What does faithfulness look like?
On April 22, 1973 (coincidentally, my mom’s 38th birthday), I was about a month away from completing my 5th grade year (Mr. Horne’s class) at Gensler Elementary School in Wickett, Texas. All I knew about faithfulness at that point was that I should tell the truth, behave, do my homework and keep my promises. (Mr. Horne was a member of our church, so he saw me six days per week).
On April 22, 1973 something happened in a place I didn’t know about for another 35 years. Will Aston became the pastor of Antelope Baptist Church in Jack County, Texas (between Jacksboro and Wichita Falls).
I became acquainted with Antelope and Will when I started my ministry as Executive Director of Harvest Baptist Association in 2008 because the church was one of 12 churches in Jack County that was a member of HBA at that time.
I didn’t know much about ABC and Will until 2013. We happened to be having an association meeting at First Baptist Jacksboro on April 22 and I had seen on my calendar that it was Will’s 40th anniversary as pastor. I mentioned that fact and congratulated him in front of the gathering. He told me later that—other than his wife—I was the only one who had acknowledged that day.
That made me really sad.
Will also told me that for the first 19 years of his pastorate there, he operated under an “annual call.” That means the church voted EVERY YEAR whether he would remain as their pastor! As someone who spent 20 years as a pastor, I cannot imagine the anxiety of that vote coming up every year and hoping that those who wanted to keep you outnumbered those who were tired of you.
I’m not sure I would have stayed.
But Will stayed.
Because the church was never large enough to provide a full-time salary, he made his living as a school teacher.
When he retired from teaching, he stayed at the church.
Yesterday I attended Antelope Baptist Church and presented Will with a plaque from HBA acknowledging his faithful kingdom service in one church for 50 years.
FIFTY YEARS AS PASTOR OF THE SAME CHURCH!
There were 20 of us gathered at ABC yesterday in that little historic country church. At least 3 of us were guests.
Will, now 77 years old, preached his heart out.
One of my favorite pastor-authors, Eugene Peterson, wrote a book a few years ago entitled A Long Obedience In The Same Direction.
I think my friend Will Aston is an example of that.
A small country church in the middle of nowhere with 20 people present for worship and an average Sunday School attendance of 6. Sometimes they have a piano player and sometimes they don’t. Will leads the singing regardless and preaches the word of God.
Here’s what I know:
God sees, even if no one else does.
Every church matters.
As does the service of every life.
Be amazing in yours today, my friend.
