WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR JOB?

WHY SHOULD YOU LEAVE TOWN WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR JOB Part 2 Hyles-Anderson College and First Baptist Church, Hammond, Ind

A continued series #44

When I came down those stairs at Calvary, and came out to the car, "Charity, we are moving, I just received word from the Pastor, he asked me to leave the church." We had no conceivable idea where we would go? Moving was not in our future plans. Looking back I would not have moved? At lease until I knew where I was going and had a job.

So what do we do? We took the summer as I remember, and went to Portsmouth Ohio, and stayed somewhere, and we had a couple of Vacation Bible School programs to made ends meet.

How I view going to Hyles-Anderson College and FBC, when Jack Hyles was the pastor
I am not quite sure how it happen, but my brother Don said we could stay with him until we found a place. He was living in Indiana. We decided to move . Good grief. For a month our family and Don’s family lived together. I was looking for a secular job to work. And then I say, "I think I need to stay spiritual." and so I enrolled in Hyles-Anderson College, for a Pastors Refresher Course and in the program for a Masters of Education.

I was able to find a job at a public school, as a security guard, worked all night. we found a house in Ceder Lake Indiana, near the college. I was working all night, going to college during the day.

HOW WAS IT GOING TO COLLEGE AT HYLE-ANDERSON?
There was no greater thrill at the time, then being in college again. This time I was married and had two children. I was thirty-one and a bit more mature and had a better view of the college.

One of the best classes I took was the Christian Education class. Every day we had a staff member of the First Baptist Church come and present their ministry. Every ministry at FBC was presented to us. For example: Church Secretary. "Before you hire a asso. Pastor hire a church secretary. " A church secretary will help you more than any other person to help build the church.

I took this advice when I went to FBC of Altoona. The best person I had was Cecil Nunnenkamp. She was the best. We were taught at Hyles to write a letter to all visitors and there was a form letter. But Cecil would personalize a letter to every visitors we had and it was as if I wrote it. People would thank me for the personal letter, and I say you are welcome. In fact Cecil wrote it. For the next fourteen years plus, she wrote a bet nearly a thousand letters. That is just one example of how good she was. Thanks Cecil.

This course at the College was a practical things that you would do in the church.
How to start a Nursery. How to write by-laws. How to start a Music Choir. How to build a church building. And few more dozens practical idea. And you were able to implement them in the work of the church. Jack Hyles did have a written book that had a lot of these idea in. I used many of them at FBC in Altoona.

While there were no theological classes at Hyles-Anderson, but practical courses. I loved every minute that I was there. I was caught up in the excitement of the moment.
The college was more practical in nature than theological.

WHAT ABOUT GOING TO FBC IN HAMMOND?
What a great experience to go to FBC on Sunday Morning. We lived about forty miles from the church. The church was downtown Hammond, and we had to part sometimes blocks way. But it was worth every step back to the church.

Seven thousand people in one setting was just excellent. Sunday School, Worship and Sunday Evening were the highlight of our week. Bar none Hyles teaching and preaching, there were none better than he was. I was definitely caught up in the ministry there.
September 25, 1926—February 6, 2001 Jack Hyles.....
FBC had drive-in Sunday School and church, then the bus churches, A B C D and E Sunday School and Church. By the end of the day FBC had over 22,000 in Sunday School. It was diffentely exhilarating.

I was defiantly caught up in the moment in other places I have been, but never at FBC or Hyle-Anderson. I never said, I wish I wasn’t here, because I really love it.

Eric went to the Hammond Christian School, and I believe he like it, for a third grade. Becky was three and stayed home with mom. I ask Eric about his days in Hammond, He said, "It was just a way of life, and I didn’t know anything of way." He didn’t know there was another way to life as we did I don’t think we did either.

Hyles was in control, he had a love for people for sure. If anything Hyles taught me was to love people. He preached hard against sin, yes, but he also loved them.

I had one class at Hyles-Anderson on how to get a job and fill out an application for a job. I was able to get a job at Pulman Standard, and worked on the Amtrack Train, sleeper car. I must say that was some experience.

But as any other place we have lived, I was always wanting to move and be a pastor/teacher of a church. I was making for the first time some good money, enjoying living there, loved the church and love the school. So why move?

My brother Don, was searching for a church to pastor, and had at this time five churches in which he was invited to come. "Charles, would you like to go to Altoona, Kansas to try out for a church?"

Jack Hyles counsel people every Thursday and Friday, he said about 144 people per week. So I made an appointment to visit with him. I arrived at the church one Thursday evening, and was given a number and a 3x5 card to write my concern. Jack came to the room, he said " #102" I really walked into the room, he was in his short sleeves rolled up, and for the next fifteen minutes, I believe he and I were faced to faced in conversation. He read my card and question and then said. "Charles I believe you should pastor a church, you really do not need to be here."

Written by Charles E. Whisnant, Experienced by Charles, Charity, Eric and Becky (3 months)