Stephen Walker: There we go. Alright.
Stephen Walker: I think I'll start us off with the prayer, if that's okay.
Stephen Walker: heavenly Father, we thank you for today. And as Jason said in his community, there's a little rain, and we know that's very purposeful, and in terms of how you allow your creation to flourish because of you provide what it needs. Father, you, you reminded us in terms of look at the birds of the air and lilies of the field, how you take care of them. And, father, we ask our mindful just how much more you take care of us, father, and
Stephen Walker: you tell us not to worry about those things that sometimes calls us Angst. And we just father. Right now we just want to set aside any worry. We just let the Holy Spirit guide us this evening. We just ask that Jason can feel very comfortable expressing who he is, and you get to know us a little bit better, and we get to know him a little bit better. And, father, then we have clear direction at the end of the evening. What those next steps may be. We pray this in your name.
Stephen Walker: Amen. Amen.
Jason: Thank you for that.
Stephen Walker: All right. I'll start
Stephen Walker: hour.
Stephen Walker: Another person's coming in.
Stephen Walker: Dave Weiler, I believe, is joining us.
Stephen Walker: Dave is also one of the elders.
Jason: Alright.
Jason: I'm guessing his wife's name is Amy.
Stephen Walker: Gas!
Steve Awtrey: I don't see them on here yet.
Stephen Walker: He? He's his video is dirty.
Steve Awtrey: Area.
Stephen Walker: There!
Steve Awtrey: Okay, there he is.
Stephen Walker: It's okay.
Stephen Walker: Alright. So Dave is. He said. He's guessing your wife name is Amy. Is that correct? Or
Stephen Walker: alright? So can you tell us a little bit about your story in terms of kind of 3 areas, Jason.
Stephen Walker: Your faith journey that will be interesting to know your prayer life.
Stephen Walker: and then, kind of like, you know, relate to your faith journey of spiritual formation.
Jason: Yeah. So my faith, journey. I
Jason: you know I was adopted when I was 2, and from that point on I pretty much I I was fortunate enough to live in our
Jason: live in a family that prioritized church, and so I I kind of grew up in in church.
Jason: throughout my my childhood. And so my my dad was actually a bi-vocational preacher growing up. So he was full time in the army at West Point, but then
Jason: he ran the West Point Church of Christ there as well. And so
Jason: and so he so yeah, I I kind of grew up in in the church, and was heavily involved, all all growing up.
Jason: at in in college well, I would say.
Jason: and
Jason: high school I I got baptized
Jason: between my freshman and sophomore year in high school
Jason: and
Jason: and then, you know, I was. I was kind of trying to still live 1 1 foot out in the world, and and one foot
Jason: in with with with God and Christ. And it was my sister who actually called me out on it.
Jason: And she at 1 point she said, You know, Jason, you're you're kinda
Jason: you're doing more harm than good for for Christ, and it's just like you either need to decide you're gonna live out your faith or not claim it.
Jason: And so that was a wake up. Call for me and and kind of a a pivotal point in in my life. And so
Jason: I decided from that point on I was just gonna live, live at, try to live out my faith and
Jason: and so that was right before my! That was towards the end of my junior year in High School
Jason: and my senior year people noticed a drastic change in in me.
Jason: and so and that continued on. In college. I went to the University of Tennessee
Jason: got heavily involved in the Campus Ministry that I now direct and
Jason: and just
Jason: really try to
Jason: develop and continue to make faith my own. And so I grew a lot in college. I I didn't really have a youth group growing up. My, the church at West Point was so small. That kind of my youth group was young life, and so
Jason: and so just having a community was in college was kind of the 1st time that that I actually really had that. And so my my faith really grew. I went on my 1st mission trips and and just got plugged in. And and that was when I
Jason: kind of discovered my call to vocational ministry was was in college. I did a youth ministry, internship and
Jason: and while you know youth ministry wasn't really for me. It it did kind of
Jason: confirm a a calling to ministry. And so, after I graduated college, I I moved to Atlanta cause I graduated with a
Jason: a fine art degree, and so I moved in with my parents.
Jason: as most fine art degree majors do.
Jason: and so but then I I started working for for a church there in Atlanta called Campus Church.
Jason: And and so I did their their media ministry and all their graphics and videos and things of that nature. But then I also
Jason: about a year into it. I I got back into Youth ministry. They asked me to be the Associate Youth Minister. So I was doing Middle School Ministry and and that just confirmed that youth ministry isn't for me.
Jason: So
Don Fitzgerald: Bless you, bless you. Yeah.
Jason: I I always my! My wife was a middle school teacher, and and we would always I we we kind of joke, and we say you're your worst as a human being in 8th grade.
Stephen Walker: We're.
Jason: Midst of that.
Stephen Walker: Yep. Yep.
Jason: So yeah, and then I you know, I I kind of stepped away from ministry for a while. The the church there was going through a lot of turbulent times, and I I kind of stepped away
Jason: and then I got
Jason: when I started dating my wife, you know, through conversations and so forth. We we felt called to
Jason: kind of get.
Jason: I felt this nudge to kind of get back into ministry, and so I, after we got married I I went and
Jason: started getting my seminary degree and
Jason: and then we planted a kind of campus ministry, young adult ministry in in Huntsville,
Jason: And then from there we got contacted about the the job and the position I'm in now, back in in Knoxville.
Jason: And so that's kind of the bird's eye view the quick overview of of kind of my base
Jason: faith and journey, and and where I've been
Jason: as far as my prayer life.
Jason: My prayer life has been something that has.
Jason: you know, early on, in my faith, it was something that I I really struggled with, and I think it was pride. I think it was one of those things where I've always kind of been.
Jason: this is gonna sound
Jason: worse than I mean it to, but I've I've always kind of been able to do things on my own
Jason: and
Jason: and I've always been like
Jason: pretty decent at things. I've I've never had to study in school, and I always got I didn't get great grades, because I never studied, but I was always able to like get by and and same with like. Most everything I try. I I tend to be
Jason: good enough that I don't really have to do much, and so I think pride was a big thing in in the beginning of my faith journey with my struggle with prayer, because
Jason: to me it was if I was praying, I I had this elementary view of prayer, where prayer was just asking God for things and coming to God when you couldn't do something.
Jason: and so
Jason: and so, you know, I I struggled because I felt like I didn't need God for things.
Jason: But as my my understanding of prayer has evolved, and become more mature. Now, I really enjoy just spending time in God's presence.
Jason: And I crave that sometimes because I I do have a toddler in the house.
Jason: So sometimes just
Jason: you know.
Jason: For some reason it doesn't matter what time I get up. I could get up at 5, and then I'm
Jason: you know, 5, 10. My daughter comes down.
Jason: You know, so it seems like she just comes down 1010 min after I I get up.
Stephen Walker: So.
Jason: Doesn't matter what time. So
Jason: so yeah, sometimes I I just crave that that presence and and being in God's presence. And it's less
Jason: lately it's been less about just asking God
Jason: 4 things, but just being with him.
Stephen Walker: And.
Jason: And and so you know, and and I think that that has been a
Jason: an evolution in my prayer prayer, life.
Jason: And then, as far as spiritual formation goes, I've
Jason: you know, I
Jason: in in my guys discipleship group, we we're actually going through John Mark Homer's book practicing the way.
Jason: And we actually just did a a section on formation and and one of the things
Jason: that John Mark Homer says is, he says.
Jason: you know, we like to view spiritual formation as a strictly Christian thing.
Jason: but the reality is that everyone is being formed by something.
Jason: And and I really like that that idea and that concept that we're all being formed by something
Jason: and and it's a matter of choosing what you want to be formed to buy.
Jason: And so
Jason: and so, you know, trying to become more like Christ every day is is a challenge, but it's something that I you know I love doing as far as disciplines go, and incorporating the disciplines into my life. You know right now it's
Jason: with a toddler it it sometimes it does get difficult.
Jason: finding time for solitude and silence like I said, it's very hard and just in this stage of of life.
Jason: but you know, things like fasting is is a
Jason: is a discipline that I I crave, and I I enjoy doing prayer. Obviously Scripture reading
Jason: and so those those spiritual disciplines incorporating them in my life, and making them more of kind of a routine through my like weekly
Jason: weekly rhythm has been a a blessing for me, so.
Stephen Walker: Thank you. Thank you for.
Steve Awtrey: So, Jason? Who have been some people in your
Steve Awtrey: that have influenced your thinking it could be ministers. It could be authors.
Steve Awtrey: So
Steve Awtrey: things like that.
Jason: Yeah, so I I'm a i'm an avid reader. So I I read quite a bit.
Jason: I really like
Jason: the
Jason: What's his name? Well, I I do like John Mark Homer's stuff. So yeah, I I've read a
Jason: a lot of his stuff recently. And then Tyler Stanton is I I really enjoy his stuff as well. He's kind of associated with John Mark Homer. So he kind of took over John Mark Homer's
Jason: pastorship at at the church that John Mark Comer started, but he has a book on prayer that is fantastic. It's called praying like monks living like fools, and
Jason: it's 1 of the the best books on prayer that I've read in the past couple of years, and
Jason: and so both of those authors I really enjoy Tyler Stanton. Also he has a book on doubt
Jason: which is fantastic, and I think we all go through periods of doubt. And and so it was encouraging to read that book. And in my current environment I'm constantly dealing with with people that are are kind of deconstructing and doubting. And so and so that was that was been a really good good resource.
Jason: Mark Clark, or
Jason: is it John
Jason: Mark Clark? Yeah, mark Clark is another author preacher that that I really enjoy.
Jason: He has been his. His books are good. He has a book called the problem with Jesus and the problem with God.
Jason: Very apologetic, very
Jason: kind of
Jason: almost lawyeresque in the way he approaches things. And so and so I. I enjoy that kind of that intellectual approach to Scripture, and and so forth, and then
Jason: And then.
Jason: you know.
Jason: having I think some of you might know Dusty Rush from Campus Church. He's he's been a preaching coach of mine, and and
Jason: kind of under helping me understand the
Jason: kind of the the missional approach to preaching, and so forth, and so that, you know he kinda
Jason: help me refine my my style and my approach in in what the the goal and the purpose of of preaching is so.
Steve Awtrey: Okay.
Steve Awtrey: and to kind of go along with that question, who in your primary relationships.
Steve Awtrey: or helping you to be accountable and keeping you on track. And and how are they helping.
Jason: Yeah. So I my, my wife is a very good one she has no problem telling me when
Jason: when I'm I'm off track. So so yeah, that's that's a that's that's great. And then I do have a
Jason: one of the
Jason: one of the 1st things I did once I got here in Knoxville, was finding a mentor that
Jason: wasn't a boss, and also wasn't on staff, and so so I I found a not an elder, not not a boss. I don't work with them. And so it's someone that can be open with and share struggles with and so forth.
Jason: And that has been been a a real real help for me. He's kind of in the next stage of life as well. And so his kids are.
Jason: He actually just became an empty nester. So his youngest went off to Lipscomb
Jason: this fall, and so.
Steve Awtrey: Oh, yeah.
Jason: So he's kind of in that next stage of life, has has more life experience than me, and and is
Jason: oh, wiser than me, which isn't hard, but and then
Jason: and and so it's it's been a great sounding board, and and someone that can go to without it.
Jason: because he isn't an elder and not a boss and a coworker, I can be more open with him.
Jason: Yes, good, good.
Steve Awtrey: Okay.
Stephen Walker: So Jason, as you see yourself in a lead minister's role, as you're thinking about the progression of of your journey. And you've had some experience as as a minister, but I'm not sure if you've had, like a tenure where you are. The lead minister for a period of time, just as you think about that. What do you envision as being like?
Stephen Walker: The 3 kind of top responsibilities of the role.
Jason: Yeah. So you know, I I think the
Jason: with a lead minister.
Jason: you know, there's different philosophies on on what that is. And so I in my mind. I I think the Lead Minister is kind of responsible for helping to
Jason: guide the congregation to a vision and a mission
Jason: And so the you know.
Jason: there's there's, you know, obviously preaching is kind of like the the big one that everyone sees and it's public. But I think deeper than that. It's preaching is a means to
Jason: help the congregation get behind a vision and a mission. Mission. And so and so yeah, I I think that that's kind of the the primary goal of of the lead ministers to
Jason: help the congregation and lead them to where the the spirit is guiding that congregation and into the and into them the work that God is already doing. And and so I I think that that's the primary role of of the lead Minister,
Jason: and some other roles, I I would say, is helping to develop staff and and other ministers as well, and helping
Jason: get.
Jason: you know all.
Jason: I guess all the paid staff and and and volunteers, and really just everyone on this kind of common goal and and mission and vision
Jason: and then developing them to be able to do that as best as they can, and so providing resources and and training, and and mentoring, and so forth, so that you know a
Jason: youth minister can do that, or a children's minister can do that, or so forth and
Jason: And so it isn't just like a bunch of
Jason: many churches just kind of doing their own thing that just happened to be together. I I don't think that that's
Jason: Really a a successful
Jason: church. That's not the ideal church model, I should say.
Jason: and then
Jason: The the last is and the most important, I would say, is just being
Jason: open to hearing
Jason: the spirits direction for for the congregation. And
Jason: you know that's
Jason: that can be.
Stephen Walker: Definitely.
Jason: Cold at times and and hard to do.
Jason: cause. Sometimes I think
Jason: someone in in a lead lead position. I think sometimes they.
Jason: They have an idea of where they want things to go. But sometimes that's not where the spirit wants to take take people.
Jason: and so, being open to to the spirits, direction, and calling, and
Jason: and and being able to hear that, and and communicate that to the congregation, so.
Stephen Walker: Okay. Thank you. Good.
Steve Awtrey: Okay, Jason, my next question is, comes from a counselor.
Steve Awtrey: and where would you place yourself on the introvert
Steve Awtrey: versus extrovert spectrum? That's the 1st part and the second part. What is? If you've taken the enneagram?
Steve Awtrey: Where? What number would you be on the enneagram?
Jason: Yeah. So I'm
Jason: I have read that
Jason: that book. The
Jason: path.
Steve Awtrey: The other path to you. Yeah.
Jason: But honestly, I forget my number.
Steve Awtrey: That's okay.
Jason: Number. I am so.
Stephen Walker: Yeah, yeah.
Jason: I don't. I don't know
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Jason: As far as the
Jason: you know the introvert extrovert. I am on the Myers, Brigg. I'm like a
Jason: 52% extrovert. So I'm I'm kind of right there on the
Jason: right there on the line. I I enjoy being around people. Sometimes I enjoy being around people, but not talking to them if that makes sense.
Jason: So yeah, I I I definitely
Jason: like, if I'm
Jason: you know, if I'm just working from home and no one's at home. I would much rather just work at a coffee shop where there's people surrounding
Jason: not talking to me, but just surrounding me. And so you know. And so yeah, I'm a enfp on the Myers, Briggs. If if that makes if that helps, I know what that is. I
Jason: think
Jason: I wanna say I'm a 7 on the in the agreement.
Steve Awtrey: Okay, some people are really into it. Some people aren't. And I, you know. So that's fine. So say, Enfp, that's that's helpful, too. So and so, being a a 52 on the as an extrovert.
Steve Awtrey: how does that affect the way you do? Ministry?
Jason: Yeah, so I I actually worked really hard. Just in in being conversational. And
Jason: relational, you know, in big groups, like I have. I have no problem standing in front of people talking to a large group, but then, when it's over, I I tend to find myself kind of just off in the corner a little bit. And so
Jason: And so I've I've I actually have worked really hard to
Jason: be able to have conversations with with people, and and so forth, and so
Jason: and so that's that is a struggle of mine. I you know I'm I I'm not.
Jason: My wife is like a 99% extrovert, and she can go into a room and just
Jason: just kind of work the room and not have it, and we'll be like best friends with 5 people by the time we leave for the night.
Jason: I
Jason: and I'm lucky if I remember 5 people's names. So, so yeah, that's if if that that's always been a struggle of mine. But yeah.
Steve Awtrey: Good.
Stephen Walker: So, Jason.
Stephen Walker: occasion where you talk, someone, the Bible, one on one, someone who is
Stephen Walker: had a diff on a journey, or maybe you introduce them to the gospel
Stephen Walker: or somewhere along the spectrum, and and you've helped them along. Have you had an opportunity to do that with people over the years.
Jason: Yeah. Yeah. You know, there's
Jason: you know. And the
Jason: past few years we've have baptized, probably
Jason: 10,
Jason: probably in the last 5 years I probably baptized I would say 10 to 15 people that that I've studied with and
Jason: And so, you know, everyone has their own faith journey, and everyone's in a different
Jason: different part of their faith journey.
Jason: and being able to come alongside, that where they do make that commitment is always a blessing and and a joy.
Jason: There's there's times where people are almost there, and they're they're kind of study, have been studying, and
Jason: you come along and you you just kind of study with them, and you make something.
Jason: you know. Something clicks with them, and then they're they're ready to make a decision. And then there's people that I've been praying for for years that
Jason: that you know, probably know everything now they're just not quite ready to make the decision yet. And so.
Jason: so yeah, there, you know, there's there's been a lot of
Jason: are. Are you wanting a specific example.
Stephen Walker: If you have one, if you have one, and then as you work through that a little bit, can you talk a little bit of how that will.
Stephen Walker: You know the role of the lead minister in terms of evangelism and teachings, how you see yourself in that role, and
Stephen Walker: and and how do you prepare others in the church to to take on that as well? So.
Jason: Yes.
Stephen Walker: If you have an example, where? Where you've actually worked with someone that'd be great, and then then connect that to the lead minister role and.
Jason: Yeah. Just at the beginning or the end of spring semester beginning of
Jason: of the summer. I I got to baptize a a guy named Cole and
Jason: and he came to us, and he was really really seeking
Jason: I think he he was about to graduate and was unsure of
Jason: direction of his life, and so forth. And so
Jason: he he came, and I,
Jason: you know, met with him kind of.
Jason: He would come to our meetings weekly, but then I would meet with him in addition to that and kind of on a monthly basis, and we would he would get to ask questions, and we'd study Scripture, and so forth, and
Jason: and it was, you know, we we got to the point where he he understood, and he wanted to make that commitment. So I had the pleasure of getting to baptize him.
Jason: in a river right right near his house, and so it was.
Jason: It was a. It was a great day. So
Jason: so yeah.
Stephen Walker: Okay
Stephen Walker: in in terms of the lead Minister. How do you see yourself?
Stephen Walker: in in a role as elite minister? And what?
Stephen Walker: What? In terms of evangelism and teaching the gospel. Do you see yourself as the primary person to do that? Or you see yourself as preparing others to do that work alongside you. What? What is your thought and vision on something like that?
Jason: Yeah, I think both. I think. You know, if if I'm not
Jason: meeting with
Jason: people, neighbors and so forth, that that don't know
Jason: that don't know Christ. If if I'm just surrounded by people who who already know Christ, then
Jason: anything I say, or try to inspire others to do.
Jason: I think that they
Jason: It's it's hard to lead people to do something that you're not doing yourself.
Jason: And so so yeah, I I you know, I think that I would.
Jason: The
Jason: you know, meeting my neighbors meeting people at, you know, coffee shops and and so forth.
Jason: that, you know, trying to put myself in situations where I I can
Jason: meet people who don't know Jesus yet, and can develop those relationships and and
Jason: and do that. And then you know, I think that also inspiring others to
Jason: to kind of follow that lead as well, and so, and then equipping them, I I think, as well, too.
Jason: Sometimes I think equipping. Can.
Jason: It can be a crutch that people use, though
Jason: the the
Jason: sometimes they say, Well, I I don't know enough yet to share Jesus and and so forth. But the the reality is that Jesus commands all of us to
Jason: share the good news, and and not just those that are extrovert, or
Jason: or good, with their words, or so forth. It's it's God doing the
Jason: the
Jason: converting and bringing people to him. Anyway, we're just the vessel that that, and the tool that he uses, and so
Jason: And so I you know I
Jason: but with that said I think there is some equipping that that can be done, and and so forth as well, so.
Stephen Walker: Thank you. Okay.
Steve Awtrey: Okay, Jason.
Steve Awtrey: what do you see? As being some of the major challenges
Steve Awtrey: for the church today?
Steve Awtrey: And as the lead minister, how would you help our congregation
Steve Awtrey: face those challenges.
Jason: Yeah. So the I'm you know, I I haven't really spent a lot of time in Missouri. So I I don't know what the cultural climate is in Saint Louis specifically, but I know as a whole the the country as a whole.
Jason: We are.
Jason: I would say. We're we're kind of
Jason: have already approached a post-christian nation. And
Jason: I think we
Jason: one of the big challenges of the church is assuming that
Jason: We're still kind of in that heyday where everyone
Jason: everyone knows about Jesus, and so forth, and and the reality is, that's that's not the case, at least here in Knoxville. It isn't and Knoxville is kind of considered the Bible belt.
Jason: And in the Bible belt. And only
Jason: I think it's 21% of people go to church on a regular basis here in Knoxville. And so that's 79% of the people you encounter. May
Jason: may not know the gospel story.
Jason: They probably have heard of Jesus, but they may not know much, or if anything, at all, about him. And so I I think one of the challenges of the Church is just this.
Jason: is accepting the fact that we are a post Christian nation, and that there are a lot of people that
Jason: that don't know
Jason: anything about Scripture, really.
Jason: I
Jason: I was in a Bible study.
Jason: I I run a I call it Explorers group. And so it's a.
Jason: It's a Bible study specifically for people that have faith, questions that they're kind of, too afraid to ask. And
Jason: in church or in in a formal setting. And so
Jason: and a girl came the other day, and
Jason: she
Jason: she didn't have a Bible. So you know. I got to give her her 1st Bible.
Jason: and and she was asking, Well, where do I start? We just start at the beginning. Where would be a good place to start, and
Jason: and I said, Well, you know I I really like Mark, or you know, or Luke, and
Jason: and she was like, Well, where's that at? And like? She didn't even know where, where Mark and Luke were in in the Bible, and so and so this, this understanding of that
Jason: that a lot of people we we encounter in our day to day lives are
Jason: are unchurched and uneducated about Church and Scripture, and so forth.
Jason: I think it's a big challenge, because we.
Jason: as my experience is, a lot of churches.
Jason: haven't accepted that fact yet. And so they think that well.
Jason: you know.
Jason: everything's good, and and they and they have almost
Jason: created a culture where everyone around them is church when the reality is that a lot of their a lot of the people?
Jason: Outside of that church building isn't
Jason: And then I think, along with that, the post. Christian is this idea that
Jason: we are kind of in the
Jason: We
Jason: culture is gonna become increasingly more hostile with Christians
Jason: and
Jason: and understanding that
Jason: persecution is is a real thing, and and the values that that Jesus has
Jason: his righteousness oftentimes exposes unrighteousness.
Jason: And so
Jason: and so, because of that
Jason: that leads to persecution, I think. And and so being
Jason: kind of
Jason: being in that hostile environment, I think it's gonna be a big challenge in and and the rest of my lifetime. So.
Stephen Walker: So, Jason, you you come across as really nice, Guy? So this question may not pertain to you, but you may have to dig really deep for this. So
Stephen Walker: can you think of a time where someone actually disagreed with you or you disagreed with them in a church environment? And then, how'd you handle it?
Jason: Yeah, yeah.
Jason: you know, I yeah, there's
Jason: there's actually been a lot of cases of that.
Jason: so I may come across as as nice.
Jason: you know there's in.
Jason: I don't know amongst ministers. There's kind of this saying, you know, you're not doing real ministry until you get fired from at least one job.
Jason: and so yeah, you know this this idea that
Jason: Oh, yeah. Well, there was
Jason: when when our 1st
Jason: when I 1st introduced in in the ministry I'm at now when I I 1st introduced a
Jason: an instrumental worship service that that kind of
Jason: There was a
Jason: a student who who wasn't really a student leader, but was just popular amongst other students, and she she was not happy with that at all, and and actually
Jason: talk to my overseeing elders about it. Which I thought was hilarious because it was like well.
Jason: of course I asked them before I
Jason: I went ahead with this
Jason: but but yeah, and so, you know, it was one of those things where
Jason: where she really didn't like me.
Jason: At at 1 point I think she was actually trying to get me removed and fired and
Jason: And
Jason: there was some other things that happened as well. She also kind of
Jason: used
Jason: our our ministry name to kind of raise funds for
Jason: herself, for a ministry related thing that wasn't what we were doing. But she was using our name for that, and and so I I had to address her and
Jason: And correct her with that
Jason: And so all these things she she really didn't like me, and
Jason: at 1 point
Jason: I think
Jason: it was after that that money thing.
Jason: I I thought it would make my life so much easier if I just
Jason: like kicked her out of the ministry, and that money thing was kind of something where it was like
Jason: I could.
Jason: I could do this, and no one would say anything. My elders would back me, and they would be fine
Jason: but at at the end of the day I was like, I'm still her minister, and I need to love her
Jason: and so she she consistently talked bad about me the whole time she was part of our ministry, and
Jason: you know I I kinda had to
Jason: I couldn't talk bad about her back, or I couldn't even say what she did, because it would.
Jason: You know, it would just kind of throw her under the bus a little bit. And so, you know, I I just had to kind of
Jason: take it and take the brunt of it and realize that. Yeah, she is on a faith journey, and she is
Jason: And even though I think that she should be further along in her faith journey she. She's at this point, and I need to love her where she's at, and kind of
Jason: work through that with her, and so forth.
Jason: I did encourage her not to go to grad school at ut, though, so she wouldn't stick around.
Steve Awtrey: Did she listen to you?
Jason: So she moved to.
Steve Awtrey: Good.
Stephen Walker: So. Well, thank you. That's.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Steve Awtrey: good. So, Jason, there's the next question is gonna your, what are your thoughts
Steve Awtrey: and your experiences in 3 areas that are very important to our church, and those would be the the areas of church missions, both international and domestic. Working with and building unity
Steve Awtrey: in a group that with some diversity.
Steve Awtrey: And then the 3rd thing is just the next generation. Ministry.
Jason: Yeah, so missions. I I think it is.
Jason: You know we're
Jason: Well, I
Jason: I I have a lot of thoughts on on missions. Are are you talking about
Jason: when when you say missions, is it supporting missionaries overseas? Is it going overseas? Is it?
Steve Awtrey: In any of your experiences with all of that. Yeah.
Jason: Okay, yeah, I've I've you know, I kind of have mixed feelings about short term missions.
Jason: so I I see the value in it for
Jason: sometimes I see the value in it for for the
Jason: the organization, or whatever that that you go to. You know, with short term missions. I
Jason: I've always approached that as there's more value
Jason: as far as the the group going
Jason: for the group, going and changing their perspective a little bit. Then what the
Jason: where you're going to receive? Does that make sense.
Steve Awtrey: Oh, yeah.
Jason: And so, you know I I do have mixed feelings on that and but but there is is value on that, and and I've done, you know, lots of
Jason: short term mission trips. So I've I've been involved with city of children
Jason: in in Sonata, Mexico, a home there. I've been there a few times 3 or 4 times now, and
Jason: and and you know, done week long. You know.
Jason: where you run a vacation Bible school, and you do some work projects and so forth.
Jason: and and the value there, I think, is mainly for the group that we bring there. There is some value for them, but I think a lot of it is with the group that that you bring them getting to see and witness something that they don't normally see and then, you know, overseas missions, I've I've been to
Jason: I did a A let's start talking trip
Jason: for a summer in Hong Kong.
Jason: and that was
Jason: That was fantastic for for me personally as well as for I think the the church as well. And and the missionary there and and so, you know, building those relationships with that church and
Jason: and that church getting to build relationships with others, and and really getting to kick that off, I think, was was good. And then
Jason: supporting that that missionary that goes over there. Or that is there all the time is
Jason: I think necessary, for you know, overseas mission missionaries. They kind of need support from from churches and so forth, and so
Jason: and so I think that's good.
Jason: I you know, I
Jason: that term missions is this is probably more than what you're asking for. But I I think that term missions is
Jason: one of those things where it's
Jason: It can be a a difficult term, because then it's
Jason: well, we're just gonna throw money at something or
Jason: so that we don't have to do it ourselves. And and I think a lot of times
Jason: Oh.
Jason: sometimes God is calling us to to do something and and so I I you know.
Jason: Yeah, that's probably more than than what you're asking for.
Steve Awtrey: That's good. Yeah. Appreciate your honesty. There.
Jason: Yeah, yeah. And then the the. I'm sorry. I forgot the other 2 that you were.
Steve Awtrey: Working with building unity in with a diverse group. And then also the next generation ministries.
Jason: Yeah. Yeah. Diversity, I think, is extremely important. I you know. Obviously I am not white. I am Asian and and that has
Jason: that
Jason: while
Jason: I grew up in a white family I was adopted. Just being Asian has been difficult sometimes in the church. Not really seeing a lot of people that look like me
Jason: and and then, especially when I preach, and so forth. Sometimes I I think it's more of a distraction than a
Jason: Sometimes I think my race can be a distraction
Jason: and
Jason: and so I'm always aware of that. And I think that unity and diversity is extremely important. I think when we when we get to heaven, it's gonna be very diverse and and so I I think that that
Jason: that is that's that's great. I'm actually about to do a starting in
Jason: next month.
Jason: It's a course called
Jason: UN undivided, and it's a 6 week course where?
Jason: that's put on by. I forget what organization. But they they they got this grant money, and they do these
Jason: kind of 6 week
Jason: courses on
Jason: diversity and unity, and so forth. And they have to have 30% people of color
Jason: in each cohort. And so the group I'm gonna be in will.
Jason: They're they're thrilled that I signed up because I probably attribute to that 30%, because if they don't.
Jason: they can't run it. And so
Jason: But yeah, so I I think that that's extremely important. And and I'm excited for for that, that coming up
Jason: and then
Jason: you know, the the next gen, I think, is
Jason: is
Jason: very important as well. Obviously, I I work with college students where they're kind of at that
Jason: that crossroads of choosing the world or choosing Christ statistically. If they don't
Jason: choose Christ by the time they graduate like, that's what they're going to believe for the rest of their life. And so, being at that crossroads is extremely important
Jason: to me, and helping point them to Jesus
Jason: is is is great and a lot of fun. And then, you know, even the generation
Jason: high school youth
Jason: in children's ministry, I I think is is extremely important. My
Jason: my daughter, even at a young age of 4,
Jason: or she turns 4 next month. You
Jason: you know there's
Jason: a lot is thrown at at kids these days, and and the world is constantly
Jason: trying to get
Jason: get them and
Jason: And so, you know, having a space where they can safely
Jason: explore and and be in a
Jason: nurturing, loving environment where
Jason: where they can see the value of faith, I think, is is important.
Jason: otherwise we're we're gonna lose them, I think. Because the the world is trying to get them and so so having something you know, it's it's like that saying,
Jason: well, I I don't have any teenagers yet, but you know
Jason: I heard someone say, well, you know, if I if I don't
Jason: talk to my kids about
Jason: like sex, the world's going to, and they're gonna learn it one way or the other and
Jason: And so I I think it's kind of that that idea like
Jason: they're gonna learn stuff. And the world is gonna try to. The world is gonna teach them stuff. And so I think we we also need to teach them values and and things as well.
Steve Awtrey: You.
Stephen Walker: Great answer. Thank you so much. We are winding down. How are you doing.
Jason: Sorry.
Stephen Walker: We're winding down. How are you doing.
Jason: Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm doing great.
Steve Awtrey: Okay. Good. Good.
Stephen Walker: So we
Stephen Walker: So we are a church with small groups.
Stephen Walker: and so I would say, I think about 2 thirds of our members are in a small group. We would like for that. To be
Stephen Walker: more than that. We would like to be a church of small groups right? Where? That's you know. That's that's our goal.
Stephen Walker: so I guess a couple of things. And so the way we are structured with that, we have
Stephen Walker: ministry leader, and he's over to small groups and and he and he takes that role very seriously where he's
Stephen Walker: he's encouraging group leaders.
Stephen Walker: and so have you had experience working with small groups. And so can you share
Stephen Walker: that experience? If not, do you have a philosophy in terms of how you would work with small groups.
Jason: Yeah. So I I run a I run a small group now.
Jason: in in my church outside of my job. So so yeah, I, I run a my wife and I, we run a group of kind of
Jason: people with
Jason: people with younger kids. I would say, typically we, we do have
Jason: We do have a couple who have, like a 13 year old daughter. And then there's a a woman there who has a 16 year old daughter, but for the most part everyone is pretty young and
Jason: as far as the kids go.
Jason: and and it's
Jason: it can be challenging at at times with with that small group one of the one of the couple, one of the families that come. They have triplets, so
Jason: And they are 4, and all boys and
Jason: I think every time after our small group leaves our house. Oh.
Jason: I I tell Megan, I'm like.
Jason: I think raising toddler boys is a vastly different experience that we have raising a toddler girl.
Jason: so.
Jason: But yeah, so it it can be challenging and and but it's also rewarding and fun. You know, the the people in our small group are
Jason: they are.
Jason: you know they're they're they're the ones that we are closest to in in in our church. And so we're we're doing life with them and
Jason: And so it's it's a blessing. And and it's fun. Even though in our stage of life, with our small group it can be hard.
Jason: just getting people together and them fed and having the house not be torn apart by the end of it is is a challenge. But it's
Jason: It's it's been really good. And honestly, before we started running this small group, we we felt very isolated from the church, and and I'm on staff at the church, and everyone knows my name and so forth, but
Jason: but we felt really isolated from from the church, and part of that was because we moved here during Covid, where no one really just got to know anyone but but yeah. And so this this small group just kind of was a blessing for us, and and so forth. And and so I see the value in small groups.
Jason: I also run a small group for my job as well. And so I run a freshman small group and
Jason: and that's been
Jason: fun and
Jason: rewarding as well and and challenging from
Jason: freshmen have changed from
Jason: when I 1st started to. Now they're just their whole mentality has changed. And so everyone talks about how generations like change and so forth, and.
Jason: It's
Jason: you know, I've actually seen a shift in the way freshmen act and behave from when I 1st started to now. And so and so that's been been a challenge. But it's it's been fun and and getting to know
Jason: know those freshmen, and just dive into the word with them and
Jason: and see
Jason: a lot of them. It's the 1st time they are
Jason: making the decision to
Jason: really make faith their own
Jason: it has been has been fun. So.
Stephen Walker: Okay. Thanks.
Steve Awtrey: So, Jason, have you ever had any experiences counseling someone that was transitioning to the next life.
Jason: I have not
Jason: I did my
Jason: you know I I well, I think I mentioned this last time I I did my 1st funeral, the
Jason: over the summer and
Jason: and that was challenging. And then I have a student, that whose mother passed suddenly, and that was very challenging as well.
Jason: I have.
Jason: you know.
Jason: other than family.
Jason: I have not.
Jason: really been in a position where I can
Steve Awtrey: Well, how about? Let's go this way. The the student whose mother passed away
Steve Awtrey: tell me how that experience went as far as counseling, and and really being there with him.
Jason: Yeah, it was her. she
Jason: yeah, it was.
Jason: It was difficult. She was a only child and
Jason: and her
Jason: her mother was an immigrant, and so she that that was the only family she had, and so at at 20 years old, she
Jason: She was
Jason: essentially an orphan at at 20, and on our own, and no family whatsoever. And so
Jason: really just being a a comfort to her, helping
Jason: a lot of it was just helping her with things that
Jason: 20 year olds probably shouldn't have to deal with yet.
Jason: things like
Jason: finding a realtor to sell the house
Jason: you know, having never bought or sold a house before, she she didn't really know what she was doing, and
Jason: and so helping her out there. you know. And and so a lot of it. Trying to figure out how to get a death certificate and get, you know. you know the the
Jason: burial stuff and all of that. And so you know, I I found that my role
Jason: was a lot of that.
Jason: the logistical side of things. And helping her with that
Jason: but then also
Jason: the
Jason: just trying to be a comfort to her as well.
Jason: So just yesterday she she came in, and
Jason: she was very stressed because she had like 2 tests yesterday, and
Jason: she said she got a text message that reminded her of her mom. And that's all she could think about. And she she couldn't really bring herself to take the test and so forth, and so just comforting her in in that moment, and being able to give her a hug and
Jason: let her know that things are gonna be okay and
Jason: and you know,
Jason: you know, helping her with options. So she she ended up taking the test which I was proud of her for and
Jason: and she did better than she. She thought she was going to as well. So.
Steve Awtrey: Oh, yeah.
Jason: So yeah. But you know that that was kind of.
Jason: you know.
Jason: a lot of logistical stuff. But then there was that comfort thrown in as well. So
Jason: so, yeah, good.
Stephen Walker: So we are just about at the end of all the formal questions. But I I do have one other one that I would like to ask, and just kind of curious about something.
Stephen Walker: is it Laura Hill? Is that the church where you are actively involved in right now?
Jason: Laurel, Church of Christ.
Stephen Walker: Church of Christ.
Jason: Yes, I think the website is laurelcc.org.
Stephen Walker: Yeah.
Jason: Please.
Stephen Walker: I think we had mentioned, like the the ministers retiring in 10 months
Stephen Walker: is is that is, that.
Jason: Yes. Correct.
Stephen Walker: Are you considering applying for that position?
Jason: I am not sure. My small group actually just asked me that on Sunday.
Jason: you know.
Jason: it is a
Jason: so there's kind of a preaching team right now.
Jason: and we kind of rotate, and there's the youth Minister the after the
Jason: like inner city after school minister, and then there's kind of the connections. Minister
Jason: as well as myself are kind of on this team, and we rotate
Jason: and
Jason: my guess is that all 3 of them will put their name in the head for this position.
Jason: And you know
Jason: for me, that's a very.
Jason: That's a very tricky situation to to walk into
Jason: and so I I am not sure about that. To be honest and my elders I I met with my overseeing elders.
Jason: I guess 2 Mondays ago, and they asked the same same question.
Jason: and so you know, it's it's 1 of those where I
Jason: yeah, my wife.
Stephen Walker: We? We've been accused of moving slow in the process. But let's say, for instance, that we start moving down the road with you I would envision that probably we will come to some kind of decision collectively, including you
Stephen Walker: in less than 10 months.
Stephen Walker: And so
Stephen Walker: And so how would that work? So if we were to? You know, we get to the point to where we wanted to move forward and make you an offer. I'm not saying that's where we are yet. But we continue down this road. It could come to that
Stephen Walker: and how would you make a decision on whether or not to.
Stephen Walker: you know, accept the offer or wait for the the job that you know where you're currently worshiping. How? How would that work.
Jason: Yeah. You know, I I think that with ministry it's there. There is some of
Jason: of, you know. Yeah.
Jason: you know, I I would like this job at at this church, and so forth. But I think a lot of it is a
Jason: being obedient to the spirit
Jason: spirits calling, and so forth, especially in in a role such as this. And so I think you know. And one thing that I I'm a firm believer in is that I don't think that spirits gonna call me to a job, or a location, or a place
Jason: that he isn't also calling my wife, too.
Jason: and so I think it's something that that we would. You know, if if
Jason: I feel
Jason: very called to move to St. Louis and and be a lead pastor there. I think that it would be made clear with us. By the Holy Spirit to both me and my wife, and so
Jason: and so I I think that that's
Jason: I think we would have clarity there.
Jason: And so I I think that you know then it's just a matter of
Jason: being obedient or or not. And and I I would hope that would be obedient. So.
Stephen Walker: Okay.
Stephen Walker: so I guess we'll do 2 more things here. We'll give you an opportunity to ask us questions if you have some, and then
Stephen Walker: then Brett, Dave, or Amy, whoever it is, over there, or Don might have some follow up questions for you
Stephen Walker: and give those guys an opportunity to ask if that's okay. So if you have questions of us, Jason, please.
Jason: Yeah. How? How would you consider the the health of the church right now?
Stephen Walker: I think we're healthy. I mean we are. We're older, church,
Stephen Walker: and I. We can be healthier. I mean we. If I were to describe where we are right now, we and we we probably will have a little bit different interpretation of this.
Stephen Walker: I I think we're at a place where we're maintaining in the maintenance plays, where which is not a bad place to be, you know. And I think we can very easily begin to get into an area where
Stephen Walker: we are growing right? Because we we do get regular visitors that come and and into the church. And we we? So I think you know, there's some excitement around that. I think people that are there. They're maturing.
Stephen Walker: you know. They're maturing in the in the gospel. They they love being a part of the community
Stephen Walker: which is all which are all healthy signs, I mean, people don't scatter, I mean, when we have events. You know, fellowship events, they're well attended. People volunteer get involved. And so I think.
Stephen Walker: I think that. And we have a couple of annual events that people come back for, that you know, that maybe lived out of town, or or they're away at school. They'll come back for that. One is the pancake breakfast around the holiday time, and we get a lot of people that come in for that that are
Stephen Walker: maybe have been traveling and come come back from school. So there's a lot of signs of healthiness there. But there's opportunities to grow and be even healthier.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, I'll I've I've never shared this with the elders, but I was talking with a a guy that was interested in in coming here to for the role he had talked with. A guy named Mason Lee. I think that was his name.
Steve Awtrey: who? He's a professor at Acu, and he. He was actually up here with 3 others from Cybered Institute doing a an Elders conference, and it was hosted by all the area wide churches, but it was at our church, and he asked them about Bob Mcknight and his quite frankly. His answer surprised me. He said
Steve Awtrey: he said he felt like that
Steve Awtrey: that Mcknight was probably the healthiest
Steve Awtrey: Church of Christ in the area.
Steve Awtrey: So that's coming from somebody else. And and I would say, I think we're healthy, but we're lacking things. One thing we're lacking is a diversity of ages of younger couples.
Steve Awtrey: But but yes, I think we're. We're healthy, but lacking.
Jason: Okay.
Bret Blackford: And I'm.
Stephen Walker: So tell me.
Bret Blackford: I was gonna say on, that is, you know, I thought about Jason, what you'd said that we are in a post Christian nation.
Bret Blackford: and I think
Bret Blackford: you know, we've we've always had a a good amount of
Bret Blackford: people, but it no longer can we just open the doors and be passive and think people are going to come in and and find our church, you know, and I think that's what we
Bret Blackford: are trying to find our way. And you know, how do we get out in the community? How do we
Bret Blackford: make sure that we get out into this post? Christian nation? Because, you know, it's not like people are looking for a church on Sunday mornings anymore. And so I think
Bret Blackford: that's just, you know, kind of like what you said. It's just the new reality, and and we're like everybody else trying to deal with it. But I think
Bret Blackford: you know, like everybody else said, I think we're healthy, but we recognize that. And we're trying to figure out ways to overcome that.
Don Fitzgerald: Yeah, I think along those lines, too, Jason, the
Don Fitzgerald: one of the big challenges I think we face. And you mentioned it earlier about
Don Fitzgerald: talking with. Maybe some of the
Don Fitzgerald: kids in your program
Don Fitzgerald: about doubts that they have and carry, and I think we've lost our way. The church in general, I think.
Don Fitzgerald: lost our way in making the Church relevant to our younger generation, you know. And
Don Fitzgerald: and I think you know, those doubts come in, and they don't immediately think of.
Don Fitzgerald: You know the
Don Fitzgerald: Jesus, or the church community, or anything, being relevant to finding their way, you know. And I and I think, as Steve said.
Don Fitzgerald: we've got a very noticeable gap
Don Fitzgerald: and our demographic in those, you know, 2030 somethings.
Don Fitzgerald: And I think you know, it's a lot to do with that that? We haven't
Don Fitzgerald: really hit the right
Don Fitzgerald: stride in. How do we
Don Fitzgerald: bring that relevance to these young families, to these young couples, to these young
Don Fitzgerald: singles, you know, just, you know, because, those are very important pieces to the whole puzzle. And
Don Fitzgerald: but, on the other hand, as Brett said, really trying to figure out ways. We get ourselves out into the community.
Don Fitzgerald: think we're doing some things very well. I mean, we have a food pantry.
Don Fitzgerald: That is just remarkable. I mean, it's the the number of people they serve
Don Fitzgerald: regularly within our community within our zip codes. You know that
Don Fitzgerald: that are that have great need and
Don Fitzgerald: you know we pray with them. We we help them in many ways, and
Don Fitzgerald: you know, I I think things like that are vitally important to to reach out to
Don Fitzgerald: all kinds of people, you know, that are around us. We have other events throughout the year that.
Don Fitzgerald: you know are intended to draw in people from the community, and they do some. But we found that
Don Fitzgerald: very limited success there, and getting, you know, really long term
Don Fitzgerald: things. So I think it really goes back to. Maybe what Brett was referring to is just
Don Fitzgerald: one on one, you know, with our neighbors. How do we
Don Fitzgerald: in a non threatening way, you know.
Don Fitzgerald: be the type of neighbor that
Don Fitzgerald: is inviting, you know. That is, you know, really causing people to ask the question. You know
Don Fitzgerald: you know. What else can I do to
Don Fitzgerald: to find my way, you know. So
Don Fitzgerald: As to your healthy question, I I feel like we're fairly healthy
Don Fitzgerald: congregation, but we're still
Don Fitzgerald: probably struggling like a lot of other healthy congregations. As to how do we sustain it? How do we keep it going?
Don Fitzgerald: That's what we're
Don Fitzgerald: we're really looking for.
Amy: I'll I'll chime in on that, too. Hey, Jason? And it is Dave! I know it doesn't say that. But
Amy: oh.
Amy: you know I I agree with what's been shared, and I'll just add that we do have a lot of mechanisms in place.
Amy: that are really good and can be more robust. We are very supportive of the Axe campus Ministry in St. Louis, and do a lot in with that. We do have a small group structure with pretty good participation. We're not growing those. We're not spinning off new groups, you know, regularly. But we do have. You know those that are involved. It's pretty healthy.
Amy: Got a very pleasant atmosphere on Sunday morning that, I think, is welcoming and hospitable.
Amy: Not
Amy: as much an evangelistic mindset as would be more healthy, you know. We need more of that, as you described. You know the with the post Christian atmosphere, you know, it's just not like. There's more work to be done, to invite people and things like that. So I think we do have a lot of good things in place. We've got a teen Minister youth minister who's
Amy: brand new been with us 2 years. He's doing a really fine job.
Amy: and we had committed to a children's ministry, making that more robust to try to invite more small families, and have, you know, be as strong as we can there, and we hired somebody so good that after 2 years somebody else recruited him, and he felt the call to go to Texas. But that was kind of a compliment. I mean, we really had something good.
Amy: And so we're in a gap there. But we've got some good people stepping up, so there are a lot of lot of pillars in place that can all use, you know. The next level, I guess
Amy: if that's helpful.
Stephen Walker: Yeah.
Jason: Yeah, that is, thank you.
Jason: you know you
Jason: the sorry I'm looking at my list of questions. And
Jason: what would be some
Jason: a what are some of the kind of
Jason: well, Steve, you you mentioned the pancake breakfast is, is that kind of like a
Jason: sometimes in in churches. There are these kind of like sacred cows that you can't.
Stephen Walker: Okay.
Jason: What? What would be some sacred cows, or some things that would be
Jason: I guess, untouchable or or hard to to.
Stephen Walker: We don't have a lot of those. I think the things that think that are most healthy in the church. We would probably consider those like a sacred cow, you know. Think, you know, like the food pantry? John mentioned that because that's something that we feel is so beneficial to our community. You know those that are in need. You know, it's fitting a fitting, a basic need. You know, groceries on the table, right?
Stephen Walker: And then we build those relationships with people. And so that would probably be something that would be very difficult for us to not to do, you know. And that's because it's healthy and effective, and it's doing it's doing well. And so other things that
Stephen Walker: we are open to rethinking of the some of the other things that we're doing that may not be connected as well to our vision and mission.
Stephen Walker: And so and we're just. And we're working through some of that right now we're trying to figure some of that out. And so so we, you know, I don't think we have any sacred cows that
Stephen Walker: are so locked in that we are unwilling to at least examine them, to see how we can maybe do something better. Right? And so and we're just open to all of that. We're just open to a lot of self-examination relevance, you know, making sure what we're doing is still relevant in ways that communicate an openness and an opportunity to the gospel. Those are. Those are the kind of things we're looking for.
Steve Awtrey: And and also we're 2 churches that merged about 12 years ago.
Steve Awtrey: And so we started fresh in some ways. And and so then
Steve Awtrey: we? We haven't had a chance to develop a lot of sacred cows, so to speak. So so we're, you know. We're
Steve Awtrey: a 12 year old church
Steve Awtrey: in in many ways.
Jason: okay.
Amy: Let me chime in here a little bit. We do have 3 organizations that are
Amy: really part of our DNA, if you will, and they're they're multi-church supported in the St. Louis area. One is Christian family services that does counseling and adoption and foster care.
Amy: and you and your family can relate to that the value of that role. And we're a founding congregation of that work, if you will. And our elders are the trustees of that. So there's a real close working relationship there, and other churches in the region are very involved with that.
Amy: The other one is axe campus ministry like that I mentioned before. There are, that has an overseeing board made up of folks from several congregations. And we're the host location for some of those activities, and the
Amy: the staff person is technically on our payroll, even though they do their own fundraising and things so very supportive there. And the other is called Camp Neitez, and it's a youth group camp that's 45 min away.
Amy: And so the youth groups and children right up through teens. And even there's Congregational camping and things like that there. And we're, you know, that board is made up of folks from churches all around the area, and we've got.
Amy: you know, that's a core of our youth group activities. So I will say, you know, we've got things like that that are precious and really part of our DNA don't have a better term for that that are a blessing on, and places to serve and plug in and share the gospel with their local outreach activities. So.
Bret Blackford: Jason, I guess. Let me chime in a little bit also is.
Bret Blackford: you know, the ministry and ministers and the elders work real closely together. And so it's not like the elders dictate everything. And so we're actually open to change. And we're looking for change. And we just yeah, you know, I'm probably I'm 1 of the younger elders, but I'm probably the one that's probably most stuck in a rut. And still.
Bret Blackford: so these guys that are you're looking at are like you said, we just want to be open to the spirit. What's the spirit calling us to do?
Bret Blackford: And so,
Bret Blackford: you know, we're we're just not gonna go willy, nilly changing things for the sake of changing. But I think
Bret Blackford: that I have a lot of respect for the elders, and that, you know, if the Spirit's calling us to do something, you know, we're going to be open to it. And again.
Bret Blackford: it's a partnership with the elders and the ministers to you know what? What is the spirit calling us to do.
Don Fitzgerald: Jason, I'm 1 of. I'm the old fogey of the group.
Stephen Walker: You know.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: Around way way long time.
Don Fitzgerald: and I think the other
Don Fitzgerald: I mean it's it's probably not the most important, but the other part that I think
Don Fitzgerald: you should know that we're
Don Fitzgerald: we are financially in a good position, too. We're not.
Don Fitzgerald: you know, suffering. We've got challenges, of course, like every other church, but.
Don Fitzgerald: I think over the years we have tried to plan.
Don Fitzgerald: you know, for the
Don Fitzgerald: the hard times as well as the good times, and
Don Fitzgerald: and
Don Fitzgerald: but very stable financially, you know, we're
Don Fitzgerald: like, Dave mentioned, we we help financially support Cfs and Amdia test and
Don Fitzgerald: the campus ministry. It's in in.
Don Fitzgerald: and our congregation is involved in a lot of things area wide
Don Fitzgerald: all the time. But
Don Fitzgerald: I I think it's a good note to say that. You know, we're in a pretty
Don Fitzgerald: financially stable position as well. Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: with. And that comes with a lot of challenges, of course, but
Don Fitzgerald: in a good position. So
Don Fitzgerald: yeah.
Steve Awtrey: And we. We've also got mainly 2 mission efforts that we have. One is in Marseille, France, and one is in Mauritius, and those were planted from our our congregation several years ago.
Steve Awtrey: and we're committed to those.
Jason: Okay.
Don Fitzgerald: The one in Marseille has been there for 40 plus years. I mean, it's.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, they're doing.
Don Fitzgerald: Doing very well.
Steve Awtrey: Amazing things for France really are.
Jason: Yeah, awesome.
Jason: Awesome.
Jason: Brett, you you kind of alluded to this a little bit.
Jason: but what is the structure? Is? Is the church.
Jason: would you say the church is more elder led, is it?
Jason: staff led.
Jason: is it?
Jason: you know you you kind of mentioned a partnership between
Jason: the ministers and the elder? Is that all ministers, or is it the lead minister? You know? What? How would you say? The organizational structure of the church is is set up.
Bret Blackford: Well, I'll start, and then the other guys can jump in. We always have had the senior minister at the table, you know, always involved, and so usually we'll have 2 meetings a month, and in one of those meetings we'll have the staff in it all the the ministers.
Bret Blackford: you know. Usually the senior Minister will speak on behalf of of them.
Bret Blackford: Now we've had a
Bret Blackford: you know, Jeff Kreider, you know, 30 years of experience, you know, the Guy just really knew what he was doing. He didn't need a lot of structure. He didn't need a lot of management.
Bret Blackford: So it was mostly just, you know what's the spirit telling us to do? We realized with some of the people we're looking at, it may be a little bit different where
Bret Blackford: it may have to be a bit more top down for a while. And so, you know, I don't know that we under. We understand that structure yet, depending on who we hire.
Bret Blackford: you know, whoever it's going to be will be at the table. But we understand that there may be some more administrative work that Jeff Kreider was doing that. Maybe the elders need to do
Bret Blackford: some of those type of managerial responsibilities that the elders may take on, that maybe the Senior Minister used to do
Bret Blackford: so that's kind of a picture. And and so Don, you're again. You're the senior guy. So maybe you want to step in and explain that.
Don Fitzgerald: Yeah, I mean.
Don Fitzgerald: I would say, if I had to say staff letter
Don Fitzgerald: Elder Lab, I'd say it's joint, I mean
Don Fitzgerald: we
Don Fitzgerald: as Brett mentioned. Jeff was there at the table
Don Fitzgerald: any big decisions we made, you know. He certainly has a lot of input about vision and mission and things like that. We on retreats, you know we we do some retreats now and then. He's always been part of that.
Don Fitzgerald: So
Don Fitzgerald: if if there's a hard decision that needs to be made. It's the elders that will eventually make that decision. But with input from the staff and not just Jeff, I mean, if we need to hear from the other staff. We'll do that, too. But
Don Fitzgerald: I would never want to say it's completely elder, led.
Don Fitzgerald: That just sounds too authoritative to me.
Don Fitzgerald: but I wouldn't say it's
Don Fitzgerald: totally Staff led, either. It's just
Don Fitzgerald: we all want the same thing, and we're trying to work that. And
Don Fitzgerald: and even amongst the 6 elders.
Don Fitzgerald: I can't tell you. We always agree on everything, but we always come away with a consensus, you know.
Don Fitzgerald: That is something to weed
Don Fitzgerald: determined years ago that we don't leave the room until we have a consensus.
Don Fitzgerald: Everybody might not agree on
Don Fitzgerald: everything, but
Don Fitzgerald: we're gonna go
Don Fitzgerald: out as one, and very grateful for that. I'm like Brad. I have a lot of respect
Don Fitzgerald: for the men that we serve with, and.
Steve Awtrey: Yes, yeah, and I can speak as being I was on the other side
Steve Awtrey: for 22 years. I was the Youth Minister.
Steve Awtrey: and it was I. I told other people it was ministry. Heaven for me, just the I felt like we worked as a team, and they respected me more than what I deserved.
Steve Awtrey: It was just. It was a really a
Steve Awtrey: a beautiful
Steve Awtrey: team that we had, and as far as working together.
Stephen Walker: I think one of the ways that
Stephen Walker: I think we work is. I think we're gifted, led, meaning that
Stephen Walker: we recognize the gifts that each one of the men bring to the table, and even our wives bring to the table. And so when we are faced with decisions or a task, we? We recognize the person who might have the greatest gift
Stephen Walker: to do that next thing, or bring us along with him or her, and sometimes that is a lead minister sometimes it's 1 of the elders. So you know, we try to recognize, you know that 1st of all that God has brought us together. You know, you know that. And he brought us together because He He has a purpose for us, and he want us to utilize
Stephen Walker: the giftlessness in the group. And so we try to be very cognizant of that right? And so and over the years since we've worked together so so many years, we we can recognize, maybe, who's best suited
Stephen Walker: to handle this next step in the process and or lead out on this. And and so I think you know, to to a large extent, we try to acknowledge and recognize where the gifts are in a given area, and let that person be the lead out on it.
Jason: Okay.
Jason: Alright!
Steve Awtrey: Probably more than what you wanted to hear.
Jason: Oh, no, that's great. Thank you. Thank you for sharing.
Jason: Those were
Jason: well, actually, do we have time for one more question.
Stephen Walker: Yes, we do.
Steve Awtrey: Go ahead. Yeah.
Jason: You know
Jason: I forget who it was. Maybe
Jason: Brett or Don
Jason: or maybe Dave I I forget had mentioned that
Jason: having a lot of guests show up recently, and so forth. And
Jason: that.
Jason: I guess
Jason: my my question is.
Jason: who do you think the church is trying to reach, are they, you know? Are they trying to
Jason: reach the community? Are they trying to reach Church of Christ? People? Are they trying to reach
Jason: who who is? Who do you say the church is trying to reach.
Don Fitzgerald: I, I would say, and I'm sure somebody might feel differently. But I would say
Don Fitzgerald: we're trying to reach people that are seeking or that are open to seeking out Jesus, and and what their relationship should be with God and Jesus and
Don Fitzgerald: you know. But, as I think, Steve mentioned earlier. We are a very welcoming church.
Don Fitzgerald: and I've been probably one of the few
Don Fitzgerald: that had been
Don Fitzgerald: a part of this church even before the merger
Don Fitzgerald: back to when
Don Fitzgerald: it's beginnings, you know.
Don Fitzgerald: and we have always been known as a welcoming church.
Don Fitzgerald: And I think that's
Don Fitzgerald: whether your Church of Christ coming from somewhere else, whether you're someone in the neighborhood, whether
Don Fitzgerald: you know your
Don Fitzgerald: somebody that's just looking for some food for their table.
Don Fitzgerald: You know, whatever I I think that's been one of our strengths. And so
Don Fitzgerald: no, I don't think that we're look looking for a particular
Don Fitzgerald: class or type of person or particular belief
Don Fitzgerald: history or whatever it's.
Don Fitzgerald: I'm hoping that we would be faithful to being open to whoever walked through the doors.
Don Fitzgerald: Yeah.
Steve Awtrey: And one thing just.
Steve Awtrey: we are more of a mission area. We're not in the Bible Belt. And so there's not a lot of churches of Christ around us.
Steve Awtrey: and and so, yeah, we're just trying to reach the community is is what our efforts are for as far as outreach.
Jason: Okay.
Jason: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: I have a couple of questions for Jason. If if we could, I can ask just number one. Did you tell us about your wife and your family. I'm just curious to
Don Fitzgerald: know more about them.
Jason: Yeah. So, my my wife, she is brilliant. She's
Jason: finishing up her Phd, so she's working on her dissertation right now in education
Jason: and her dissertations, a lot about like community schools, and so forth. And
Jason: and so she yeah, she's she's been in education for the majority of her professional career. She she graduated in graphic design and worked at a
Jason: church in Memphis for a year and hated it, doing graphic design and
Jason: and so went back, got her master's in education, and and has been in education since, and so
Jason: we have been married. Let's see here since 2,016. So I guess.
Steve Awtrey: Here's.
Jason: 8 years. Yeah, yeah, there you go. I should know that.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, yeah, you should. Yeah.
Jason: And we have a almost 4 year old, daughter. So she turns 4 at the end of October and
Jason: and right now we have a 4 month old. Foster care, daughter. So so yeah, she has been with us since she was 4 days old. So so that's that's fun. she
Jason: and she had some pretty pretty big health scares, and towards the beginning of her life, but she
Jason: has seemed to gotten past that and and so so yeah, it's it's been fun. We we had to spend 16 days in in Children's Hospital, which was not fun, but.
Stephen Walker: And.
Jason: But now that she's over, that she is sleeping through the night, which is great. And so we're we're actually getting some sleep and and so forth. So yeah, so that's our family. And then we have a
Jason: a a dog named Tank as well. So he's a
Jason: he's a 15 pound, Shih Tzu, so
Jason: not much of a.
Don Fitzgerald: Tank.
Jason: Yeah.
Jason: zoom.
Jason: So, yeah, but that's our. That's our family.
Bret Blackford: Jason with your wife finishing her. Phd. And you know you've got an adopted daughter.
Bret Blackford: Does that kind of
Bret Blackford: make things awkward for moving to going to St. Louis. If if you were called to do that, or how does how? What's the
Bret Blackford: timing on that.
Jason: Yeah. So you know my
Jason: my wife is done with her classwork. So she is just working on it.
Bret Blackford: Okay.
Jason: So she
Jason: so I guess theoretically we we could
Jason: move without her being done with her dissertation. We she would lose her assistantship. So she is
Jason: teaching classes as well. And
Jason: overseeing interns that are in schools. So she would lose that
Jason: and so we would have to.
Jason: you know she would lose that, and then we'd also have to pay tuition as well.
Jason: so so that does complicate things. But she is supposed to kind of
Jason: finish up her dissertation here towards the beginning of
Jason: next year, and
Jason: defend in March or April, and graduate in May. So
Jason: And then the and I and I mentioned that this
Jason: with the last meeting with with Steve and Steve the the foster care does kind of
Jason: that is a a wild card. And so we we are open to adopt.
Jason: you know we're
Jason: we were heartbroken once before. And we're we're not sure
Jason: And so we're being a little bit more guarded and reserved this time around, I think. Yeah.
Jason: But the. You know we we are open to that, and we don't know. I mean, that process is just.
Jason: There's so many wild cards there, and it's just kind of up in the air. And so so yeah, that that is a
Jason: that is something that I I don't know how that would shrink out.
Steve Awtrey: Right. Well, you've got Steve. Don and Dave have all adopted children, so they they understand that.
Steve Awtrey: So.
Jason: Okay. Yeah. Okay.
Don Fitzgerald: And Steve Autry, who is, you know, the master of? He was the CEO of Cf. The Christian family services for several years, so
Don Fitzgerald: at least as far as Missouri goes, with
Don Fitzgerald: foster care and adoption. He's he's a king.
Bret Blackford: And Jason, you said you were adopted it, too. But what you didn't tell us is that you were found in the Himalayas by Sherpas, which I thought was great.
Jason: Oh, yeah.
Bret Blackford: So you get points for that one right there.
Jason: Yeah, the
Jason: yeah, I I've
Jason: I. Just when I I self publish that that book. And and they Amazon asked for something. And I just like gave that up on the spot. And then.
Jason: about a month later, someone mentioned it to me, and I was like.
Jason: what in the world are you talking about?
Jason: And then they they reminded me I was like, Oh, I should probably go in and change that. But.
Bret Blackford: No, I thought it was great.
Bret Blackford: So I was also gonna I was also gonna ask, you know, Lehoma, do you speak any Gundangwa?
Bret Blackford: Did you learn any Cantonese.
Jason: I did not.
Bret Blackford: Okay.
Jason: Learn any Cantonese? No. So so yeah.
Bret Blackford: With Regards.
Don Fitzgerald: Fluid in 14 languages.
Bret Blackford: We can eat dim sum, but we won't speak Gondongwa then, so.
Don Fitzgerald: My second question for you was, I don't know if
Don Fitzgerald: in discussions with Steve and Steve or
Don Fitzgerald: the website I mean, have you gotten sort of a picture of
Don Fitzgerald: Mcknight crossings as far as where we are, and
Don Fitzgerald: our journey with some of the things kind of sweeping through the Brotherhood, you know, with women's roles and.
Jason: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: Instrumental music.
Jason: Yeah, on the live stream. It's a little confusing, because you hear some instruments, but you don't see any and so, you know I I was at 1st I was wondering if that was like a a track that was being piped in, or or what. So I I
Jason: it's still. Maybe I I don't know
Jason: But as far as the women's rules, you know our our the church I'm at now
Jason: went through something recently, and and they are there's still more.
Jason: I think you guys are more egalitarian than they. Than the church I am is
Jason: at at right now they're they're kind of
Jason: more complementarian. even to the right of complementarian. A little bit. So
Jason: so yeah. And and you know, I have a daughter, and I love that. She gets to see my my wife up there saying prayers and and giving communion thoughts, and so forth. And so I I think that that is I think that that's gonna be
Jason: transformative to her faith. Just being able to understand that.
Jason: Yeah, God has gifted me with talents, and and I can use those talents and and not be told I can't. And so that's very important to me.
Jason: I know people really, in my generation, that that
Jason: that that has
Jason: that hurt their faith and
Jason: And
Jason: and even now there's some people that are very open to it, but they have been told that they
Jason: they couldn't use their talents, that they it's still uncomfortable for them, even though, they're okay with it. And so and so, yeah, just just my daughter being able to see that I think is is extremely important for me.
Jason: So so yeah.
Jason: do you guys have your instruments off to the side on the live.
Don Fitzgerald: Well, yeah, I think.
Steve Awtrey: Yes.
Don Fitzgerald: Yep. The other part of it is, we've kept it pretty simple. I mean, we just have a
Don Fitzgerald: keyboard and the guitar.
Don Fitzgerald: basically. And
Don Fitzgerald: that's it. We we
Don Fitzgerald: we're you talk about, Gifted. We have probably the most gifted
Don Fitzgerald: person playing that keyboard.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: I mean, he's just incredible.
Steve Awtrey: Amazing.
Don Fitzgerald: Does a wonderful job, and then
Don Fitzgerald: but so far we it's just the keyboard and the guitar. I think
Don Fitzgerald: we don't want it to be the main attraction we just want it to be.
Don Fitzgerald: you know the accompaniment that makes things, you know, certainly
Don Fitzgerald: more enjoyable and.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: Meaningful so.
Don Fitzgerald: But they're right there on the stage. It's just to the left, I guess.
Jason: Okay, yeah. On the live stream. You you see the the I guess the the praise team. But you you don't see any instruments.
Don Fitzgerald: Yeah, just off to the left.
Steve Awtrey: The stage isn't big enough to get them up there.
Jason: Yeah, yeah, it's a.
Steve Awtrey: It's a stage that was made for Church of Christ.
Steve Awtrey: That's cool.
Don Fitzgerald: It's been updated, though, thanks to Brett.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, it sure has. Yeah.
Steve Awtrey: So, Jason, I have a quick question at University of Tennessee. Do they have a football team?
Jason: I I think they're ranked ahead of Missouri right now.
Don Fitzgerald: Think they are right.
Steve Awtrey: We're ahead of them. But we still none of us have lost the game. But, man, you guys are just
Steve Awtrey: man, you guys are just really doing very well. We're not.
Jason: Yeah. But I've been a Tennessee fan long enough to know that. You know, we're we're gonna we're gonna drop the ball eventually at some point this season.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Jason: So.
Steve Awtrey: Got family in Tennessee, and they
Steve Awtrey: every time I talk to them they they're nuts about the balls, so.
Jason: Yeah, yeah, we're. It's it's a fun time to be a Vols fan.
Steve Awtrey: It sure is. Yes.
Jason: So, yeah, all, all of our major sports are are doing pretty well.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah. The baseball team did very well. Yeah.
Jason: You know, baseball and
Jason: and basketball is always pretty good. So so yeah.
Stephen Walker: Well, I guess we're winding down.
Stephen Walker: we thank you so much, Jason and appreciate your time. And
Stephen Walker: how? How are you feeling about the process?
Jason: Yeah, I I feel good about the process. I've enjoyed getting to talk with all of with all of y'all
Jason: you know. That's
Jason: you know. To to be honest, when dusty 1st mentioned it to me, I was
Jason: I was unsure because I was just like I don't know Missouri. I've never been really been to Missouri.
Jason: I hear their winters are kind of bad, but
Jason: And so you know that that was kind of my
Jason: my understanding. But as as the as I've got to talk with with y'all, I've is really.
Jason: I've enjoyed this this process, and I've enjoyed getting to to know y'all and
Jason: your hearts and your
Jason: just your
Jason: your your vision, for I guess Mcknight crossing and and the church and how how you want what's best for it. And so so that has that has been really really good.
Jason: And and I've enjoyed that. So.
Stephen Walker: So do you see anything we talked about where you feel alignment.
Jason: Alignment as far as.
Stephen Walker: You mentioned vision and you know, we we talked about. I think women's role. I think that's something that maybe is isn't in line with there. But I was wondering, is any other things that, or anything that you see that may be challenging? I'm just either on either side of the
Stephen Walker: spectrum, you see, see something that might be challenging for you, or something that you feel real good about.
Jason: Yeah, I I feel good about your from from my understanding.
Jason: The Church's vision. Of really trying to
Jason: and and this may not be your official vision, but I I think the
Jason: the church is really trying to
Jason: be missional and get outside of its walls. I would say and that is something I'm passionate about. And I think we we really align there and
Jason: and so so yeah, I'm I'm excited about that
Jason: the the challenge.
Jason: the challenges.
Jason: I would say.
Jason: the you know
Jason: I've watched it
Jason: live stream bits and parts of the live stream, and I would say the you know.
Jason: I will say with worship, I'm I'm a little.
Jason: I'm used to a little bit more contemporary stuff, I would say and so that from what I've seen on the live stream.
Jason: but that you know, that's
Jason: you know, that's not a
Jason: big deal. I and then I think a couple of times it has been mentioned that there aren't a a ton of young couples at the church, and so that that could be a challenge as well, but that could also be
Jason: something that
Jason: that could, you know, be something that
Jason: we work together to to try to change. And and so and so, yeah, I think with every challenge is an opportunity as well.
Stephen Walker: Yeah, you. You mentioned something about the worship service, and and see, those are the kind of things that we are very open to examining. You mentioned being a little bit more contemporary, and we really thought we were moving to be that and you know, we, our worship leader actually had an opportunity in Atlanta that was moving us in that direction. So he's not there right now.
Stephen Walker: and so
Jason: I think Dusty had, didn't. He did.
Stephen Walker: So. So those are the kind of things that we want to put on the table and really examine.
Stephen Walker: because we had mentioned that. And this may be related to
Stephen Walker: us be being able to attract younger audiences to the, to the congregation is that might be one of the things that need to think about. And so so what you see now?
Stephen Walker: If the Lord is moving in a different direction where someone like yourself come in and say, I think these are some of the things that will be
Stephen Walker: helpful in in terms of getting us to where we want to be. We're open to listening to all of that, you know. We wanna examine, we wanna be open to that. And so
Stephen Walker: So I just want to put that out there for you right now. And is that because we we are very collaborative in terms of our lead minister and elders? And so that's that's the model that we wanna continue to implement.
Stephen Walker: And and and one of the reasons is because we realized, as I said earlier, is that we have different giftedness. And so we want to make sure that we are. You know not. You know we're we're not. We're the points where we are allowing those giftedness to manifest itself. And so
Stephen Walker: so. But but thank you for sharing that. I really appreciate you, you know, being honest and open about, you know, some of the challenges that you see there, that's
Stephen Walker: you know. But we but we put that on the table that helped us to see kind of where things might be, and where you might, how you might be, seeing your yourself with us.
Jason: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: And Jason, our our winters aren't that bad?
Jason: Okay. No, no, they're not.
Steve Awtrey: Climate change. It's been so much better.
Jason: Well, my my wife is the one you would have to convince. I I grew up in New York. So I'm I'm fine with it. My my wife grew up.
Jason: been in Alabama her whole life, so.
Stephen Walker: Cheers.
Jason: She, she always in the winters here she complains that I moved her to the north.
Stephen Walker: So then here's the.
Steve Awtrey: Question. When Alabama plays Tennessee. Who does she root for.
Jason: Well, she's an auburn fan, so we we both.
Steve Awtrey: Okay, okay, yeah. All right. Yeah.
Jason: Yeah.
Jason: luckily, Auburn and Tennessee don't play too often. So
Jason: hmm.
Jason: say again.
Amy: Well, look, I just want to wrap up here. Mention, Jason, that we will not only be. I'm encouraged by meeting you and appreciate your interest and and transparency, and we want to be the same, and we also want you to know we'll be praying for you, not just our congregation, and we get the right person.
Amy: But for you, and that you'll hear the call, you'll get the clarity whether it's here or at another place, or you know whatever that is, we'll genuinely be praying for you, and and how God is using you as well. We want to make sure you you know that.
Jason: Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you. And I've been I've been praying and and fasting for for y'all as well. So I spent. I spent Monday fasting and praying for for for Mcknight crossing. So so, yeah.
Steve Awtrey: Appreciate that.
Stephen Walker: Thank you. The honor, Jason, of closing us out with a prayer.
Jason: Yeah, yeah, of course. Father, God, we just we. We praise you and and we thank you for
Jason: for loving us. And we thank you for inviting us to
Jason: join. Join in on your kingdom work here here on this earth. Lord,
Jason: I I thank you for the the conversation we had, and
Jason: and we just ask that your your spirit gives us clarity and
Jason: guidance on best steps moving forward. Lord,
Jason: be with all the elders at Mcknight, crossing as they are in this period of transition. And and just give them a extra measure of wisdom.
Jason: A extra measure of clarity
Jason: and a extra measure of of just being able to hear your spirits guidance. Lord.
Jason: be with the Church as they are going through a transition as well.
Jason: That that can always be tough. Be with. Be with those that are
Jason: maybe. Grieving change be with those that are
Jason: struggling right now, and and just
Jason: Fill them with your presence and your comfort and your love. Lord, thank you for our time together, and just getting to know each other a little bit better, and
Jason: and I thank you so much for your son, and I pray all this in his name. Amen.
Stephen Walker: Amen. Thank you.
Jason: Thank you. So
Jason: is there?
Jason: What would be the
Jason: next steps? I guess.
Stephen Walker: Okay, yeah. Good question. So what we will do is actually, once you get off, we're gonna talk a little bit
Stephen Walker: and then we will.
Stephen Walker: we're going to share this video with a couple of the elders that could not make it. And and then we will all weigh in
Stephen Walker: and and then we'll reach back out to you here in the next, probably 5 to 7 days.
Jason: Okay.
Stephen Walker: You know and then you know. Then we'll you know. We'll take it from there.
Jason: Alright! Alright sounds great. Well, I will sign off so you all can talk about me.
Stephen Walker: All good stuff, man, all.
Steve Awtrey: Good. Yeah. Yeah.
Jason: Right.
Stephen Walker: Thank you. Thanks, Jason. God bless you!
Jason: Yep, you too.
Amy: Bye.
Stephen Walker: Alright guys.
Steve Awtrey: Like his evangelistic fervor that he has.
Amy: Yeah, I I get lots of positive
Amy: you know feelings. And talking to him and appreciating his level of maturity that he has I? I thought his
Amy: talking about the primary challenges that churches face, I thought, was pretty good.
Amy: you know, being a post Christian nation needing to be actively evangelistic
Amy: and the culture getting more hostile. I think he's I think he's on the pulse of that
Amy: And
Amy: you know I I,
Amy: during the previous interview that you guys had recorded when he was talking about his success of the ministry, that he's doing he really wrapped a lot of that discussion around prayer, and I.
Stephen Walker: Hmm.
Amy: Yeah, that didn't come out a whole lot this time, but that stuck with me as well.
Amy: And you know he's gonna understand acts. He's gonna understand Cfs with the
Amy: foster child and want to adopt. And I just think there's a lot of good connections there. So I'm I'm impressed.
Don Fitzgerald: Well, I I mean I am, too, I mean, I think
Don Fitzgerald: you know he hits a
Don Fitzgerald: about on all cylinders, you know. I I guess if there was any
Don Fitzgerald: question or reservation, it just being
Don Fitzgerald: experience. But you know he's a young guy. It just hasn't
Don Fitzgerald: had a lot
Don Fitzgerald: I've listened to one of his sermons, and
Don Fitzgerald: I think he does a very nice job, you know, presenting sermon.
Don Fitzgerald: again, I think.
Don Fitzgerald: Pretty, young, pretty, inexperienced, so I think there'll be a lot of maturity there, maybe, in that. But
Don Fitzgerald: I think our immediate needs are gonna be more
Don Fitzgerald: in the relationships within the congregation. And
Don Fitzgerald: and you know, sort of establishing some
Don Fitzgerald: new
Don Fitzgerald: paths, you know, for our members and all that. So I
Don Fitzgerald: I think we've got time for him to to grow and mature, and.
Stephen Walker: It.
Stephen Walker: you know.
Stephen Walker: like what I said.
Don Fitzgerald: See?
Don Fitzgerald: Yeah.
Bret Blackford: Yeah, I feel the same. I I like what I see. And again, I I think in experience.
Bret Blackford: I think his
Bret Blackford: heart, his desire for evangelism and and seeking God's will is, you know.
Bret Blackford: you. You know you'll get experience, you know. It's you just need to build it on that foundation of a real good faith, and and I think he's got a great place to start with. And
Bret Blackford: you know, I I
Bret Blackford: you know hopefully, we can move as quick as you know, he'll allow. I just don't know. You know, we're gonna have to bring his wife along. It seems that
Bret Blackford: have to understand her timeline and and everything else, and and you know what her situation is.
Steve Awtrey: And I feel if he's our guy.
Steve Awtrey: if God leads them to us.
Steve Awtrey: the timing is a little more insignificant. If if they have to wait a few months. We can wait for them.
Amy: Yeah, I was expecting.
Amy: This was a little too early to elaborate too much, but I was expecting, with his wife's Phd. And her, you know the benefits that she gets from the university running through May. And then, as a campus minister, it's kind of a school year thing. And so I was mentally expecting that that was kind of his ideal timing for his family.
Steve Awtrey: Moving.
Amy: In the summer, or, you know.
Amy: late spring, something like that which I don't want to be a deal breaker at this stage. Let's you know, if he's ready to come in and meet us, and everything stays positive, we'll figure out the timing once.
Amy: Once things become obvious, like you, said Steve. If he's our guy.
Amy: Timing is almost secondary within a range.
Steve Awtrey: Right, yeah,
Don Fitzgerald: Yeah. And I think he was probably
Don Fitzgerald: equally
Don Fitzgerald: unsure what to say there, too, I think maybe if if we proactively
Don Fitzgerald: offer that as an option. You might jump at it, you know, if that if it ends up being
Don Fitzgerald: the right fit for everybody.
Don Fitzgerald: because that
Don Fitzgerald: that'll go by just like that, you know.
Stephen Walker: Yep.
Amy: Did I understand that they're going to have an opening at his current congregation in 10 months? Is that the.
Steve Awtrey: Preaching minister there is gonna retire in 10 months.
Amy: Okay. So that lines up with about the next summer.
Amy: too. So all that's gonna come to a head and see. But
Amy: that's a
Amy: it is interesting, he.
Amy: for that's a good example. Where his eyes are wide open, where? Okay, they all apply for the same job. One of them gets it, and if it's him now, he's
Amy: kind of supervising, or has a role over these other
Amy: that have been his peers and that dynamic he's seen. His his eyes are wide open to that as he as he considers that. So I just I just think he's not
Amy: I think he's pretty deliberate and weighs things, and he's thoughtful.
Steve Awtrey: So.
Stephen Walker: Okay.
Stephen Walker: yeah.
Stephen Walker: Well, I think we'll get this out. I'll get this to you, Brett.
Stephen Walker: so you can share it with the other guys.
Bret Blackford: Yeah, give me the the link, and I'll download it, and I'll put it out there for everybody.
Don Fitzgerald: So so you said we could get back to him in 5 to 7 days, so that would be next Thursday.
Don Fitzgerald: By next Thursday, so
Don Fitzgerald: we send it out to these guys.
Don Fitzgerald: If they could look at it between now and Sunday.
Don Fitzgerald: then
Don Fitzgerald: we could take a few minutes Sunday morning, or
Don Fitzgerald: whatever.
Don Fitzgerald: And then maybe
Don Fitzgerald: make next steps then, so that we don't.
Don Fitzgerald: you know. Wait too long to get back to it.
Stephen Walker: Yeah. In the next.
Steve Awtrey: Next step is to tell him we would love to have he and his family come in for a weekend.
Don Fitzgerald: Right.
Steve Awtrey: And so, and I don't think we'd have to have that weekend figured out now. But you know we could just that. That would be the next step, as when Brad.
Don Fitzgerald: Have him give us a couple of dates. Yeah.
Steve Awtrey: Right, yeah.
Amy: And then I want to see some of his sermons. And so, Brad, I know you've sent out some links before.
Amy: Were those basically to that church website? Or was there a better.
Bret Blackford: He has his own website, and if you go to his website it'll have links for sermons that he's given.
Bret Blackford: It's pretty nice. So I've listened to a couple, so it's it's pretty easy to find out there.
Amy: Good.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Amy: All right.
Stephen Walker: Okay. Very good.
Steve Awtrey: So the next step is getting it out to the other 3 guys, and then maybe we can
Steve Awtrey: when when you send that out, Brett. Maybe you could put it. Ask them if they could
Steve Awtrey: watch that before Sunday, and maybe we can.
Steve Awtrey: We can huddle up on Sunday.
Bret Blackford: Yep can do
Bret Blackford: perfect
Bret Blackford: sounds, great.
Stephen Walker: Alright.
Stephen Walker: thank you. Guys. Awesome.
Stephen Walker: Alright! Good night, bye.
Bret Blackford: Everyone.
Amy: Right.
Steve Awtrey: Don see you at 8 in the morning. I'll bring coffee for you, Don.
Don Fitzgerald: Oh, thank you!
Steve Awtrey: I'll get your coffee so alright!
Don Fitzgerald: See ya.
Steve Awtrey: Alright. See? You guys.