'll be doing. And so, it's just excellent. It's great.
Speaker 1:Just excellent. It's really
Speaker 3:good. Yes. Mix that with the table on Wednesday nights, is just intentional prayer.
Speaker 1:September 9.
Speaker 3:Ninth, starting September 9, all of midweek, I say that.
Speaker 1:Care groups starts
Speaker 3:at Technically, midweek starts and youth has been Youth never stops when school year's going, but the kids programming and the care groups are already running by then, but the table as well. So, the adult program.
Speaker 1:So, table, September 9. Mhmm. Alpha, for you to invite people to, September 13.
Speaker 3:Yep. Sunday night.
Speaker 1:Sunday nights, student building.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:And
Speaker 3:Yeah. There's really something I mean, we say it, there's something for everybody. But if you come on a Wednesday night, there is something for everybody. It all starts at six. So come as a family.
Speaker 3:I mean, we bring the boys, and then we participate. And and it's it's meaningful for all of us.
Speaker 2:Yes. Something
Speaker 3:for You can be anybody and have a really not just a place to kinda hang out, but a meaningful expression to help you grow in your faith, stay connected to our church, feel like you know what's going on around here, all that. So please please come be a part of it.
Speaker 1:It's great. Love it. Alright. Well, we will be here next week and I'm pointing to Katie.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. I will.
Speaker 1:So we'll find We'll someone else.
Speaker 3:The bet we'll find the best third leg of the stool that we can find. Perfect.
Speaker 2:I trust y'all.
Speaker 3:And I will hope to see you each. That's my bookend. I hope to see you each on Sunday to celebrate doctor Wallace. Yes. It'll be really fun.
Speaker 2:It will be. It's great.
Speaker 3:Blessings. Thanks for listening to the Tell Me More podcast today. You can subscribe to this podcast on your app of choice, or you can visit us at fbca.org to find out more information about the podcast and our church. Thanks for listening. Have a good day.