The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 77, No. 10, Ed. 1, Wednesday, September 28, 1988 Page: 3 of 6
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Optimist
Features
Volume 77 Number 10 Page 3
Wednesday September 20 1988
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Name: Hillcrest 19th and Clinton Southern Hills 16th and Vine
Address: 650 East Ambler 19th and Clinton 3666 Buffalo Gap 1610 Vine
Minister: Terry Bell No paid minister RickAtchley Terry Greene
Sun. Morning: 8:3010:30 10 9 10
Bible Class: 9:30 None 10:30 9
Sun. Evening: 6 6:30 6 6 "
Wed. Evening: 7 7 7
Membership: 1.100 50 1335 200
ACU Students- 300 5 40 50
Strenath' ' "involvement of students "closeness of the family "excellent planning that "friendliness and welcom-
' and loving kindness of the and complete participa- includes the involvement ing attitude shown to
people." tion." of every person." newcomers."
Name: MintcrLane Central North 5th and Grape Minda Street
Address: 2502Minter 910 Cypress 433 Grape 855 Minda
Minister: Vacant BobConnel Mike Vestal Tony Roach
Sun. Morning: 9 10:30 10:30 10:30
Bible Class: 10:30 9:30 9:30 9:15
Sun. Evening: 6 6 6 6
Wed. Evening: 7 7:30 7 7
Membership: 300 150 230 120
ACU Students: 50 50 25 25
Strength: "freedom to grow in your "friendliness of the pec- "never a lack of Bible "true-to-the-Bible
own way." pie'." teaching; a caring group" preaching."
Name: Woodlawn Hamby South 14th & Oak North 1 0th &Trcadaway
Address: 3185N. 10th Route 1 ' 1410 Oak 934 N. Treadaway
Minister: Pat Stephenson WiliardTate WeldonGann Floyd Miller
Sun. Morning: 10 11 10:30 10:30
Bible Class: 9 10 9:30 9:30
Sun. Evening: 6
Wed. Evening: 7:3 7 7:30 7
Membership? 350 400 70 150
ACU Students 5 '
cim-ii. ' "family-type atmosphere." "student participation and "friendlbess of the peo- "closeness of the con-
Strength: involvement." pic." V grcgation."
N8To: Highland Baker Heights South llth& Willis Northwest
Address: 425 Highland 5382 Texas Avenue 3309 South 11th 1141 N.Willis
Minister: Lynn Anderson StanRcid Tony Ash David Hutton
Sun. Morning: 810:45 10 8:3010:30 10:30
Bible Class: 9:30 9 9:30 None
Sun. Evening: 6 6 6 5
Wed. Evening: 7 7 7 7:30
Membership: 2300 668 450 120
ACU Students: 500 69 75 25
Strength: "the family spirit." "concern and outreach." "a sense of family." "a ministering body."
Name: " South 7th and Locust Highway36'------OaklandDrive University
Address: South 7th and Locust - Route2 2702 Forrest' 733 E.N 16th
Minister: No paid minister EdHeadrick Gregg Knight Eddie Sharp
Sun. Morning: 10 11 10:30 810
Bible Class: None 10 9:30 9
Sun. Evening: 6 6:30 6 . 5
Wed. Evening: None 7:30 7 7
Membership: 345 200 125 1200
ACU Students: 1 30 20 40
Strenath' "very close-knit group." "caring spirit and love for "friendliness of the peo- "the care groups."
another." pie."
Nome: North Park Wcstgatc Palm Street Oakridge
Address: 2958 Grape 402 S. Pioneer 602 Palm Hwy. 707 Route 10
Minister: Jay Bowman BobEthington HollisTalley Gary Ball
Sun. Morning: 10:30 10 10:30 10:30
Bible Class: 9:30 9 None 9:30
Sun. Evening: 6 6 5 6
Wed. Evening: 7:30 7 7:30 7
Membership: 100 230 120
ACU Students: 4 30 5
Strength: "closeness of the group." "caring about people." "the family ties."
Name: Southsidc South 1 2th & Cherry Wylie ' Hawley
Address: 941 Chestnut South 12th & Cherry 6090 Buffalo Gap '' ' Ave. E and 3rd St.
Minister: BillStarritt Reufus Johnson TomByer GlenDods
Sun. Morning: 10:30 11 10:30 9:30 .
Bible Class: 9:30 10 9:30 lO-gfl
Sun. Evening: 6 5 6 6Lil
Wed. Evening: 7:30 7 7:30 .KJbhH
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Former church-hopper repents
When I first came to ACU several
years ago I was filled with the ex-
citement of the typical ACU
freshman. The atmosphere on campus
was electric. It was exhilarating to be
able to make so many new friends
with whom I shared common values.
In such a spiritual environment I an-
ticipated the opportunity for growth
in my Christian commitment. Having
heard about the many great churches
in Abilene I looked forward to my
first Sunday of worship in the town I
had called the "new Jerusalem." Lit-
tle did I realize that I soon would be
faced with a dilemma I never had
known before.
In Chapel speeches and from local
pulpits I kept hearing the exhortation
for college students to find a church
home in Abilene Choosing a church
home had never been an option for
mc. In my hometown there was only
one choice. The number of churches
to choose from in Abilene was over-
whelming and at first I felt like a
child who has been given total
freedom in a toy store. I wanted it all.
At a number of the churches the
preaching was great and the con-
gregational singing was inspiring. But
I began to sense that I was never go-
ing to be more than a face in the
crowd.
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At home I had taught Bible classes
and even preached occasionally. I
sensed that I was needed and that I
belonged. But in Abilene churches I
felt lost in the crowd.
The excitement of having so many
choices soon wore off. The choices
became an exhausting and seemingly
futile quest for a church home. I
wanted a place to belong.
In my freshman year I placed
membership at two churches and of-
ten attended a third. The Bible classes
I attended were much larger than the
class I attended at home and the feel-
ing of being lost in the crowd inten-
sified. I had become what James Thomp-
son has called "an anonymous wor-
shiper." My church attendance was
regular but Christian fellowship in
the truest sense of that reality was
practically non-existent. And my
spiritual growth suffered.
So I became what is sometimes
referred to as a "church-hopper."
Where I chose to attend church was
soon dictated by my mood or by the
need of the moment rather than by a
commitment to have fellowship with a
particular group of Christians.
If it was convenience I needed I
went to the church just across the
street or to the one farther down the
Stan Reid
road.
If it was inspirational singing or
great preaching I was in the mood for
I went to a church that could provide
this.
When a free lunch was my im-
mediate concern I went to the chur-
ches that always invited the college
students to stay for their fellowship
meals. In fact if I wanted to beat the
Sunday evening crowd at McDonalds
I would go to a church that had a 5
p.m. service and be eating my Big
Mac while other students still were
listening to the sermons at other
churches.
If I was in the mood for the esoteric
or the unusual I went to the church
that could fulfill such curiosity. But
what I had become was no more than
a Christian consumer in the great
marketplace of churches in Abilene. I
was a Christian consumer looking for
churches with a satisfaction guaran-
teed offer.
But I was also a very frustrated
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young man realizing that I was miss-
ing intimate fellowship and mutual
edification in the body of Christ. I
was hungry for it but I was not good
at finding or establishing such in-
timate Christian fellowship within the
context of a local church.
And I learned hopping from church
to church makes certain that a person
will not experience the more intimate
levels of fellowship within a local
church.
As a former church-hopper" I can
assure you that for the sake of your
spiritual health it is important that
you find a church home in Abilene
while you are an ACU student.
To be a Christian means that we arc
called by a risen Savior to die to
ourselves. Jesus said he did not come
to be served but to serve. His follow-
ers are to have the same attitude. But
when we participate inchurch hopp-
ing it is easy for us to focus on having
our own needs and wants met rather
than upon serving others. The
tendency is to ask "How can I effec-
tively use my God-given gifts within
the ministry structure of this
church?"
I learned ACU is not the church. It
has never claimed to be nor tried to
be. ACU is an institution founded
upon Christian principles. The
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church is served by ACU but that
does not make it the church. It is
"essential that the ACU student who is
committed to Jesus also be committed
to his church.
Without this commitment we fail
to experience the intimatcy of Chris-
tian fellowship.
Churches in Abilene need ACU
students as members who will take
the initiative to begin new ministries
that students especially are capable of
pcrtormmg.
Finding a church home in Abilene
is not always simple. It is easy to feel
like just another face in the crowd.
But this reformed church-hopper
learned that it took some initiative on
his part. It meant that I had to
remember that Jesus built his church
not to serve me but so that I would
have a place to serve. I had to accept
the fact that I would not be asked to
teach or preach very often if ever.
When I accepted this I then was able
to look for other ways to serve. The
possibility for good to be accomplish-
ed by ACU students serving in local
churches is endless. But it is essential
that the students be aggressive in
looking for new and innovative ways
to serve in these churches. Arc you?
Stan Reid is the pulpit minister at
Baker Heights Church of Christ.
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 77, No. 10, Ed. 1, Wednesday, September 28, 1988, newspaper, September 28, 1988; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101473/m1/3/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.