A fathers legacy
In preparation for the 90th anniversary of the church, I drove to Arlington to meet the son of a former pastor. JW Wade came to Immanuel Baptist Church in 1959 after the sudden death of a beloved pastor. The church was already strong, but he made it stronger as he pursued evangelism and church planting.
His son is now 84 years old, a respected pastor and denominational leader in his own right. In spite of his accomplishments, I was moved by the way he spoke of his father, and his father's love for evangelism and new churches. I took him copies of some old bulletins, even one from the very first Sunday his father came to IBC. One later bulletin caught my eye as JW Wade wrote spoke of an 84-year-old man who had given his life to Christ the week before and was preparing to be baptized. Decades later, his teared up as he spoke about his father saying “That was my dad, always a heart for the lost. “
As a student of history, I love to study the legacies that people leave behind. Some pastors are known for their brilliant oratory, others for their incisive wit, and others for their strategic leadership. All of those are important traits, and I believe JW Wade had them all. But decades after his father passed his son still remembered his dad's desire for people to know Jesus.
I pray that my kids know that about me. I like to think I have at least a few other redeeming qualities. Someday I will leave my family behind too. Someday some future historian might write about my tenure at this church, and I pray that the same thing is said: I loved others and loved Jesus.
More than that, I pray that they have the same desire. The distinguished ministry of JW’s son is a testament to the fact that he also has a heart and desire for people to come to Jesus. What legacy are you leaving for your children? For your grandchildren? Is it one they can be proud of? Is your heart for God so evident that they will remember decades after you are gone? I pray that I am able to live in such a way that my family would be proud to carry on my legacy. Only by God's strength can it be so.