November 11, 2002
ALL IN THE FAMILY:
Texas ministrers find strength in brothers
___By Toby Druin
___Editor Emeritus
___They are best friends, encouragers, confidants, models, mentors, listeners, the first person called in time of need or to share a new vision or a heartache.
___They are ministers, and they are brothers.
___Ministers, especially pastors, often have few people they can get close to in their local congregations to talk over new approaches to ministry, discuss problems or to just be themselves for awhile. Not so, if the minister has a brother who has a similar responsibility in another church.
JAMES (left) and Rodney McGlothlin on vacation together in Silverton, Colo, with mutual friend Jimmy Ivy, a deacon at Lakeside Baptist Church in Dallas.
___That's the case for several Texas Baptist pastors, including Rodney McGlothlin, pastor of First Baptist Church of College Station, and James McGlothlin, pastor of Lakeside Baptist Church in Dallas.
___"Over the years, when I have a new idea, James is oneof the first persons I call," said Rodney. "And he is the one I call first when I need to cry."
___"We are probably each other's best friend in ministry," added James. "We certainly understand each other. We probably vent more than we ought to, but it's great to share problems and rejoice in successes."
___Although they were "raised in church," and their father was a lay preacher, the McGlothlins took different roads to the ministry. James felt called to ministry most of his life. He graduated from Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was pastor of a church while in college. Rodney, however, wanted a career as a concert trumpet player and attended the University of Houston.
___It wasn't until the third year of college, he said, that he began to feel called to ministry and then, he said, "My original thoughts were more toward being a minister of music. My pilgrimage toward the pastorate was more a step at a time, doing bits and pieces, going through doors as they opened."
___He also went on to Southwestern. While he was in seminary and James was pastor at Rosebud, he said, they would meet in Waco and attend Baylor football games and talk about their ministries and their dreams for them.
___James preached his younger brother's ordination sermon and presided at his wedding. Rodney preached at James' 15th anniversary observance at Lakeside. At one time, each was moderator of the association where he served, possibly a first in Baptist life, and they even got to share their thoughts about that role.
___"We have become very close," James said. "We vacation together and try to spend at least part of Christmas Day together at one of our homes or with our parents. Our wives are both elementary school teachers. We understand each other."
PHIL and Rick Lineberger.
___"I don't know how a pastor survives without a brother," Rodney said.
___Maybe having two brothers in the ministry is even better, though. That's the case for Gary, Steve and Mike Stroope.
___Gary is minister of programming, supervises the staff and coordinates ministry teams at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. Steve is pastor of Lake Pointe Baptist Church in Rockwall. Mike is associate professor of Christian missions at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary in Waco.
___Gary said there is "shorthand" operating when he talks with his brothers--no need to waste time with the preliminaries of getting to know each other.
___"Steve and I especially will pick up the phone a couple of times a month and process and exchange visions," he said. "It's easy for me because there is a shorthand there, immediate credibility. He will call and tell me there are five books I need in my library, and I know they will be helpful because I know he knows me."
___Steve, the middle brother, surrendered to the ministry first, then oldest brother Mike and then Gary. There was no pressure from their parents, Dale and Frances Stroope, each emphasized.
___"Our folks said they were thrilled with it, but that we didn't have to be in ministry to serve the Lord," Steve said.
___Nevertheless, each emphasized their parents' roles in making the local church, then Bethany Baptist Church in Dallas, the center of family life, and each noted they were taken out of school so they could attend the Texas Baptist Evangelism Conference each January. Their parents are now active members of Lake Pointe.
___Their parents, Mike said, gave them the freedom to be involved in a variety of ministries even in their young teens. They accompanied Bob Dixon, director of Texas Baptist Men, to Minnesota during the summer and helped with youth revivals.
___"We were allowed to explore avenues of ministry," Mike said, "and now each of us has our own niche. Although we may be involved in different areas, we have a common commitment to ministry and have been able to encourage each other."
Bruce and Bob Webb.
___It's hard for all of them to get together as a family, they said, but it usually happens at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
___Their mother, Steve said, has a rule that their work isn't to be discussed while they are together, and she enforces it by requiring that a quarter be placed in a bowl when it happens.
___"Steve and I just put $1 in and keep talking," Gary said.
___Bruce Webb, pastor at Central Baptist Church in Jacksonville, said his brother Bob, pastor at First Baptist Church of Denver City, "is my best friend in ministry. I talk to him constantly about ideas and problems. He is a great encouragement."
___Although they are separated by almost 500 miles of Texas highway, when Bob underwent liver transplant surgery two years ago, it was Bruce who was at the hospital to minister to his older brother's family.
___"We are closer than brothers," Bob said. "I admire him and have learned from him. He has a great heart for God."
___Jim and Mark Denison were won to Christ through the bus ministry at College Park Baptist Church in Houston, were baptized together and later licensed to preach on the same night by the church in 1978. They were close then as roommates at Houston Baptist University and have remained so through the years. Jim is pastor at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, and a year ago Mark became pastor at First Baptist Church of Gainesville after 18 years at Baybrook Baptist Church in Friendswood.
JIM (left) and Mark Denison, with their mother, Ruth, and Mark's wife, Beth, at a Houston Baptist University awards dinner.
___Having a brother in the pastorate "has tremendous positives," Jim said. "There are no downsides and there are wonderful upsides. It's wonderful to able to share stories and burdens, to be able to rejoice in victories and to learn and grow together."
___"As iron sharpens iron, I have been able to learn from him," Mark added. "He is one I have always looked up to. He is the most gifted teacher I have ever known."
___Through the years, Mark said, they have been able to share books and ideas, and that has been enhanced by his move to relatively nearby Gainesville. They also enjoy playing tennis and golf together, and they make it a point to get together with their mother, who is a member at Park Cities, on Thanksgiving, around Christmas and on Mother's Day and her birthday.
___Although Phil Lineberger entered the ministry several years before his younger brother, Rick, he said he felt early on that Rick had been chosen by God for ministry.
___"When he would leave grade school with his report card," Phil said, "Rick would go by the church to show it to the pastor. I saw him in ministry early."
___Phil is now pastor of Williams Trace Baptist Church in Sugar Land and Rick is pastor of First Baptist Church of Grapevine.
___"I always looked up to him," said Rick of Phil, who then was youth director at Highland Park Baptist Church in Texarkana, "but I initially kind of resisted the call to ministry because I didn't want to be seen as following in his footsteps." Nevertheless, he made the commitment during his senior year at Ouachita Baptist University and followed Phil to Southwestern Seminary.
___"Phil has definitely had an influence in my ministry in a very positive way," Rick said. "Through the years, he has been very much an encourager to me. He loves souls and the Lord, and I talk to him regularly. He was helpful when I was getting started in ministry and is a great sounding board about ministry issues."
___"We try to encourage each other," said Phil. "It's a very positive thing; always has been."
___
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