First Free Blog https://www.firstfreewichita.org Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:06:16 -0500 http://churchplantmedia.com/ Fall 2022 Programs & Events https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/fall-2022-programs-events https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/fall-2022-programs-events#comments Fri, 22 Jul 2022 21:45:00 -0500 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/fall-2022-programs-events Here's your guide to all our programs and events as we head into a new ministry year this fall! Visit our registrations page for all the links to sign up for the events listed below.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES

Meet the Teacher
Sunday, August 7, 10:45 am
Parents, come with your nursery toddler, preschool, and elementary children to meet the teams that will teach your children this year! Families with last names beginning with A-K will start in the Activity Hall at 10:45 for a light breakfast and a brief, but important, parent meeting. Families with last names beginning with L-Z will start in their children’s classrooms to meet teachers. Groups will then switch places at 11:15. Sunday morning classes will resume the following week, August 14.

Please note: There will still be full nursery and preschool classes at 9:00 on August 7, but only infant nursery will be available at 10:45.

Awana
Begins Wednesday, September 7, 6:45-8:15 pm
Awana, our midweek program for kids age 3 through 5th grade, begins in September. Clubs meet weekly to learn more about God, build lasting friendships, and memorize God’s Word together. You can register your kids online or contact Lynette Reimschisel for more information. Learn more about the clubs and costs>>>

Kids Choir
Begins Sunday, September 11, 6-7:15 pm, Shine! Room 202
Kids in 1st through 5th grade are invited to join a choir just for them! They’ll meet weekly for rehearsal and learn all about music and singing together under the direction of Karen Schwertfeger. You can register your kids online.

STUDENT MINISTRIES

Parent Connect
Wednesday, August 24, 6-8:30 pm, Activity Hall
Parents of middle and high school students, you’re invited to a Parent Connect for dinner and an update about what’s coming up in Student Ministries. After the meeting, you will have the opportunity to meet individually with your student’s small group leaders to connect and talk about your student. Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm. Watch your email for a link to sign up for conference time slots online or contact Claire Chapman with any questions.

Student Ministries Fall Kick-Off
Wednesday, September 7
Student Ministries Wednesday evening community groups are kicking off the school year with an evening of fun!

High School Ministry will start with dinner and then enjoy a photo scavenger hunt. They’ll meet at the Outpost from 6:00-8:30 pm. Bring a drink or dessert to share.

Middle School Ministry will enjoy an evening of snacks and games here at the church. They’ll meet in the Middle School Room from 6:45-8:15 pm. Bring a snack or sweet to share.

Sunday morning classes for middle and high school resumes Sunday, August 14, at 9:00.

College Connect Lunch 
Sunday, September 11, 12:30 pm, Wheatly’s Burgers
If you’re college-aged, you’re invited to join us following worship on September 11 for free lunch at Wheatly’s Burgers (NE corner of WSU, 4510 E 19th S N). Come connect with other college students and learn about other ways to connect at First Free! Questions? Contact Pastor Jordan Krahn

ADULT MINISTRIES

Fall Block One Adult Classes
Begin Sunday, August 14
Our Sunday morning classes for adults begin August 14 with a number of new topics. You can find class descriptions on our classes page or at the Welcome Desk!

9:00 Classes: Adults with Special Needs Class; The Book of Mark; Faithful Living in a Strange New World; Kingdom Living; Reading Through Judges and Ruth; Tough Questions from Ecclesiastes  

10:45 Classes: A Closer Look (August 14-28); Enlightening Epitaphs of the Kings and Prophets; Pondering Proverbs

Missions Sharing & Members Meeting
Sunday, August 21, 4 pm Missions Sharing, 6 pm Meeting
Plan on attending our upcoming Members Meeting and come early to hear updates from our short-term missions teams with snacks in between! At the meeting, we’ll be sharing updates on what’s happening at First Free with staff, elder, and financial reports. The missions sharing will be in the Chapel at 4:00, snacks in the Courtyard at 5:00, and the meeting in the Worship Center at 6:00. All are welcome to attend. Childcare is available during the meeting for kids up through 5th grade. Register for childcare online by Monday, August 15.

Wednesday Dinners
Begin Wednesday, September 7, 5:45-6:30 pm, Activity Hall
This fall we’re bringing back dinners before Wednesday evening activities at the church! Meals are $5 per person or $20 max per family. You can pay online or at the meals. There is also an option to pay for the whole semester at one time. Menus coming soon.

Worship Choir
Begins Wednesday, September 7, 6:45-8:15 pm, Choir Rehearsal Hall
Love to sing? Our Worship Choir is starting back up under the direction of Amy Brown and it's open for anyone to join! The choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings during the school year in preparation for singing in Sunday worship services throughout the year.  

Young Adult Connect
Saturday, September 10, 5:30-8:30 pm, The Bridge Church
Several times a year, young adults from the area EFCA churches gather for a chance to connect. Join us at The Bridge Church for our next event on September 11 for games, dinner, worship, and teaching from Pastor Dominick Wong. Please bring a dish to share for our Mexican-themed dinner. The Bridge is located at 2328 E 13th St N.

Navigating Your Finances God’s Way
Begins Sunday, September 11, 7:00 pm, Room B2
We deal with money every single day, and the financial changes that we are living through create extra challenges in dealing with money. Join us for a six-week, Sunday evening class to hear what the Bible has to say about money, personal finances, debt, saving, investing, and generosity. Led by Pastor Ron May and Susie Lavender, this practical class is for any adult, single or married, young or old, in debt or debt-free. Cost is $10 for the workbook and you can register online through September 5.

Women’s Bible Study
Begins Tuesday, September  13
Women’s Bible Study begins our fall session in mid-September, with morning and evening options available. We’ll be using the book Psalms: Finding the Way to Prayer and Praise by Kathleen Nielson. The morning session will spend time in a large group for singing and teaching as well as small groups for discussion and prayer. Evening sessions are available in an intergenerational, small group format meeting in homes. Register online and join us in connecting with other women around God’s Word! Learn More>>>

MISSIONS

ISI Friendship Partner Training
Thursdays, August 25 - September  15, 7-9 pm, Room A6
When new international students arrive in the US, they leave behind family, friends, and most everything familiar. We have the opportunity to fill some of those gaps and share the love of Christ with students. Our missions partner ISI will be leading a four-part training to equip you to be part of their Friendship Partner program and be matched with a student. For more information or to sign up, visit the ISI website.

The Great Giveaway
Drop-off Saturday, August 27, 9 am to noon
The Great Giveaway, a ministry to internationals in the community, is coming up on Sunday, August 28. As a church, we have the opportunity to extend hospitality to students from around the world by donating household items and furniture or by helping put on this event. Learn more about donating or serving>>>

NEXT STEPS

Questions about getting connected at First Free? Contact Pastor Jordan Green.

Pizza with Pastor Josh
Sunday, August 7, 12:15 pm, Library
Attending a new church can be overwhelming, and trying to plug in even more daunting. That’s why we want to invite you to Pizza with Pastor Josh. It’s a casual time to eat pizza, hear Josh’s story, and learn about First Free. Don’t miss this opportunity to see what our community is all about. Also, did we mention free pizza?! Please let us know you’re coming by signing up online.

A Closer Look
Begins Sunday, August 14, 10:45 am, Room B2
Take a closer look at First Free! This 3-week intro class covers our mission—what we do; our methods—how we make disciples; and our message—what we believe. If you’re looking for ways to engage in the life of our community, this is a great next step. Our next session begins August 14. Please let us know you’re coming by signing up online.

Exploring Membership
Sunday, September 18, 5-7:30 pm, Library
We believe membership in a local church is an important part of living as a disciple of Jesus. Whether you are new to First Free or have been around awhile, we invite you to explore membership with us. Join us for a meal and discussion about our mission and beliefs, how we’re organized, and what it means for us to walk together. Childcare is available with registration by Monday, September 12. Please let us know you’re coming by signing up online. 

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Here's your guide to all our programs and events as we head into a new ministry year this fall! Visit our registrations page for all the links to sign up for the events listed below.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES

Meet the Teacher
Sunday, August 7, 10:45 am
Parents, come with your nursery toddler, preschool, and elementary children to meet the teams that will teach your children this year! Families with last names beginning with A-K will start in the Activity Hall at 10:45 for a light breakfast and a brief, but important, parent meeting. Families with last names beginning with L-Z will start in their children’s classrooms to meet teachers. Groups will then switch places at 11:15. Sunday morning classes will resume the following week, August 14.

Please note: There will still be full nursery and preschool classes at 9:00 on August 7, but only infant nursery will be available at 10:45.

Awana
Begins Wednesday, September 7, 6:45-8:15 pm
Awana, our midweek program for kids age 3 through 5th grade, begins in September. Clubs meet weekly to learn more about God, build lasting friendships, and memorize God’s Word together. You can register your kids online or contact Lynette Reimschisel for more information. Learn more about the clubs and costs>>>

Kids Choir
Begins Sunday, September 11, 6-7:15 pm, Shine! Room 202
Kids in 1st through 5th grade are invited to join a choir just for them! They’ll meet weekly for rehearsal and learn all about music and singing together under the direction of Karen Schwertfeger. You can register your kids online.

STUDENT MINISTRIES

Parent Connect
Wednesday, August 24, 6-8:30 pm, Activity Hall
Parents of middle and high school students, you’re invited to a Parent Connect for dinner and an update about what’s coming up in Student Ministries. After the meeting, you will have the opportunity to meet individually with your student’s small group leaders to connect and talk about your student. Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm. Watch your email for a link to sign up for conference time slots online or contact Claire Chapman with any questions.

Student Ministries Fall Kick-Off
Wednesday, September 7
Student Ministries Wednesday evening community groups are kicking off the school year with an evening of fun!

High School Ministry will start with dinner and then enjoy a photo scavenger hunt. They’ll meet at the Outpost from 6:00-8:30 pm. Bring a drink or dessert to share.

Middle School Ministry will enjoy an evening of snacks and games here at the church. They’ll meet in the Middle School Room from 6:45-8:15 pm. Bring a snack or sweet to share.

Sunday morning classes for middle and high school resumes Sunday, August 14, at 9:00.

College Connect Lunch 
Sunday, September 11, 12:30 pm, Wheatly’s Burgers
If you’re college-aged, you’re invited to join us following worship on September 11 for free lunch at Wheatly’s Burgers (NE corner of WSU, 4510 E 19th S N). Come connect with other college students and learn about other ways to connect at First Free! Questions? Contact Pastor Jordan Krahn

ADULT MINISTRIES

Fall Block One Adult Classes
Begin Sunday, August 14
Our Sunday morning classes for adults begin August 14 with a number of new topics. You can find class descriptions on our classes page or at the Welcome Desk!

9:00 Classes: Adults with Special Needs Class; The Book of Mark; Faithful Living in a Strange New World; Kingdom Living; Reading Through Judges and Ruth; Tough Questions from Ecclesiastes  

10:45 Classes: A Closer Look (August 14-28); Enlightening Epitaphs of the Kings and Prophets; Pondering Proverbs

Missions Sharing & Members Meeting
Sunday, August 21, 4 pm Missions Sharing, 6 pm Meeting
Plan on attending our upcoming Members Meeting and come early to hear updates from our short-term missions teams with snacks in between! At the meeting, we’ll be sharing updates on what’s happening at First Free with staff, elder, and financial reports. The missions sharing will be in the Chapel at 4:00, snacks in the Courtyard at 5:00, and the meeting in the Worship Center at 6:00. All are welcome to attend. Childcare is available during the meeting for kids up through 5th grade. Register for childcare online by Monday, August 15.

Wednesday Dinners
Begin Wednesday, September 7, 5:45-6:30 pm, Activity Hall
This fall we’re bringing back dinners before Wednesday evening activities at the church! Meals are $5 per person or $20 max per family. You can pay online or at the meals. There is also an option to pay for the whole semester at one time. Menus coming soon.

Worship Choir
Begins Wednesday, September 7, 6:45-8:15 pm, Choir Rehearsal Hall
Love to sing? Our Worship Choir is starting back up under the direction of Amy Brown and it's open for anyone to join! The choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings during the school year in preparation for singing in Sunday worship services throughout the year.  

Young Adult Connect
Saturday, September 10, 5:30-8:30 pm, The Bridge Church
Several times a year, young adults from the area EFCA churches gather for a chance to connect. Join us at The Bridge Church for our next event on September 11 for games, dinner, worship, and teaching from Pastor Dominick Wong. Please bring a dish to share for our Mexican-themed dinner. The Bridge is located at 2328 E 13th St N.

Navigating Your Finances God’s Way
Begins Sunday, September 11, 7:00 pm, Room B2
We deal with money every single day, and the financial changes that we are living through create extra challenges in dealing with money. Join us for a six-week, Sunday evening class to hear what the Bible has to say about money, personal finances, debt, saving, investing, and generosity. Led by Pastor Ron May and Susie Lavender, this practical class is for any adult, single or married, young or old, in debt or debt-free. Cost is $10 for the workbook and you can register online through September 5.

Women’s Bible Study
Begins Tuesday, September  13
Women’s Bible Study begins our fall session in mid-September, with morning and evening options available. We’ll be using the book Psalms: Finding the Way to Prayer and Praise by Kathleen Nielson. The morning session will spend time in a large group for singing and teaching as well as small groups for discussion and prayer. Evening sessions are available in an intergenerational, small group format meeting in homes. Register online and join us in connecting with other women around God’s Word! Learn More>>>

MISSIONS

ISI Friendship Partner Training
Thursdays, August 25 - September  15, 7-9 pm, Room A6
When new international students arrive in the US, they leave behind family, friends, and most everything familiar. We have the opportunity to fill some of those gaps and share the love of Christ with students. Our missions partner ISI will be leading a four-part training to equip you to be part of their Friendship Partner program and be matched with a student. For more information or to sign up, visit the ISI website.

The Great Giveaway
Drop-off Saturday, August 27, 9 am to noon
The Great Giveaway, a ministry to internationals in the community, is coming up on Sunday, August 28. As a church, we have the opportunity to extend hospitality to students from around the world by donating household items and furniture or by helping put on this event. Learn more about donating or serving>>>

NEXT STEPS

Questions about getting connected at First Free? Contact Pastor Jordan Green.

Pizza with Pastor Josh
Sunday, August 7, 12:15 pm, Library
Attending a new church can be overwhelming, and trying to plug in even more daunting. That’s why we want to invite you to Pizza with Pastor Josh. It’s a casual time to eat pizza, hear Josh’s story, and learn about First Free. Don’t miss this opportunity to see what our community is all about. Also, did we mention free pizza?! Please let us know you’re coming by signing up online.

A Closer Look
Begins Sunday, August 14, 10:45 am, Room B2
Take a closer look at First Free! This 3-week intro class covers our mission—what we do; our methods—how we make disciples; and our message—what we believe. If you’re looking for ways to engage in the life of our community, this is a great next step. Our next session begins August 14. Please let us know you’re coming by signing up online.

Exploring Membership
Sunday, September 18, 5-7:30 pm, Library
We believe membership in a local church is an important part of living as a disciple of Jesus. Whether you are new to First Free or have been around awhile, we invite you to explore membership with us. Join us for a meal and discussion about our mission and beliefs, how we’re organized, and what it means for us to walk together. Childcare is available with registration by Monday, September 12. Please let us know you’re coming by signing up online. 

]]>
Getting to Know the Elders: Joe Woodward https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-joe-woodward https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-joe-woodward#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:39:00 -0500 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-joe-woodward Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Joe Woodward.

Joe2022

Tell us a little bit about your life growing up.
I am so thankful to have grown up here in Wichita attending First Free since I was a kid. I hit the jackpot with godly parents, teachers, friends, and pastors. I’ve had plenty of ups and downs in life, but have been surrounded by loving Christians to encourage me to follow Jesus every step of the way.

I came to faith at a young age through the ministry of my parents and church. My parents are first generation Christians. My mom came to faith through a door-to-door outreach ministry of the local church in her neighborhood. My dad came to faith during his time as a student at West High. They have been about the Great Commission as long as I can remember. They are both others-focused and super generous with time and everything they have. I had the blessing of attending a Christian school because my dad took the late-night janitor shift to pay my tuition. After graduating from Sunrise, I went to business school at Wichita State and then started working at Koch Industries where I’ve been the past ten years.

How has First Free shaped you?
I benefited from First Free’s disciple-making from the very beginning. I’ve been blessed with many mentors who are great examples of what it means to follow Jesus: Dave Netherton and John Cannata were my small group leaders in middle school and high school; Jeremy Krause and Scott Stringfield mentored me as an adult; Josh Black was my youth pastor senior year; Jeremy Krause in the college ministry. They gave me a clear target. Jeremy would say, “main man (Jesus Christ), main message (the Gospel) main mission (make disciples).” Pastor Josh’s introduction of a “functioning Gospel” (Mike Bullmore’s Gospel Circles) was a game changer for me.

How did you meet Andrea, your wife?
We met in high school as counselors at Kids Great Getaway at Quaker Haven. I was drawn to the way that she loved kids and the way they loved her. She was fun, full of joy, and of course beautiful. Her love for Jesus and other people impressed me. We started dating seriously in college and got married at First Free after I graduated. Jeremy Krause was the pastor who married us in 2013.

Life has its ups and downs, but marriage has been such a joy. A huge thing that has helped our relationship is that we have a shared vision for where we want to go and what we want to be about (family, Great Commission, local church, using vocation to make disciples, etc). One big blessing was growing up in the same church with similar discipleship influences. We also try to read many of the same books/podcasts which shape our thinking in a big way. We obviously have different skill sets and temperaments, but we both came into the marriage with the mindset of deferring to one another and “outdoing one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12) despite having different roles as husband and wife. When we’re at our best it’s what we do, and when we’re not we try to show each other grace. We also goof off quite a bit and try to keep things fun as much as possible. We’ll go to Christian hip hop concerts and jam out and enjoy running together, playing board games, and watching epic movies where the good guys always win.

You’re a new dad, too, right? What’s that been like?
We struggled with infertility for a couple years which was very difficult. We then started the adoption process which has been wonderful. We had always pictured that as a possibility because Jeremy and Brooke Krause were so influential in our lives and they adopted three kids. We met a really sweet birth family who has been wonderful. We got to be there at the hospital and all the doctor’s appointments. The church was so helpful in all that. Josh did the adoption ceremony.

To be honest, I had low expectations for both marriage and parenting. Thinking, “It’s something you should do, but it’s hard.” But marriage has been the best thing ever and made life better in so many ways. Parenting has been the same way, but twice as fun because it’s the joy of marriage and parenting put together. It’s the most fun thing in our life.

When did you become an elder? What has that been like?
I became an elder in 2021. I thought you had to be older to be an elder, so I was a little uncomfortable with my age and had to work through that, but I trusted the elders who asked me to join the team that they knew what they were doing and gladly said yes.

I’ve learned that being an elder is a big responsibility when approached from a biblical perspective. It feels like an impossible job, to really shepherd people well at a church our size, but it’s no less impossible than other commands in the Bible like loving your wife the way Christ loved the church. There’s a weight of being accountable for someone’s soul (Heb. 13:17). The same responsibility you’d feel for your biological sister is the same way you’d feel for your spiritual sister. Everyone understands that you have a responsibility to make sure your physical family is doing okay; it’s at least at that level of responsibility for our church family, if not higher.

I used to think elders were “A-team” Christians, but see that we are still sheep in need of God’s grace just like every other mature believer. According to Ephesians 4, the role of shepherding is more like that of an assistant coach, helping to equip the saints (the real A-team) for the work of ministry. Being behind the scenes has really made me appreciate the elders and pastors even more. Sometimes going behind the scenes has the opposite effect, but not here.

As an elder, what exhortation or encouragement do you have for First Free?
In every conflict, remember who the real enemy is (sin, satan, death). For Christian unity, focus on gospel essentials and know what things are of second or third importance.

Christ’s call to the church is high and more urgent than ever. Every member of the body is indispensable (1 Cor. 12), so let’s be fully engaged in what matters. Every hour wasted on video games, Netflix, and cable news is an hour that could be used for the mission of God. Have good rhythms of work and rest, but cut out as much waste as possible.

]]>
Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Joe Woodward.

Joe2022

Tell us a little bit about your life growing up.
I am so thankful to have grown up here in Wichita attending First Free since I was a kid. I hit the jackpot with godly parents, teachers, friends, and pastors. I’ve had plenty of ups and downs in life, but have been surrounded by loving Christians to encourage me to follow Jesus every step of the way.

I came to faith at a young age through the ministry of my parents and church. My parents are first generation Christians. My mom came to faith through a door-to-door outreach ministry of the local church in her neighborhood. My dad came to faith during his time as a student at West High. They have been about the Great Commission as long as I can remember. They are both others-focused and super generous with time and everything they have. I had the blessing of attending a Christian school because my dad took the late-night janitor shift to pay my tuition. After graduating from Sunrise, I went to business school at Wichita State and then started working at Koch Industries where I’ve been the past ten years.

How has First Free shaped you?
I benefited from First Free’s disciple-making from the very beginning. I’ve been blessed with many mentors who are great examples of what it means to follow Jesus: Dave Netherton and John Cannata were my small group leaders in middle school and high school; Jeremy Krause and Scott Stringfield mentored me as an adult; Josh Black was my youth pastor senior year; Jeremy Krause in the college ministry. They gave me a clear target. Jeremy would say, “main man (Jesus Christ), main message (the Gospel) main mission (make disciples).” Pastor Josh’s introduction of a “functioning Gospel” (Mike Bullmore’s Gospel Circles) was a game changer for me.

How did you meet Andrea, your wife?
We met in high school as counselors at Kids Great Getaway at Quaker Haven. I was drawn to the way that she loved kids and the way they loved her. She was fun, full of joy, and of course beautiful. Her love for Jesus and other people impressed me. We started dating seriously in college and got married at First Free after I graduated. Jeremy Krause was the pastor who married us in 2013.

Life has its ups and downs, but marriage has been such a joy. A huge thing that has helped our relationship is that we have a shared vision for where we want to go and what we want to be about (family, Great Commission, local church, using vocation to make disciples, etc). One big blessing was growing up in the same church with similar discipleship influences. We also try to read many of the same books/podcasts which shape our thinking in a big way. We obviously have different skill sets and temperaments, but we both came into the marriage with the mindset of deferring to one another and “outdoing one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12) despite having different roles as husband and wife. When we’re at our best it’s what we do, and when we’re not we try to show each other grace. We also goof off quite a bit and try to keep things fun as much as possible. We’ll go to Christian hip hop concerts and jam out and enjoy running together, playing board games, and watching epic movies where the good guys always win.

You’re a new dad, too, right? What’s that been like?
We struggled with infertility for a couple years which was very difficult. We then started the adoption process which has been wonderful. We had always pictured that as a possibility because Jeremy and Brooke Krause were so influential in our lives and they adopted three kids. We met a really sweet birth family who has been wonderful. We got to be there at the hospital and all the doctor’s appointments. The church was so helpful in all that. Josh did the adoption ceremony.

To be honest, I had low expectations for both marriage and parenting. Thinking, “It’s something you should do, but it’s hard.” But marriage has been the best thing ever and made life better in so many ways. Parenting has been the same way, but twice as fun because it’s the joy of marriage and parenting put together. It’s the most fun thing in our life.

When did you become an elder? What has that been like?
I became an elder in 2021. I thought you had to be older to be an elder, so I was a little uncomfortable with my age and had to work through that, but I trusted the elders who asked me to join the team that they knew what they were doing and gladly said yes.

I’ve learned that being an elder is a big responsibility when approached from a biblical perspective. It feels like an impossible job, to really shepherd people well at a church our size, but it’s no less impossible than other commands in the Bible like loving your wife the way Christ loved the church. There’s a weight of being accountable for someone’s soul (Heb. 13:17). The same responsibility you’d feel for your biological sister is the same way you’d feel for your spiritual sister. Everyone understands that you have a responsibility to make sure your physical family is doing okay; it’s at least at that level of responsibility for our church family, if not higher.

I used to think elders were “A-team” Christians, but see that we are still sheep in need of God’s grace just like every other mature believer. According to Ephesians 4, the role of shepherding is more like that of an assistant coach, helping to equip the saints (the real A-team) for the work of ministry. Being behind the scenes has really made me appreciate the elders and pastors even more. Sometimes going behind the scenes has the opposite effect, but not here.

As an elder, what exhortation or encouragement do you have for First Free?
In every conflict, remember who the real enemy is (sin, satan, death). For Christian unity, focus on gospel essentials and know what things are of second or third importance.

Christ’s call to the church is high and more urgent than ever. Every member of the body is indispensable (1 Cor. 12), so let’s be fully engaged in what matters. Every hour wasted on video games, Netflix, and cable news is an hour that could be used for the mission of God. Have good rhythms of work and rest, but cut out as much waste as possible.

]]>
Getting to Know the Elders: Jeff S https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-jeff-s https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-jeff-s#comments Fri, 18 Mar 2022 16:36:00 -0500 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-jeff-s Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Jeff S.

Jeff2022

Tell us a little bit about yourself. What brought you to First Free?
I was born and raised here in Wichita. I went to Bethel College on a basketball scholarship and that’s where I met Sue. We married the summer after I graduated and moved to Topeka where I attended law school. After graduating in 1987, we came back to Wichita, and I joined my father’s law firm while Sue worked hard raising and managing our family. I eventually took over first chair and practiced law for twenty years. I am now a District Court judge. I was elected to my fourth four-year term in November 2020. While having served in the Family Law, Civil, Juvenile and Traffic departments, I have spent most of my judicial career in the Criminal department, where I am currently serving.

When Sue and I returned to Wichita, my mother encouraged us to check out First Free. She knew of the church’s reputation for a commitment to God’s Word, and how important that foundation is for a young couple. It did not take long for us to integrate into this new church family. We have been members here since 1988.

Tell us a little bit about your family.
My job brings with it certain concerns which require me to skip this section in an online setting. It is not because I value privacy over transparency. I will simply “plead the fifth” here, with the invitation to contact me privately and I will happily share this most important part of my life and story.

How did you come to faith in Jesus Christ?
I was raised in a Christian family. We attended a small neighborhood church that was an extension of our home and where I was first exposed to God’s Word. I really don’t remember a time I didn’t believe in Jesus. My early spiritual life was marked by regular prayers of confession and rededication, motived as much by the fear of hell as it was by the love of Jesus. I did respond to an altar call at a Christian basketball camp in the ninth grade. Even then, I went forward as much to support a friend as I did for myself. But I meant every word I prayed that evening.

My “sign behind the barn” (where I take Satan when he causes doubt in my faith) was my junior year in high school when I was baptized by my older brother who recently graduated from Fuller Seminary. It was then, before my family and my childhood church, that I publicly professed Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. By that time, I had a much better understanding of my sin, the fractured relationship my sin had caused with God, and the grace that was mine in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. I understood I was God’s adopted child—an heir and beneficiary of his unmerited favor. I was born again!

How has First Free impacted your life?
First Free has been the ministry portal in using and exercising my gifts, resources, and energy toward growing the grace of the gospel in my life, our family, and in the life of others. In other words, when I think ministry, I first think First Free.

First Free has been the biblical and cultural center of life as Sue and I raised our family. It has been where we have experienced the deepest joy and the most profound sorrow with our church family. It is the place where, with the help of friends, we raised our family. First Free is the place Sue and I learned and grew in God’s Word. It is the place I learned to teach and even on occasion, to preach God’s Word.

How long have you served as an elder? What’s that been like?
This is my eleventh year as an elder. I have been church chairman for one year and elder chairman for nine of those years. As with so many things, being an elder is both a blessing and burden. It is rare that I don’t leave an elder meeting feeling inspired and challenged to live up to the godly standard exhibited by the men I serve with. This church has such a rich heritage of godly leaders. It is humbling. The burden comes from continually entering the pain and brokenness of individuals, couples, and families in our church. Carrying other’s burdens just gets heavy at times.

As an elder, what words of encouragement or exhortation do you have for First Free?
It has become clear to me just how important and necessary the witness of the local church is to its surrounding community. In their devotion to fellowship, teaching, and prayer, unified with one heart and soul, God added believers to the early church every day. The effect the first church had on the watching world was incredible as they practiced koinonia by gathering, eating, providing for, and growing together. As they loved and cared for each other, the world could not help but notice. These early Christians demonstrated the gospel in such a way that their preaching of the gospel had a transforming effect on their community at large. Simply stated, when the world saw the early church, they saw Jesus (Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-37). May that be so of First Free! 

How can we as a church be praying for you personally? For the Elder Board?
For both myself and the elders, that we would aspire daily to live lives above reproach. That we would love our wives as Christ loved the church. That we would find our true position of strength on our knees. And that we would be relentless in our efforts to know our people, and to be known by them.

]]>
Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Jeff S.

Jeff2022

Tell us a little bit about yourself. What brought you to First Free?
I was born and raised here in Wichita. I went to Bethel College on a basketball scholarship and that’s where I met Sue. We married the summer after I graduated and moved to Topeka where I attended law school. After graduating in 1987, we came back to Wichita, and I joined my father’s law firm while Sue worked hard raising and managing our family. I eventually took over first chair and practiced law for twenty years. I am now a District Court judge. I was elected to my fourth four-year term in November 2020. While having served in the Family Law, Civil, Juvenile and Traffic departments, I have spent most of my judicial career in the Criminal department, where I am currently serving.

When Sue and I returned to Wichita, my mother encouraged us to check out First Free. She knew of the church’s reputation for a commitment to God’s Word, and how important that foundation is for a young couple. It did not take long for us to integrate into this new church family. We have been members here since 1988.

Tell us a little bit about your family.
My job brings with it certain concerns which require me to skip this section in an online setting. It is not because I value privacy over transparency. I will simply “plead the fifth” here, with the invitation to contact me privately and I will happily share this most important part of my life and story.

How did you come to faith in Jesus Christ?
I was raised in a Christian family. We attended a small neighborhood church that was an extension of our home and where I was first exposed to God’s Word. I really don’t remember a time I didn’t believe in Jesus. My early spiritual life was marked by regular prayers of confession and rededication, motived as much by the fear of hell as it was by the love of Jesus. I did respond to an altar call at a Christian basketball camp in the ninth grade. Even then, I went forward as much to support a friend as I did for myself. But I meant every word I prayed that evening.

My “sign behind the barn” (where I take Satan when he causes doubt in my faith) was my junior year in high school when I was baptized by my older brother who recently graduated from Fuller Seminary. It was then, before my family and my childhood church, that I publicly professed Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. By that time, I had a much better understanding of my sin, the fractured relationship my sin had caused with God, and the grace that was mine in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. I understood I was God’s adopted child—an heir and beneficiary of his unmerited favor. I was born again!

How has First Free impacted your life?
First Free has been the ministry portal in using and exercising my gifts, resources, and energy toward growing the grace of the gospel in my life, our family, and in the life of others. In other words, when I think ministry, I first think First Free.

First Free has been the biblical and cultural center of life as Sue and I raised our family. It has been where we have experienced the deepest joy and the most profound sorrow with our church family. It is the place where, with the help of friends, we raised our family. First Free is the place Sue and I learned and grew in God’s Word. It is the place I learned to teach and even on occasion, to preach God’s Word.

How long have you served as an elder? What’s that been like?
This is my eleventh year as an elder. I have been church chairman for one year and elder chairman for nine of those years. As with so many things, being an elder is both a blessing and burden. It is rare that I don’t leave an elder meeting feeling inspired and challenged to live up to the godly standard exhibited by the men I serve with. This church has such a rich heritage of godly leaders. It is humbling. The burden comes from continually entering the pain and brokenness of individuals, couples, and families in our church. Carrying other’s burdens just gets heavy at times.

As an elder, what words of encouragement or exhortation do you have for First Free?
It has become clear to me just how important and necessary the witness of the local church is to its surrounding community. In their devotion to fellowship, teaching, and prayer, unified with one heart and soul, God added believers to the early church every day. The effect the first church had on the watching world was incredible as they practiced koinonia by gathering, eating, providing for, and growing together. As they loved and cared for each other, the world could not help but notice. These early Christians demonstrated the gospel in such a way that their preaching of the gospel had a transforming effect on their community at large. Simply stated, when the world saw the early church, they saw Jesus (Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-37). May that be so of First Free! 

How can we as a church be praying for you personally? For the Elder Board?
For both myself and the elders, that we would aspire daily to live lives above reproach. That we would love our wives as Christ loved the church. That we would find our true position of strength on our knees. And that we would be relentless in our efforts to know our people, and to be known by them.

]]>
Getting to Know the Elders: Scott Stringfield https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-scott-stringfield https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-scott-stringfield#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2022 22:33:00 -0600 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders:-scott-stringfield Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Scott Stringfield.

Scott2022

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born into a military family in Taiwan while my father was stationed there as the primary US Army military advisor to Chiang Kai-Shek. My parents met during WWII when my father was in the liberating forces of General Patton in Naples, Italy, where my mother was born and raised.   

Growing up in the military we moved every year from base to base until late junior high, when we eventually ended up in Kansas. I’m the youngest of four kids with two older brothers who do not profess faith in Christ and an older sister who does profess faith in Christ. 

How did you come to know Christ?
I was raised an Italian Catholic, steeped in religion—regular church attendance along with all the liturgy and requirements of the Catholic religion (catechism, first communion, faithful and regular confession, the rosary, and always obeying the teachings of the church). I had no choice but to go to church; but once I went to college, I abandoned that in my independence and pursued academics, partying, sports, and my career path believing those would make me happy. Eventually I found those pursuits empty and unfulfilling. During my third year at K-State, I reconnected with a student who shared the gospel outside of the student union between classes. I was intrigued by his message, but more by his courage to speak about something he truly believed in spite of the cost. I struck up a conversation with him, and we started meeting together regularly, and eventually he shared the gospel with me. I told him in response that I had had enough of religion, to which he replied, "I am not talking about religion, but a relationship with Jesus," and this intrigued me. He encouraged me to read the Book of John and ask myself, “Who does Jesus say that he is?” I had heard gospel passages every week in church but had never really understood them. Jesus was different from what I had understood, and he was calling people to something different. Confused, I decided to go and meet with my priest to ask him about these new ideas I had discovered in the Bible. He told me to stop reading the Bible on my own and rely upon him to interpret spiritual ideas, which did not seem to ring true to me in that he seemed threatened that I would be reading and understanding the truth of the Bible on my own. 

Later, with my friend in a burger joint in Manhattan and people all around, he asked me if I wanted to come to Christ. In that crowded, fast food hangout I invited Jesus into my life to save me from my sins. College was a time of significant spiritual growth. I was involved in several parachurch organizations, and they prepared me for the highly secular and challenging environment of medical school where science and reason were all that seemed of value with many whom I met and was taught by. 

How did you meet Kerry, your wife?
I was finishing up med school and my sister and her best friend set us up on a blind date. During our first conversation she told me, "I don’t want to marry a doctor," but I guess the Lord had other plans. She was an RN by training and had known many physicians in her work and did not want to be a doctor's wife. She was beautiful and attractive inside and out in character, spiritual depth, and maturity, and our goals in life were similar toward missions. 

What brought you to Wichita? 
After my residency I was a small-town family doctor for eight years in Lyons, Kansas (population 3,500). When the doors to missions never seemed to open, I discovered an opportunity at the Family Medicine Residency training program in Wichita, and it fit me like a glove in terms of my interests, passions, and trajectory. 

This job has given me the opportunity to influence the lives of patients, residents, and medical students about the issues that really matter—eternal destiny and living for Christ.  Although Kerry and I never made it to the mission field abroad, we found our satisfaction and life's work among this community and this facet of medical education and influence. That is my passion: using my time, talent, resources, and influence for the things that truly matter.

How did you end up at First Free?
When we came to town, I thought it would be easy to find a church and we ended up at East Free, being a smaller and seemingly more comfortable church, but then migrated to Metro East Baptist Church after a few years. Our kids participated in Awana and we had many acquaintances at First Free, and with our kids feeling most at home with First Free’s youth program with Josh as their youth pastor, we eventually settled down at First Free about ten years ago.

When did you become an elder?
I had been asked by other churches in the past to be an elder, but felt that I wasn’t spiritually mature enough and didn’t feel called. But about three and a half years ago while spending many hours reading, meditating, and praying in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus something was stirring within me, which perhaps was the Lord's call to this work. After discussing with Kerry the work, responsibility, and the timing of this opportunity with where I was spiritually we believed that it was the right time. God had given me peace about that. 

What have been some of the joys and challenges of being an elder?
I have been so very impressed by the health of this body during my time as an elder, as well as the outstanding and innovative pastoral leadership that First Free has had over the years. It is such a joy to meet so many believers who truly want to grow in Christ and participate in the Great Commission. 

Some of the challenges are knowing the congregation better and also being known better as elders and leaders in the church. The Elder Board has been focused on four primary ideas that govern our role as elders in this church—to lead, feed, protect, and know. Although I believe we do a great job of leading, feeding, and protecting, alas, the knowing part is a much more difficult area for me, and also I think for others in this body. I believe that it is because it requires a transparency and vulnerability that for many of those who are older in Christ, becomes more difficult due to a subtle drift towards insulation among a small group of friends, which eventually results in an isolation from others, and perhaps also a complacency in our relationship with the Lord to engage new people in fellowship and accountability. 

How will we know the church better? We want to first set an example for that, for you cannot impart what you do not possess and also model to others. Elders are not made of "super-dust" while the rest of the congregation is made from common dust, and we as elders have the same struggles and sins that everyone faces (1 Cor. 10:13), but also the added responsibility and heaviness of the spiritual condition of the church, the responsibility of the training of the local body, and the awesome challenge of representing the Lord well and honoring him in all that we do in the church and in the world. Sometimes this weight is hard to bear, and so I would encourage the local body to pray for us that God would be glorified in our words, work, example, and leadership as elders.

]]>
Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Scott Stringfield.

Scott2022

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born into a military family in Taiwan while my father was stationed there as the primary US Army military advisor to Chiang Kai-Shek. My parents met during WWII when my father was in the liberating forces of General Patton in Naples, Italy, where my mother was born and raised.   

Growing up in the military we moved every year from base to base until late junior high, when we eventually ended up in Kansas. I’m the youngest of four kids with two older brothers who do not profess faith in Christ and an older sister who does profess faith in Christ. 

How did you come to know Christ?
I was raised an Italian Catholic, steeped in religion—regular church attendance along with all the liturgy and requirements of the Catholic religion (catechism, first communion, faithful and regular confession, the rosary, and always obeying the teachings of the church). I had no choice but to go to church; but once I went to college, I abandoned that in my independence and pursued academics, partying, sports, and my career path believing those would make me happy. Eventually I found those pursuits empty and unfulfilling. During my third year at K-State, I reconnected with a student who shared the gospel outside of the student union between classes. I was intrigued by his message, but more by his courage to speak about something he truly believed in spite of the cost. I struck up a conversation with him, and we started meeting together regularly, and eventually he shared the gospel with me. I told him in response that I had had enough of religion, to which he replied, "I am not talking about religion, but a relationship with Jesus," and this intrigued me. He encouraged me to read the Book of John and ask myself, “Who does Jesus say that he is?” I had heard gospel passages every week in church but had never really understood them. Jesus was different from what I had understood, and he was calling people to something different. Confused, I decided to go and meet with my priest to ask him about these new ideas I had discovered in the Bible. He told me to stop reading the Bible on my own and rely upon him to interpret spiritual ideas, which did not seem to ring true to me in that he seemed threatened that I would be reading and understanding the truth of the Bible on my own. 

Later, with my friend in a burger joint in Manhattan and people all around, he asked me if I wanted to come to Christ. In that crowded, fast food hangout I invited Jesus into my life to save me from my sins. College was a time of significant spiritual growth. I was involved in several parachurch organizations, and they prepared me for the highly secular and challenging environment of medical school where science and reason were all that seemed of value with many whom I met and was taught by. 

How did you meet Kerry, your wife?
I was finishing up med school and my sister and her best friend set us up on a blind date. During our first conversation she told me, "I don’t want to marry a doctor," but I guess the Lord had other plans. She was an RN by training and had known many physicians in her work and did not want to be a doctor's wife. She was beautiful and attractive inside and out in character, spiritual depth, and maturity, and our goals in life were similar toward missions. 

What brought you to Wichita? 
After my residency I was a small-town family doctor for eight years in Lyons, Kansas (population 3,500). When the doors to missions never seemed to open, I discovered an opportunity at the Family Medicine Residency training program in Wichita, and it fit me like a glove in terms of my interests, passions, and trajectory. 

This job has given me the opportunity to influence the lives of patients, residents, and medical students about the issues that really matter—eternal destiny and living for Christ.  Although Kerry and I never made it to the mission field abroad, we found our satisfaction and life's work among this community and this facet of medical education and influence. That is my passion: using my time, talent, resources, and influence for the things that truly matter.

How did you end up at First Free?
When we came to town, I thought it would be easy to find a church and we ended up at East Free, being a smaller and seemingly more comfortable church, but then migrated to Metro East Baptist Church after a few years. Our kids participated in Awana and we had many acquaintances at First Free, and with our kids feeling most at home with First Free’s youth program with Josh as their youth pastor, we eventually settled down at First Free about ten years ago.

When did you become an elder?
I had been asked by other churches in the past to be an elder, but felt that I wasn’t spiritually mature enough and didn’t feel called. But about three and a half years ago while spending many hours reading, meditating, and praying in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus something was stirring within me, which perhaps was the Lord's call to this work. After discussing with Kerry the work, responsibility, and the timing of this opportunity with where I was spiritually we believed that it was the right time. God had given me peace about that. 

What have been some of the joys and challenges of being an elder?
I have been so very impressed by the health of this body during my time as an elder, as well as the outstanding and innovative pastoral leadership that First Free has had over the years. It is such a joy to meet so many believers who truly want to grow in Christ and participate in the Great Commission. 

Some of the challenges are knowing the congregation better and also being known better as elders and leaders in the church. The Elder Board has been focused on four primary ideas that govern our role as elders in this church—to lead, feed, protect, and know. Although I believe we do a great job of leading, feeding, and protecting, alas, the knowing part is a much more difficult area for me, and also I think for others in this body. I believe that it is because it requires a transparency and vulnerability that for many of those who are older in Christ, becomes more difficult due to a subtle drift towards insulation among a small group of friends, which eventually results in an isolation from others, and perhaps also a complacency in our relationship with the Lord to engage new people in fellowship and accountability. 

How will we know the church better? We want to first set an example for that, for you cannot impart what you do not possess and also model to others. Elders are not made of "super-dust" while the rest of the congregation is made from common dust, and we as elders have the same struggles and sins that everyone faces (1 Cor. 10:13), but also the added responsibility and heaviness of the spiritual condition of the church, the responsibility of the training of the local body, and the awesome challenge of representing the Lord well and honoring him in all that we do in the church and in the world. Sometimes this weight is hard to bear, and so I would encourage the local body to pray for us that God would be glorified in our words, work, example, and leadership as elders.

]]>
Getting to Know the Elders: Steve Schatzman https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-steve-schatzman https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-steve-schatzman#comments Fri, 28 Jan 2022 14:00:00 -0600 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-steve-schatzman Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Steve Schatzman.

Steve2022

Tell us a little about yourself and where you grew up.
I was born in Austin, Texas, and am the youngest of four boys. My father was in the Army and I had moved six times by the age of nine. I call Albuquerque, New Mexico, my hometown and graduated college from the University of New Mexico. I met my wife, Daina, in college, and we married in 1993. We have two adult girls and a son-in-law: Molly, a freshman at John Brown University, and Emma who is married to Everett. I work at Textron Aviation as the General Manager of the Wichita Service Center.

So what brought you to faith in Christ?
I was raised in a religious home, but was uninterested in spiritual things.  At a young age I struggled with self-worth and fitting in, perhaps not unlike most kids during the awkward stages of growing up. I found drugs and alcohol gave me the sense of confidence I was searching for … at least temporarily.  I continued to abuse drugs and alcohol through middle and high school and became very isolated and depressed.  My life hit bottom on May 23, 1986, when I attempted suicide.

I finally admitted I had a drug and alcohol problem and entered a drug treatment program. During treatment I had to complete the second step which states a person, “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” My counselor said I needed to pick a higher power and trust that higher power for my recovery. I asked my counselor, “What higher power I should pick?” to which he replied, “Whatever higher power you want. Some people pick the God of the Bible, or Buddha, or the AA meeting they attend.” He said, “If I were you, I would list on a sheet of paper the kind of characteristics you want your god to have and trust those characteristics.” So, off I went to work on my second step, listing on a piece of paper the character traits of my higher power. I realized how crazy it was, at the age of 16, to create my own list of character traits of the god I was to trust to keep me sober. What if I changed my mind?  I needed something more reliable, something not based on my own ideas. Three years prior, my older brother shared the gospel with me. Recalling this conversation, I decided to trust the God of the Bible. When I had questions, I could always turn to the Bible for answers. I returned to my counselor the following week and communicated I wanted to trust the God of the Bible as my higher power. While I had very little theological knowledge, I knew I needed God in my life, I was a sinner unable to stay off drugs or alcohol on my own, and if I continued my current path I would likely die.   

How did you end up at First Free?
Daina and I were on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) and moved to Wichita in 1996 to help start the ministry at Wichita State.  We were looking for a good church and were referred to First Free. Tom Macy was one of the first people we met in Wichita. We visited the church and enjoyed the teaching. A huge influence to getting involved at First Free was the relationships we made in a young married Sunday School class comprised of about twenty-five couples all in the same life stage. We connected well and supported one another.

When did you become an elder?
I became an elder five years ago. I was humbled to be asked to be an elder and it is a privilege to have the responsibility to help provide direction for our church. 

Do you have any words of encouragement or exhortation for First Free?
Find someone you can be open and honest with about your struggles, failures, and where you see God working. We do a good job putting up a façade that all is well in life. Having people I can be real with has been instrumental in my personal growth and walk with the Lord. I’ve come to learn that other people can’t hold someone accountable, and we need to seek out relationships where we hold ourselves accountable to others. These relationships have proven to be mutually beneficial and a blessing in my life.

]]>
Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Steve Schatzman.

Steve2022

Tell us a little about yourself and where you grew up.
I was born in Austin, Texas, and am the youngest of four boys. My father was in the Army and I had moved six times by the age of nine. I call Albuquerque, New Mexico, my hometown and graduated college from the University of New Mexico. I met my wife, Daina, in college, and we married in 1993. We have two adult girls and a son-in-law: Molly, a freshman at John Brown University, and Emma who is married to Everett. I work at Textron Aviation as the General Manager of the Wichita Service Center.

So what brought you to faith in Christ?
I was raised in a religious home, but was uninterested in spiritual things.  At a young age I struggled with self-worth and fitting in, perhaps not unlike most kids during the awkward stages of growing up. I found drugs and alcohol gave me the sense of confidence I was searching for … at least temporarily.  I continued to abuse drugs and alcohol through middle and high school and became very isolated and depressed.  My life hit bottom on May 23, 1986, when I attempted suicide.

I finally admitted I had a drug and alcohol problem and entered a drug treatment program. During treatment I had to complete the second step which states a person, “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” My counselor said I needed to pick a higher power and trust that higher power for my recovery. I asked my counselor, “What higher power I should pick?” to which he replied, “Whatever higher power you want. Some people pick the God of the Bible, or Buddha, or the AA meeting they attend.” He said, “If I were you, I would list on a sheet of paper the kind of characteristics you want your god to have and trust those characteristics.” So, off I went to work on my second step, listing on a piece of paper the character traits of my higher power. I realized how crazy it was, at the age of 16, to create my own list of character traits of the god I was to trust to keep me sober. What if I changed my mind?  I needed something more reliable, something not based on my own ideas. Three years prior, my older brother shared the gospel with me. Recalling this conversation, I decided to trust the God of the Bible. When I had questions, I could always turn to the Bible for answers. I returned to my counselor the following week and communicated I wanted to trust the God of the Bible as my higher power. While I had very little theological knowledge, I knew I needed God in my life, I was a sinner unable to stay off drugs or alcohol on my own, and if I continued my current path I would likely die.   

How did you end up at First Free?
Daina and I were on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) and moved to Wichita in 1996 to help start the ministry at Wichita State.  We were looking for a good church and were referred to First Free. Tom Macy was one of the first people we met in Wichita. We visited the church and enjoyed the teaching. A huge influence to getting involved at First Free was the relationships we made in a young married Sunday School class comprised of about twenty-five couples all in the same life stage. We connected well and supported one another.

When did you become an elder?
I became an elder five years ago. I was humbled to be asked to be an elder and it is a privilege to have the responsibility to help provide direction for our church. 

Do you have any words of encouragement or exhortation for First Free?
Find someone you can be open and honest with about your struggles, failures, and where you see God working. We do a good job putting up a façade that all is well in life. Having people I can be real with has been instrumental in my personal growth and walk with the Lord. I’ve come to learn that other people can’t hold someone accountable, and we need to seek out relationships where we hold ourselves accountable to others. These relationships have proven to be mutually beneficial and a blessing in my life.

]]>
Making Progress: Resources for the Word and Prayer https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/making-progress https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/making-progress#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2022 13:00:00 -0600 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/making-progress I’ve been encouraged by the feedback we have received so far about our current sermon series, Rooted: Pursuing the Means of Grace. Many of you seem motivated to put the Word and prayer to work in your life so that God can do his work in you of making you more like our Savior. As I promised on Sunday, below you will find a number of resources to help you make progress in applying my three recommendations for praying the Bible. Additionally, I’d like to reiterate the resources I recommended in my weekly email on Friday for hearing the Word. The recommendations will follow the six applications I listed in the two sermons.

In the sermon on the Bible I encouraged you to hear the Word in three domains of life:

  1. Hear the Word in church on Sundays. For help with this application I recommend Listen Up! A Practical Guide to Listening to Sermons by Christopher Ash. We give out this little booklet to people in our Closer Look class. It gives practical guidance for hearing the Word preached.
  2. Hear the Word in your home.  For starters you may try Family Worship: In the Bible, In History, and In Your Home by Donald Whitney. Our Children’s Ministry Team has given this book to families in the past. Here you’ll find some bite-size steps for hearing the Word in your home: reading, praying, and singing with your family. And if you’d like to teach doctrine to your children, I recommend The New City Catechism and The New City Catechism Devotional by The Gospel Coalition. This question and answer format is a great way to engage your children with basic doctrine (and learn for yourself too).
  3. Hear the Word in your personal Bible reading. The best Bible reading plan I’ve found is contained in For the Love of God (in two volumes) by D.A. Carson. These books lay out Robert Murray M’Cheyene’s classic Bible reading plan and give clear and concise commentary and application on one of the four readings for the day. You can access this same plan with the readings and commentary on The Gospel Coalition website.

In the sermon on prayer I encouraged you pray the Bible and suggested three strategies:

  1. Pray the Psalms. Donald Whitney has written a book called Praying the Bible. It’s a great start. It covers praying all of the Bible, but specifically contains help on praying the Psalms as well. For the Psalms specifically, you may like Ben Patterson’s book, God’s Prayer Book. It not only teaches you how to pray the Psalms, it gives a guide to the specific psalms in the Psalter. You may also find Tim Keller’s book on Psalms helpful: The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms. Or for a theology of praying the Psalms, I’ve found the following helpful: Eugene Peterson’s Answering God and Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible.
  2. Pray the Lord’s Prayer. There are many books on the Lord’s Prayer. I’d recommend Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ classic Studies in the Sermon on the Mount and Don Carson’s Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World. There are also very helpful tips for praying the Lord’s Prayer in Tim Keller’s book Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God.
  3. Pray Paul’s Letters. If you want a guide to praying Paul’s prayers, there’s no better guide than Don Carson. Check out his book Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation. I’ve not met anyone who’s read this book that didn’t say it was a game changer for them.

If you’d like more recommendations, I’m happy to give more. Just email me! But this should give you some ideas and get you started.

Grace to you,
Pastor Josh

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I’ve been encouraged by the feedback we have received so far about our current sermon series, Rooted: Pursuing the Means of Grace. Many of you seem motivated to put the Word and prayer to work in your life so that God can do his work in you of making you more like our Savior. As I promised on Sunday, below you will find a number of resources to help you make progress in applying my three recommendations for praying the Bible. Additionally, I’d like to reiterate the resources I recommended in my weekly email on Friday for hearing the Word. The recommendations will follow the six applications I listed in the two sermons.

In the sermon on the Bible I encouraged you to hear the Word in three domains of life:

  1. Hear the Word in church on Sundays. For help with this application I recommend Listen Up! A Practical Guide to Listening to Sermons by Christopher Ash. We give out this little booklet to people in our Closer Look class. It gives practical guidance for hearing the Word preached.
  2. Hear the Word in your home.  For starters you may try Family Worship: In the Bible, In History, and In Your Home by Donald Whitney. Our Children’s Ministry Team has given this book to families in the past. Here you’ll find some bite-size steps for hearing the Word in your home: reading, praying, and singing with your family. And if you’d like to teach doctrine to your children, I recommend The New City Catechism and The New City Catechism Devotional by The Gospel Coalition. This question and answer format is a great way to engage your children with basic doctrine (and learn for yourself too).
  3. Hear the Word in your personal Bible reading. The best Bible reading plan I’ve found is contained in For the Love of God (in two volumes) by D.A. Carson. These books lay out Robert Murray M’Cheyene’s classic Bible reading plan and give clear and concise commentary and application on one of the four readings for the day. You can access this same plan with the readings and commentary on The Gospel Coalition website.

In the sermon on prayer I encouraged you pray the Bible and suggested three strategies:

  1. Pray the Psalms. Donald Whitney has written a book called Praying the Bible. It’s a great start. It covers praying all of the Bible, but specifically contains help on praying the Psalms as well. For the Psalms specifically, you may like Ben Patterson’s book, God’s Prayer Book. It not only teaches you how to pray the Psalms, it gives a guide to the specific psalms in the Psalter. You may also find Tim Keller’s book on Psalms helpful: The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms. Or for a theology of praying the Psalms, I’ve found the following helpful: Eugene Peterson’s Answering God and Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible.
  2. Pray the Lord’s Prayer. There are many books on the Lord’s Prayer. I’d recommend Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ classic Studies in the Sermon on the Mount and Don Carson’s Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World. There are also very helpful tips for praying the Lord’s Prayer in Tim Keller’s book Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God.
  3. Pray Paul’s Letters. If you want a guide to praying Paul’s prayers, there’s no better guide than Don Carson. Check out his book Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation. I’ve not met anyone who’s read this book that didn’t say it was a game changer for them.

If you’d like more recommendations, I’m happy to give more. Just email me! But this should give you some ideas and get you started.

Grace to you,
Pastor Josh

]]>
Getting to Know the Elders: Jonny Rector https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-jonny-rector https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-jonny-rector#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2021 17:00:00 -0600 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-jonny-rector Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Jonny Rector.

Jonny2021

Tell us a little bit about your family and what you do for a living.
Since we moved to Wichita, God gave us four daughters (Noa, 11; Naomi, 8; Abigail and Eleanor, 4). I am a product manager for a tax software company (Wolters Kluwer) where I lead several teams of developers to make desktop and mobile apps for tax and accounting professionals. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, listening to music, geeking out about fountain pens, and getting beaten by friends and family at various board games.

How did you end up in Wichita?
I met my wife, Michal, at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO. We were married in 2007 and moved to Wichita so she could attend graduate school at WSU. We didn’t have plans to stick around after she graduated, but because we liked the church and community so much, we just never left!

How did you come to faith in Jesus Christ?
 I was raised the son of a Southern Baptist minister, so from an early age I learned about Jesus both at home and at church. I came to faith in elementary school, but didn’t see tremendous growth in my walk with God until later in life. God placed several individuals in my path in high school and college that encouraged my faith to grow deeper as I began to understand that God had a desire to transform my morals, my actions, and my thinking as well. This all coincided with an intellectual awakening that I had where God impressed on me the importance of the life of the mind in Christian discipleship.

What role has First Free played in your life?
This church has been hugely instrumental in my walk with the Lord. The intellectual awakening that I experienced in college has been fanned into flame through classes like Mike Andrus’ “How to Study Your Bible” that Michal and I attended early on, as well as Josh Black’s sharing the Simeon Trust materials as well. Being encouraged to teach adult Sunday school classes, I quickly found my ministry niche and would actually count teaching among the hobbies I mentioned earlier! First Free definitely provides many opportunities for learning and discipleship, which are intimately connected.

How long have you served as an elder? What’s that been like?
 I’ve been an elder at First Free for almost a two years. It’s been a joy to serve alongside other men who care deeply for the body and desire to encourage the mission of our church. I have learned a lot about what it practically means to be a shepherd of God’s flock as well as the organizational/strategic thinking that goes into leading a larger church such as ours. I’m looking forward to learning much more!

As an elder, how would you like to encourage and exhort First Free?
One of the important aspects of being an elder is simply knowing the people in the body. Although we have quite a few elders and ministry staff at First Free, sometimes it is difficult to know what is happening at a ground level. I think this is a challenge for most people, not just elders, so I would encourage everyone to get outside their comfort zone and reach out to people around them on Sunday mornings and get to know new people. As the feeling of belonging and community increases corporately, this would actually make it easier for elders in their call to know the flow. Though we may not know everyone at First Free, we may know “someone who knows someone.”

How can we as a church be praying for you personally?  For the Elder Board?
Following up with the encouragement to the church at large, my desire and prayer request would be to lead by example in this regard. I’m not a natural extrovert, and so it’s easy to strike up conversations only with the people I know on Sunday mornings. If I and the other elders took greater initiative to extend the hand of fellowship to more strangers, it might go a long way in encouraging the sense of belonging and community.

]]>
Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Jonny Rector.

Jonny2021

Tell us a little bit about your family and what you do for a living.
Since we moved to Wichita, God gave us four daughters (Noa, 11; Naomi, 8; Abigail and Eleanor, 4). I am a product manager for a tax software company (Wolters Kluwer) where I lead several teams of developers to make desktop and mobile apps for tax and accounting professionals. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, listening to music, geeking out about fountain pens, and getting beaten by friends and family at various board games.

How did you end up in Wichita?
I met my wife, Michal, at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO. We were married in 2007 and moved to Wichita so she could attend graduate school at WSU. We didn’t have plans to stick around after she graduated, but because we liked the church and community so much, we just never left!

How did you come to faith in Jesus Christ?
 I was raised the son of a Southern Baptist minister, so from an early age I learned about Jesus both at home and at church. I came to faith in elementary school, but didn’t see tremendous growth in my walk with God until later in life. God placed several individuals in my path in high school and college that encouraged my faith to grow deeper as I began to understand that God had a desire to transform my morals, my actions, and my thinking as well. This all coincided with an intellectual awakening that I had where God impressed on me the importance of the life of the mind in Christian discipleship.

What role has First Free played in your life?
This church has been hugely instrumental in my walk with the Lord. The intellectual awakening that I experienced in college has been fanned into flame through classes like Mike Andrus’ “How to Study Your Bible” that Michal and I attended early on, as well as Josh Black’s sharing the Simeon Trust materials as well. Being encouraged to teach adult Sunday school classes, I quickly found my ministry niche and would actually count teaching among the hobbies I mentioned earlier! First Free definitely provides many opportunities for learning and discipleship, which are intimately connected.

How long have you served as an elder? What’s that been like?
 I’ve been an elder at First Free for almost a two years. It’s been a joy to serve alongside other men who care deeply for the body and desire to encourage the mission of our church. I have learned a lot about what it practically means to be a shepherd of God’s flock as well as the organizational/strategic thinking that goes into leading a larger church such as ours. I’m looking forward to learning much more!

As an elder, how would you like to encourage and exhort First Free?
One of the important aspects of being an elder is simply knowing the people in the body. Although we have quite a few elders and ministry staff at First Free, sometimes it is difficult to know what is happening at a ground level. I think this is a challenge for most people, not just elders, so I would encourage everyone to get outside their comfort zone and reach out to people around them on Sunday mornings and get to know new people. As the feeling of belonging and community increases corporately, this would actually make it easier for elders in their call to know the flow. Though we may not know everyone at First Free, we may know “someone who knows someone.”

How can we as a church be praying for you personally?  For the Elder Board?
Following up with the encouragement to the church at large, my desire and prayer request would be to lead by example in this regard. I’m not a natural extrovert, and so it’s easy to strike up conversations only with the people I know on Sunday mornings. If I and the other elders took greater initiative to extend the hand of fellowship to more strangers, it might go a long way in encouraging the sense of belonging and community.

]]>
Renew 20-21 Update https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/renew-20-21-Dec-update https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/renew-20-21-Dec-update#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2021 17:00:00 -0600 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/renew-20-21-Dec-update One month down! We’re excited with the progress happening as Conco and their team are hard at work. Below are a few snapshots from right before construction as well as what some of those spaces look like now during the current demolition and remodel.

We are also at a point in construction where we can have a window installed in the temporary wall by the elevator. Make sure to stop and take a peek at the ongoing construction. Again, thank you for all your support and excitement as this project continues to move ahead!

12-3 Prep1.JPEG

12-3 Prep2.JPEG

12-3 Office
The two pictures above are both looking toward the office from the area just outside the chapel. 

12-3 From Gym
Looking from the gym doors at what used to be Room D6 and the bathrooms. 

12-3 Steeple 

]]>
One month down! We’re excited with the progress happening as Conco and their team are hard at work. Below are a few snapshots from right before construction as well as what some of those spaces look like now during the current demolition and remodel.

We are also at a point in construction where we can have a window installed in the temporary wall by the elevator. Make sure to stop and take a peek at the ongoing construction. Again, thank you for all your support and excitement as this project continues to move ahead!

12-3 Prep1.JPEG

12-3 Prep2.JPEG

12-3 Office
The two pictures above are both looking toward the office from the area just outside the chapel. 

12-3 From Gym
Looking from the gym doors at what used to be Room D6 and the bathrooms. 

12-3 Steeple 

]]>
Getting to Know the Elders: Dave Netherton https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-dave-netherton https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-dave-netherton#comments Fri, 19 Nov 2021 16:00:00 -0600 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-dave-netherton Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Dave Netherton.

Cary2021

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up? What brought you to Wichita and First Free?
I grew up in St. Louis. I went to college and medical school in Columbia, Missouri. Came to Wichita after graduation for residency at Wesley Medical Center. Fay & I had been members of a Free Church while in school so we were familiar with the denomination and style of service. We were also connected through my faculty supervisor, Dave Miller. We were quickly welcomed into the Newly Married class and soon became part of the church family.

Tell us a little bit about your family, and what you do for a living.
Fay & I have been married forty-one years. We have four grown sons who are all married, and seven grandchildren. I just finished up a forty-year career in Family Medicine, retiring August 1. Fay is a nurse by training, has homeschooled, loves to mentor younger women, and has a certification in Biblical Counseling. She is also on the board of McAdams Academy, an alternative school for expelled and foster students. We love to travel, encourage people in their walk with God, spend time with family, and try to make things grow in our gardens!

How did you come to faith in Jesus Christ?
I was raised going to church two to three times a week, but our church was quite liberal theologically. However, through what Scripture we did read and hymns we sang, God began to build a foundation of faith. I was baptized at age eleven, genuinely professing what belief I had. In high school I became more aware of how far I fell short of God’s standard for living, and found that trying harder didn’t work. At a youth conference the summer before my senior year I admitted my sinfulness and surrendered my life to Jesus. While in college I became involved with the Navigators where I learned how to walk with God, how to study the Bible, the joy of abiding in Christ, and sharing that joy with others.

How has First Free impacted your life?
First Free was where we learned how to apply what we learned in a campus setting to “real life.” We met so many godly people who loved the Lord and had a desire to help others do the same. Through adult classes, small groups, and couple-to-couple and one-on-one relationships, we grew in our understanding and love of the gospel and the Word. The Holy Spirit used so many parts to help us grow!

When we had children, they took part in children’s classes and Awana, and later in youth group where other adults encouraged them to grow and own their faith in ways that complimented our parenting. Now, our grandchildren are experiencing the same thing!

How long have you served as an elder? What’s that been like?
I have been privileged to serve several terms on the Elder Board over the past twenty or so years. It’s an honor to serve with other men who take their walk with God seriously and desire to be faithful shepherds of God’s flock. At times the duties are quite heavy, and other times we celebrate the work of God in the lives of his people.

As an elder, what words of encouragement or exhortation do you have for First Free?
John 15 comes to mind. I think as I’ve grown older and wiser in my walk, I’ve really seen how critical it is that we abide in the vine as believers. Without Jesus we really can do nothing. I think an outgrowth of that is John 13:34-35—that our love for one another is also critical, but that can only come as an outgrowth of abiding in the vine.

How can we as a church be praying for you personally? For the Elder Board?
In general, I believe the Elder Board would value prayer based on the qualifications of an elder in 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

Personally, please pray that my love for Jesus would grow deep and wide, that our marriage would reflect the love of God to others, that we would impart godly wisdom to our children and grandchildren, and for God’s calling for this next season of our lives.

As an Elder Board, unity is a big issue. Maintaining unity in the faith as a board. That our own marriages and walk with God would be a firm foundation. That we would seek to follow him with our whole heart. And that we would be better able to engage with people in the body of Christ.

]]>
Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Dave Netherton.

Cary2021

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up? What brought you to Wichita and First Free?
I grew up in St. Louis. I went to college and medical school in Columbia, Missouri. Came to Wichita after graduation for residency at Wesley Medical Center. Fay & I had been members of a Free Church while in school so we were familiar with the denomination and style of service. We were also connected through my faculty supervisor, Dave Miller. We were quickly welcomed into the Newly Married class and soon became part of the church family.

Tell us a little bit about your family, and what you do for a living.
Fay & I have been married forty-one years. We have four grown sons who are all married, and seven grandchildren. I just finished up a forty-year career in Family Medicine, retiring August 1. Fay is a nurse by training, has homeschooled, loves to mentor younger women, and has a certification in Biblical Counseling. She is also on the board of McAdams Academy, an alternative school for expelled and foster students. We love to travel, encourage people in their walk with God, spend time with family, and try to make things grow in our gardens!

How did you come to faith in Jesus Christ?
I was raised going to church two to three times a week, but our church was quite liberal theologically. However, through what Scripture we did read and hymns we sang, God began to build a foundation of faith. I was baptized at age eleven, genuinely professing what belief I had. In high school I became more aware of how far I fell short of God’s standard for living, and found that trying harder didn’t work. At a youth conference the summer before my senior year I admitted my sinfulness and surrendered my life to Jesus. While in college I became involved with the Navigators where I learned how to walk with God, how to study the Bible, the joy of abiding in Christ, and sharing that joy with others.

How has First Free impacted your life?
First Free was where we learned how to apply what we learned in a campus setting to “real life.” We met so many godly people who loved the Lord and had a desire to help others do the same. Through adult classes, small groups, and couple-to-couple and one-on-one relationships, we grew in our understanding and love of the gospel and the Word. The Holy Spirit used so many parts to help us grow!

When we had children, they took part in children’s classes and Awana, and later in youth group where other adults encouraged them to grow and own their faith in ways that complimented our parenting. Now, our grandchildren are experiencing the same thing!

How long have you served as an elder? What’s that been like?
I have been privileged to serve several terms on the Elder Board over the past twenty or so years. It’s an honor to serve with other men who take their walk with God seriously and desire to be faithful shepherds of God’s flock. At times the duties are quite heavy, and other times we celebrate the work of God in the lives of his people.

As an elder, what words of encouragement or exhortation do you have for First Free?
John 15 comes to mind. I think as I’ve grown older and wiser in my walk, I’ve really seen how critical it is that we abide in the vine as believers. Without Jesus we really can do nothing. I think an outgrowth of that is John 13:34-35—that our love for one another is also critical, but that can only come as an outgrowth of abiding in the vine.

How can we as a church be praying for you personally? For the Elder Board?
In general, I believe the Elder Board would value prayer based on the qualifications of an elder in 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

Personally, please pray that my love for Jesus would grow deep and wide, that our marriage would reflect the love of God to others, that we would impart godly wisdom to our children and grandchildren, and for God’s calling for this next season of our lives.

As an Elder Board, unity is a big issue. Maintaining unity in the faith as a board. That our own marriages and walk with God would be a firm foundation. That we would seek to follow him with our whole heart. And that we would be better able to engage with people in the body of Christ.

]]>
Getting to Know the Elders: Cary Lavender https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-cary-lavender https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-cary-lavender#comments Fri, 22 Oct 2021 16:00:00 -0500 https://www.firstfreewichita.org/blog/post/getting-to-know-the-elders-cary-lavender Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Cary Lavender.

Cary2021
We’d love to get to know a little bit about your story. Tell us about your early life.
Wichita’s been my home most all of my life. I grew up here, went to school here, worked here, and now I’m retired here. Growing up, my parents would take my sisters and I to church, although at first only my mother was truly a believer. So I’d had exposure to Christianity since grade school. Mentally, I think I knew the gospel. I’d heard it numerous times. During altar calls I’d just sit there and never really went up, partly out of pride, and partly because I assumed I was a Christian. I mean, I went to church. In junior high and high school I got out of going to church altogether, although even then I remember one of my uncles who had become a Christian would try and evangelize me whenever he’d come and visit.

How did you come to faith in Christ?
During high school I got into drugs. A friend and I tried selling drugs and we got arrested and ended up in jail. It was actually in jail that I prayed to receive the Lord. Looking back that was a real turning point, although it took a little bit longer before it really became apparent. Coming out of jail I fell back into drugs, although not as heavily as before. By this point my whole family had become Christians and started pressing me to really commit my life to Christ. 

It took a couple years before I realized I should really pursue Christ, which is when I decided I ought to get baptized. My pastor interviewed me and was willing to baptize me that very next Sunday. The week before my baptism I was still smoking pot, but with the baptism coming up I was convicted to not walk two roads at once. I got rid of everything and said, “God I’m going to have to trust you to help me quit.” And there’s no way to explain what happened next except that it was a miraculous change. After my baptism all desire to do drugs left. That was April 1977. I was 21 years old.

I struggled some with assurance after that. I was talking to someone in the church and they told me that the Christian life is not an easy life. You’re taking up your cross and following him. I didn’t believe him at the time, but I found it to be true as God started to work on me through the church.

How did you end up at First Free?
I started attending around 1980. Mike Andrus was the pastor then. I began attending with a friend of mine and stayed because of the teaching. The depth really appealed to me. There were people my age here who were serious about growing in their faith. And there were also older believers like Wink and Lynn Nolte, Ed and Elaine Booker, Clyde and Donna Bogner, Dennis Finley, all of whom just poured into my life and discipled me. It wasn’t long before I got involved in a variety of ways: running sound for worship services, singing in the choir, some short-term missions trips, teaching in the singles class and then the Homebuilders class.

How did you and your wife Susie meet?
I met Susie in the church well before we started dating but it was really in 2011 that we started to hit it off. Her husband had passed away that year and my father had died the year before. We both attended Phil Thengvall’s grief class and I got to know her a bit through that and then even better on the Israel trip in December of 2011. We started dating after the trip. One thing led to another. I proposed in February and we got married in July of 2012. We’ll be married nine years this July. It’s been very good. Susie cares deeply about people and I tend to live life in my head, so she’s really been able to help me be more social and engage with non-Christian friends.

When did you join the elder board, and what’s it been like?
I was asked in 2019 to consider becoming an elder. I’d thought about it before, but I didn’t want to just jump in before giving it good consideration. I spoke with guys like Dave Netherton, Jeff Syrios, Wink Nolte, and other previous elders about it. After much thought and prayer, I said yes.

I have deep respect for the men on the Elder Board. Seeing their care for the body, their love for Christ, and how they each bring unique strengths and perspectives that complement each other in guiding the church. When I first joined the board Wink Nolte told me that I was going to see all the dirt in the church and that I was going to have to wrestle with that. Loving the flock is messy and I’m frequently running across my own limitations in shepherding God’s flock. But you get to see a lot of the good, too. You get to hear about the people at First Free who are out there evangelizing and caring about their neighbors. You get to help people learn more about God. You get to play a part in growing people’s faith, seeing the church flourish, seeing lives changed. There’s a joyful side to it all.

How would you like to encourage and exhort First Free?
As far as exhortation, I’d want the people of First Free to know that the elders care about this body. In Hebrews it talks about submitting to those who are over you because they care for you. We care about you. We don’t want you to go down this or that road because it’s going to mess up your life and hurt your walk with the Lord. We’re serving as elders because we love you. And when we address things in your life it’s because we care about you. 

As far as encouragement, I’d want First Free to know that we have a good church. It’s not a perfect church, but it’s a healthy church. God is really at work in our body and in our lives. He is drawing people to himself and calling people into his kingdom.

]]>
Here at First Free we believe God has given the church elders, men who have been chosen by God to know, lead, feed, and protect his flock. Over the next year, we’d like to help you get to know our elders better through an in-depth interview with one of our elders each month. This month we’re talking to Cary Lavender.

Cary2021
We’d love to get to know a little bit about your story. Tell us about your early life.
Wichita’s been my home most all of my life. I grew up here, went to school here, worked here, and now I’m retired here. Growing up, my parents would take my sisters and I to church, although at first only my mother was truly a believer. So I’d had exposure to Christianity since grade school. Mentally, I think I knew the gospel. I’d heard it numerous times. During altar calls I’d just sit there and never really went up, partly out of pride, and partly because I assumed I was a Christian. I mean, I went to church. In junior high and high school I got out of going to church altogether, although even then I remember one of my uncles who had become a Christian would try and evangelize me whenever he’d come and visit.

How did you come to faith in Christ?
During high school I got into drugs. A friend and I tried selling drugs and we got arrested and ended up in jail. It was actually in jail that I prayed to receive the Lord. Looking back that was a real turning point, although it took a little bit longer before it really became apparent. Coming out of jail I fell back into drugs, although not as heavily as before. By this point my whole family had become Christians and started pressing me to really commit my life to Christ. 

It took a couple years before I realized I should really pursue Christ, which is when I decided I ought to get baptized. My pastor interviewed me and was willing to baptize me that very next Sunday. The week before my baptism I was still smoking pot, but with the baptism coming up I was convicted to not walk two roads at once. I got rid of everything and said, “God I’m going to have to trust you to help me quit.” And there’s no way to explain what happened next except that it was a miraculous change. After my baptism all desire to do drugs left. That was April 1977. I was 21 years old.

I struggled some with assurance after that. I was talking to someone in the church and they told me that the Christian life is not an easy life. You’re taking up your cross and following him. I didn’t believe him at the time, but I found it to be true as God started to work on me through the church.

How did you end up at First Free?
I started attending around 1980. Mike Andrus was the pastor then. I began attending with a friend of mine and stayed because of the teaching. The depth really appealed to me. There were people my age here who were serious about growing in their faith. And there were also older believers like Wink and Lynn Nolte, Ed and Elaine Booker, Clyde and Donna Bogner, Dennis Finley, all of whom just poured into my life and discipled me. It wasn’t long before I got involved in a variety of ways: running sound for worship services, singing in the choir, some short-term missions trips, teaching in the singles class and then the Homebuilders class.

How did you and your wife Susie meet?
I met Susie in the church well before we started dating but it was really in 2011 that we started to hit it off. Her husband had passed away that year and my father had died the year before. We both attended Phil Thengvall’s grief class and I got to know her a bit through that and then even better on the Israel trip in December of 2011. We started dating after the trip. One thing led to another. I proposed in February and we got married in July of 2012. We’ll be married nine years this July. It’s been very good. Susie cares deeply about people and I tend to live life in my head, so she’s really been able to help me be more social and engage with non-Christian friends.

When did you join the elder board, and what’s it been like?
I was asked in 2019 to consider becoming an elder. I’d thought about it before, but I didn’t want to just jump in before giving it good consideration. I spoke with guys like Dave Netherton, Jeff Syrios, Wink Nolte, and other previous elders about it. After much thought and prayer, I said yes.

I have deep respect for the men on the Elder Board. Seeing their care for the body, their love for Christ, and how they each bring unique strengths and perspectives that complement each other in guiding the church. When I first joined the board Wink Nolte told me that I was going to see all the dirt in the church and that I was going to have to wrestle with that. Loving the flock is messy and I’m frequently running across my own limitations in shepherding God’s flock. But you get to see a lot of the good, too. You get to hear about the people at First Free who are out there evangelizing and caring about their neighbors. You get to help people learn more about God. You get to play a part in growing people’s faith, seeing the church flourish, seeing lives changed. There’s a joyful side to it all.

How would you like to encourage and exhort First Free?
As far as exhortation, I’d want the people of First Free to know that the elders care about this body. In Hebrews it talks about submitting to those who are over you because they care for you. We care about you. We don’t want you to go down this or that road because it’s going to mess up your life and hurt your walk with the Lord. We’re serving as elders because we love you. And when we address things in your life it’s because we care about you. 

As far as encouragement, I’d want First Free to know that we have a good church. It’s not a perfect church, but it’s a healthy church. God is really at work in our body and in our lives. He is drawing people to himself and calling people into his kingdom.

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