Deer Park, Texas, NSO Workshop # 15

…a relationship that started 47 years ago

I’d never heard of Deer Park, Texas before October 1972. Malcolm Hill was preaching in a meeting in Madisonville, Kentucky, where we lived. He wasn’t feeling well when he arrived on Saturday and became weaker during the week. He was scheduled for a meeting with the Deer Park church the following Sunday. He called and told them he wouldn’t be able to be there and recommended they ask me to come.

I was surprised when they called Thursday morning and asked me to start the meeting Sunday. That started an association spanning nearly five decades. They’ve invited me to return several times since Malcom’s introduction.

Our recent workshop May 3-5 was another encouraging visit for me. The elders and their wives met at the Economic Alliance building in Deer Park. The room size was ideal. They had excellent video equipment with support from helpful staff.

The group was well prepared. They did their homework by reading three books, Creating Biblical Leaders, by Ken Wilson, The Way of the Shepherd, by Kevin Leman and William Pentak, and the workshop book.

We had several videos followed by breakout sessions where the men and women discussed issues concerning them.

Some have asked why we have wives of elders in the workshop. In the midst of listing qualities men need to have to be leaders in the church in 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Paul wrote about qualities of some women associated with these leaders in verse 11.

It’s helpful for wives of leaders to know:

• How to respond to criticism of their husband, themselves, and their children.
• How to deal with people using them to pass messages to their husbands.
• How to reply to requests for information not ready for public distribution (and may never be).
• How to cooperate in decreasing toxic conflict by eliminating gossip in the congregation.
• How to continue to improve their relationship with Jesus and encourage others to do the same.

These Deer Park ladies participated in an enthusiastic way.

Sunday morning the elders shared “mustard seeds” they’d learned over the weekend and were determined to put into practice. Their communication was encouragingly received by the congregation.

It was an honor and joy to be back in Deer Park, Texas to work with these good brethren. They plan to be selecting a new preacher and are considering construction of a new building in the future.

I have time for one more New Shepherds Orientation Workshop in 2019. I could lead one any weekend during November.