Jerry Shields: Privileged to see genuine change that leads to new life

Jerry Shields has been pastor of First Baptist Church in Colorado City almost 11 years. From deep in the heart of one Texan, he shares his background and thoughts on church and ministry. To suggest a Baptist General Convention of Texas-affiliated minister to be featured in this column, or to apply to be featured yourself, click here.

Background

• Where else have you served in ministry, and what were your positions there?

Youth minister at Second Baptist Church in Abilene, 5½ years

Pastor at Glen Cove Baptist Church near Coleman, 4½ years

Pastor at East Side Baptist Church in Comanche, 5½ years

• Where did you grow up?    

In Brownwood, attending First Baptist Church before moving at age 13 to Abilene, where we attended First Baptist Church

• How did you come to faith in Christ?

I was saved at age 8 in our home in Brownwood and baptized in First Baptist Church in Brownwood shortly thereafter.

• Where were you educated, and what degrees did you receive?

Bachelor of arts in applied theology from Hardin-Simmons University

Master of arts in religion from Hardin-Simmons University

Master of divinity in Bible from Logsdon Seminary at Hardin-Simmons University

Doctor of ministry in church ministry from Abilene Christian University

Ministry/church

• Why do you feel called into ministry?

God called me to full-time Christian ministry prior to my junior year of high school, and I was licensed to the ministry by First Baptist Church in Abilene. Despite my naturally quiet and reserved nature, God patiently has grown me into my current call—to serve the local church as pastor with the goal of making disciples of Jesus Christ.

• What is your favorite aspect of ministry? Why?

Seeing God work. What a privilege it is to see people saved, to see lives transformed and to see genuine change that leads to new life, new purpose, new relationships and growing usefulness in the ongoing work of God.

• What one aspect of congregational life gives you the greatest joy?

Community—when God’s people embrace and embody the biblical concept of “koinonia” in which people grow together and work together in an encouraging spirit to serve God and others while simultaneously using diverse gifts and callings to accomplish God’s purposes.

• How do you expect congregational life to change in the next 10 to 20 years?

As the modern approach to spirituality has become more individualistic, relativistic and anti-institutional, many have given up on the local church. But rather than give in to these cultural shifts, the local church can continue to hold out the value of community, the importance of Scriptures and the necessity of regular practices to maintain, preserve and pass on a legacy of faith.

I believe the importance of the local church will re-emerge among sincere Jesus followers who seek a means to nurture, preserve and pass on their faith. When believers grasp that our call involves more than our own personal salvation but includes joining God’s ongoing work of redeeming a lost world, we will find that the church—with all its imperfections and shortcomings—is the most natural, practical and biblical place for fulfilling that call.

• What qualities do you look for in a congregation?

In our church, we seek to fulfill the greatest command to love God and others by living: “Changed by the Grace of God,” “Committed to the Practices of the Faith” and “Commissioned on Behalf of the World.”

We want to express our faith by increasingly living the transformed life as depicted in the Sermon on the Mount, the fruit of the Spirit and the practical instruction found in texts such as Ephesians 4-5 and Colossians 3.

We seek to follow the example of the early church as depicted in Acts 2:42-47 and heed the warning of Hebrews 10:25 by faithfully engaging in disciplined practices that will nurture our faith, bear witness to God’s grace and increasingly form us into the image of Christ.

We seek to be changed, live changed and live lives of committed faithfulness for the sake of the world around us—everyone from our families and community to those we engage through mission activities and partnerships around the world.

So, FBC C-City is seeking to live as a changed, committed and commissioned community of faith for the good of others and the glory of God.

• What do you wish more laypeople knew about ministry or, specifically, your ministry?

I wish they knew how much I treasure and appreciate their committed partnership in the work. I wish they knew what a difference they are making when they serve, what an encouragement they are to me, what a model of faith they are for all of us.

I’m not always the best at expressing my appreciation for the partnership that exists among our staff and those who serve together so selflessly, so I wish they knew how very appreciative I am for each one who serves, for the positive and selfless spirit in which so many serve and for every act that is done for the good of the church and the glory of God.

About Jerry

• Who were/are your mentors, and how did/do they influence you?

I could write for hours on this question, because God has blessed me with so many wonderful Christian influences in my family, in a lifetime of church participation and in Christian higher education.

I would begin with my mom and dad, Corrine and James Shields, who modeled before me in every area of life what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Through the church, I have been taught and encouraged in the faith by youth ministers, Sundays school teachers, R.A. leaders, as well as tremendous pastors like Don Williford. I have served under people like Bobby Broyles.

I have been blessed with wonderful examples of church leaders, deacons like Bud Walker and Bo Elrod who took me visiting, as well as wise Christian women like Ida Hendrix and Lorraine Taylor. I have been encouraged by retired pastors like Charles Mitchell and others.

I have benefited from the instruction of countless gifted professors at Hardin-Simmons and Abilene Christian—men like my dad, Dr. Donnie Auvenshine, Dr. Bob Ellis, Dr. H.K. Neely, and many others, as well as the director of the doctoral program at ACU, Dr. Charles Siburt. I also have benefited from gathering with fellow pastors in various peer-learning groups, pastors who have been a tremendous source of wisdom and encouragement.

Some of these mentors were in my life for a season, and some have since passed away, but so many have had a lasting, positive impact on my Christian life and ministry. Everywhere I have been, I have been exceedingly blessed to have encountered and benefited from the teaching, example and encouragement of so many faithful servants of God.

• What is the impact of ministry on your wife and children?

My wife, Kay, is a tremendous partner and support in ministry. She was called to be a pastor’s wife and faithfully fulfills that call by an active involvement in the life of the church, as well as a flexibility that enables me to minister to others as needed. She also is a school teacher, engaged with the students and parents of our community in an additional means of connection and ministry.

My sons, Caleb and Clayton, have grown up in the church, where they have been nurtured in the faith. They made their professions of faith at the same time on Christmas Day 2012, and I had the wonderful privilege of baptizing them together on New Year’s Day 2013. My oldest son is in eighth grade, helps with the TV ministry of the church and serves on the Youth Ministry Council. My youngest son, who is in sixth grade, is active as well, involved in the life of the church and helping run the sound on Sunday evenings.

They all feel loved and supported by the congregation we are so very blessed to serve.

• Name some of your favorite books (other than the Bible) or authors, and explain why.

With current trends in spirituality, I have found Dietrich Bonhoeffers’ The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together to be exceedingly challenging and relevant. The first challenges our temptation toward “cheap grace,” while the second challenges our tendency toward a spiritual individualism that denies our need for community.

My favorite author is Eugene Peterson, and among my favorite books are: Eat This Book, The Jesus Way, Practice Resurrection and Pastor. His book Run with the Horses helped toughen me up a bit for the bumps in ministry, and our church gives A Long Obedience in the Same Direction to new members. His writings are particularly appealing because they are consistently pastoral, practical and grounded in the biblical text.

I also have enjoyed reading After You Believe by N.T. Wright and the conversational approach of Dallas Willard’s Renewing the Christian Mind.

• What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?

Psalm 32 has been my favorite passage since college. In this psalm, I rediscovered my desperate need for God’s grace, the wonderful mystery of it as well as the proper response to it.

• Who is your favorite Bible character (other than Jesus)? Why?

Ruth is definitely among my favorites. Her story occurs in some of the spiritually darkest days of the Old Testament. Even though she had no status, no position of power and fought no battles, this “outsider” embraced and embodied a faith that would sustain her, guide her and ultimately instruct and shape future generations. In a dark time, she quietly and faithfully went about her day-to-day responsibilities in relative obscurity; but her story is recorded for us, and her life made a difference in the ongoing purposes of God.

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