My Friend Stephen

Every pastor (or Interim Pastor) needs a deacon like Stephen.  I had him twice.  Not only was he an Attorney but was repeatedly re-elected as a County Judge.  A life-long resident of his home- town, he was a forty-year Sunday School Teacher at his Church.  That’s where I met him.  He was the Chairman of the Deacons.  I was the Interim Pastor.  It was a difficult time in the life of the church.  At the conclusion of a lengthy interim, I said to Stephen, “Well, we made it.”  His response was, “Thanks to your faith.  You trusted God and believed in us.”  My response was. “I couldn’t have done it without your support.”  The second time I was Interim Pastor of that same church, Stephen was the Chairman of the Pastor Search Committee. When the Committee handed me their top ten prospects and asked me to review them, I set one aside.  Stephen asked why and my reply was, “I don’t think you can get him – he lived in a larger city, successful pastor of a larger church, probably had a larger salary, happy where he was.” Stephen said, “I think we can get him”. They got him.  On my last Sunday, I thanked Stephen for his faith – believing in God’s direction and the church’s response. His response was to thank me for my support – when other committee members had questions, I stood with Stephen’s belief that they could get him.  When you can get faith and support together, you usually have a winning team. Last week, in a packed auditorium, we memorialized my friend, Stephen.  At least twice, we were a winning team.