Pastor's Perspective Articles:

April 2008: Elder Phil Steckmann
March 2008: Elder Ed Gann
February 2008: Elder Rob Wiggins
January 2008: Elder Dr. Steve Stephens
December 2007: Elder's Perspective
November 2007: Thankful for Broken Things
October 2007: God Rubs Off
September 2007: Have you ever gotten it wrong?
August 2007: Belize Journal, July '07
July 2007: What's the picture of the church?
June 2007: Making the Complex Simple
May 2007: Majesty

April 2008: Phil Steckmann

Milwaukie First Baptist has a long history of ministry. I'm sure that thousands of lives have been changed because God has used our people to share His love. But I have never seen lives touched in a more powerful way than during our recent Leaven Project.

Just be Christmas, Dodie Datchler's son Scott told her about Butch, one of his co-workers who had been diagnosed with cancer and was refusing treatment, choosing instead to stay home and die. He was a man in his mid-fifties and a Christian, but he was isolating himself from friends who wanted to help him. His daughter Stacy quit her job to be his caregiver. Dodie and Scott visited them, brought them meals and shared the love of Christ with them.

On January 27th, Dodie took soup to them and shared about the Leaven Project. She told them that the Lord had led her to give the money to Stacy and her Dad. They accepted with tears of joy and thankfulness.

On February 6th, Butch went home to be with the Lord. Dodie asked the family if she could help with his funeral. She recruited several people to help. Her son Scott and his wife Lori helped. Sid and Judy Kaufman are related to his wife, which is another great story, they helped. Bill and Marje Rouse came alongside. And she asked me to lead the service.

I thought that the service would be for a total stranger. As it turns out Stacy knew me. She was good friends with my daughter Debbie, and had been in our home as a teenager. Ninety people came for the funeral. What a great time to share the Good News.

Dodie said it well, "Thank you, Pastor. Your vision and wisdom is bringing a touch from God into so many lives. Even if this project does not transform the recipients of this gift, it has impacted me. And I hope in the future, touched and transformed a young woman."

Copyright© Milwaukie First Baptist Church 1998-2008