Citizen ATX
Citizen ATX
Multi-Gen | The Builder Generation
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"Sunday Monday happy days, Tuesday Wednesday happy days, Thursday Friday happy days, Saturday what a day, Rockin' all week for you." I can still visualize the intro for the old classic TV Show Happy Days. Many of us younger folks have wonder what it would have been like to grow up in the '50s, but todays guests actually lived it! Join Terry, Billie, and Matt as we kick off our new series Multi-Gen.
Hello there and welcome to the Citizen ATX Podcast. My name is Matt Gillam, and we are so glad to have you with us today as we are starting a brand new series in our podcast, which we're calling Multi-Gen. And so where where we where we came from in developing this podcast was with the with the mind that in the church today there are six different generations currently worshiping together. This, to our knowledge, outside of the times of Methuselah and Noah and the like, this is one of the first times in history where you've had that this many different generations worshiping under one roof. And so as in thinking that way, you know, God calls us to be one body, one church. And so as uh in thought about that, we said, well, for citizens in the city, in this heavenly city uh of the of the kingdom of God, what does it mean to worship in these as a different as these different generations? And so over the next six weeks, we are going to be interviewing various folks from the different generations in our church to got to try to learn what people believe, where where they're coming for coming from, and how we best can worship together effectively. And so I have some great guests with me here today in the studio. First, we have Billy Wedland. Hello, Billy.
SPEAKER_02Hi. All right, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then uh secondly, we have Terry Ode Neal. Yeah, yeah, not Odd Neal as he was reminding me off the podcast.
SPEAKER_03Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00Well, and I'll tell you that Billy and uh Terry were very gracious to jump on us with this podcast. You know, both of them have have not been on a podcast before, which to be fair, before we started doing this podcast, I hadn't been on one either. So it's a we're all in the same boat here. Uh but they were excited to come and to share and uh for us to have this conversation together. And so tod today for this first episode, we're gonna be looking at the builder generation. So this is uh I think there's some other names for this as well. And correct me if wrong, the silent generation is one that I've I've heard said before. Um basically Terry's laughing because you know we just keep we keep making up new words for stuff, Billy. But so uh let's go ahead and start and let the the listeners get to know y'all a little bit. So we'll we'll start, we'll do ladies first. And so um Billy, let tell us a little bit about yourself. You know, how did how did you come to Austin? You know, um yeah, what brings you here today?
SPEAKER_01Well, uh I was asking. And I'm honored to be here. Um I grew up in a small town at a straw down the road.
SPEAKER_00Barbecue capital of the world.
SPEAKER_01Yes, it is now.
SPEAKER_00One question for you. I don't mean to interrupt, but in Lock in Lockhart, there are a couple of sp particular barbecue places. So are you a Smitty's or a Kreitz or a Blacks fan?
SPEAKER_02No.
SPEAKER_00No.
SPEAKER_01Actually, actually, there's a a Billy's barbecue. Oh, okay. Not named after me or anything, but it's the best. Oh, all right. And when we have occasions in Bass Drop, I still go back once a month to visit with friends. Uh-huh. And if we cater an event, we always use them.
SPEAKER_00Billy's barbecue and bass drop. You've heard it here first. Okay, sorry for interrupting. So from Bass Drop.
SPEAKER_01Then I moved to Austin in 57 when I got out of school. Um and I've been here ever since. And I've seen a lot of changes. Yeah, definitely. From my generation to present.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's so you think about that, that's uh that's almost uh 60 years in Austin just by itself. It's that's that's incredible. Most people who've been in Austin have been here for like 18 months. So it's you know, you know, it's a it's definitely uh you've seen you've definitely seen a lot of change there. Right. Well, Terry, well what about you, man? Where are you what what's your bio? Well, I have one.
SPEAKER_03I was born in Montbelle View, Texas, which is between Beaumont and Houston or Baytown.
SPEAKER_00All right.
SPEAKER_03And I was born in a one-room hospital, a joint in a drugstore.
SPEAKER_00All right, one-stop shop. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And when I arrived, they had to rename me. My name was gonna be Sherry. We're gonna have to make a change here. So anyway, I looked at the Terry and I'm glad I'm a Terry.
SPEAKER_00So are we, Terry.
SPEAKER_03Anyway, um, I've lived in numerous places in Texas. Small towns primarily where I grew up. And uh I am uh um whatever you call it, a charter member and a deacon here at Austin Baptist Church. And uh my wife, unfortunately, passed 17 years ago now. So anyway, and thankfully it was uh marriage made in heaven. And I say that wasn't I'm positive it was.
SPEAKER_00She she raised you up a bit.
SPEAKER_03And I raised her too. Oh, all right, all right. She was an only child. Okay, there you go. I shouldn't have said that. But anyway, uh I don't know where I am now.
SPEAKER_00So uh so Terry and Billy, what what did y'all do for careers uh here here in here in Austin or or around?
SPEAKER_01Where uh I first worked at the health department right out of high school, and then I worked for a bank, and then I worked for IRS, and then my last job of 22 years was at the state controller's office. That's where I retired.
SPEAKER_00Okay, very so a lot a lot with finances. You know, yes, and that's not my my strong suit either. So you were the friendly part of the finances, right? I hope to think that, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Well, uh after college, I got married, and then I started, I needed a job, and of course my military obligation was 1A. So every place I interviewed, they said, Well, time we get you trained, you'll be heading to the army. Yeah. So anyway, I took a job, a very hazardous job at a chemical plant. And after two and a half years of prayer, God answered it in a very positive way. And uh, so I found a job that I thought I would hate, but it was the only job that Texas Employment Commission had at the time. Okay. So I decided I'd go talk to them. And 38 and a half years later, well, uh it was a fantastic career. More business forms.
SPEAKER_00Well, I mean, what's what's more caustic, the business forms or the chemicals? You know, it's kind of well right. Yeah. Well, so you know, as we're talking about the idea of different generations in the in the church, I think one of the first questions we want to ask, um, for and we're gonna try to ask these questions to everybody that we talk with on this podcast, is what do you personally look for in your church experience? You know, having been in Austin for decades, for both of you, you have you've you know, there are hundreds of churches in Austin. And so what when when you came to those points when you were making a decision about where you were going to worship, and even now, because you have that option, um, what what is it that's important to you about that that about seeing in your church experience?
SPEAKER_01Uh well, I'll go first. Um I was looking for a church with uh strong doctrine, a sound doctrine, and um I was at another church just for a short while and when then um c came to uh Austin Baptist and a charter member, just a few people. I knew everybody back then, but I don't know everybody now, so and that's a drawback for me because I like to know everybody. Um that and fellowship um and a place to serve. Uh and I get it all here.
SPEAKER_00All right, very cool, very cool. One one question I have really kind of off the bat, because I know um uh we as you made mention, you know, you've been in a church environment that's grown tremendously and city environment that's uh growing tremendously. So what has it felt like going from a church body that was smaller where you did have that that personal connection with pretty much everyone, to now one that is a lot bigger? How how how have you what what have been your feelings walking through through those changes?
SPEAKER_01Very positive. I mean, that's what we want the church to do is to grow. And it's been phenomenal what's happened here at ABC. So I just feel blessed to be here. There's not a time that I don't drive up to this church and thank God for where we were and where we are now.
SPEAKER_00I love that, and I love that that perspective that you carry into that. Terry, what about you? Well, I mean, we all know you come for the coffee, that's what anyway.
SPEAKER_03Uh I uh was a charter member of Austin Baptist Church, so my friends all came to this church, and so I came with them, and I'm certainly glad that I did. I was looking for a you know, forward to a Bible believing church and a church where the sermons are taught from the word and the truth. And this is the church where I found and it's exactly what I was looking for. Awesome, awesome. And well, and uh it's also it's just the fellowship, you know, of all the people, the friendly people in this church. Yeah. And it's gives you opportunities to serve. I like to serve in churches I belong to, and so it's you can greet, you can usher, you know, you can help people, assist them with walkers. It's just all you have to do is look around, there's someplace you can help.
SPEAKER_00Well, and uh one question that rises to my mind, because both of you mentioned the idea of your friends being here and the idea of fellowship. What do what do friendships look like for you with people that you know in in the church? Like uh is it just kind of these are just people you see on Sundays, or like what what is it what does it look like for you and in your interaction with the with the church?
SPEAKER_03These the friends I have. Which are many, thank goodness. Oh when my wife passed, well, those friends were here for me. And they've been here ever since. I'm in I'm included in every gathering, you know, here at church and in their homes, you know, playing 84 dominoes or whatever, you know.
SPEAKER_00It's just and here's a public service announcement. Don't play dominoes with Terry because he's too good at it.
SPEAKER_03Anyway, it's just you know, I can't be more thankful for the friends that I have. Yeah or their family. Yeah. Well, Billy, what about for you?
SPEAKER_01Well, kind of like what Terry said, um it's not just on Sunday. If we find out that somebody's going through hard times, you get into contact with them. Uh and to me that that's really important, not just the relationships on Sunday, but throughout the week or whatever. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And as I'm hearing both of you say that, I mean, it definitely there is a definite um concern and care about caring for people, right? Because I know one of the things when when I I spend a I spend a lot of time at different conferences and things like that, often often what I'm hearing more now in the modern church is that kind of disconnect of uh what we would call pa in ministry call it pastoral care. But the funny thing is for both of you, you both said it this way, that you know, your expectation and your hope and your and the thing one of the things you enjoy is the fact that you get to care in a in a pastoral way for each other.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00That there is this idea, uh real idea of a community of people interacting and serving in a greater way in each other's lives. And so am I accurate on that? Yes. Yeah. Yes. Um so what when when you're looking at you know the the issues that are out in our society today, because uh, you know, obviously we live in a more connected and media-driven world than ever before, what are issues that you see happening out in the world that are that are concerning, particularly for you? Terry, I'll start with you on that.
SPEAKER_03Well it's the doom and gloom and uh news that you hear and see every day. You know, the division that we have in our government. You know, we can't seem to uh decide and agree on anything in the ON. I think we're gonna have to, you know, or if we're gonna survive.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I think we're now one thing that I think is interesting, because I I'm I'm a history guy, and you know, in my lifetime, there's only ever been one Democrat governor of Texas. Uh that was Ann Richards, like for the back the back end of her time. And then since then it's been Republican. And but you know, for y'all's generation, I mean, uh up until you know, night the 1990s, there was only Democrat governors. And so, I mean, but there, but with that being said, it was a different kind of style of politics, right? Like it was it wasn't I mean, even though a person was a Democrat, it didn't mean that they wouldn't associate with Republicans or vice versa. Yeah. And so, I mean, Billy, especially for you having both of y'all having worked in government affairs, I mean, what what kind of changes have y'all have you seen in that in that area?
SPEAKER_01Well, uh being human to one another for one thing. I mean, there there seems to be uh lack of respect. I mean, if you believe one way, then you're wrong. Yeah. And uh and that bothers me. And you know, uh what's pressing today for me is moral decay.
SPEAKER_02Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_01Um that's a real problem. I remember in my day, churches were closed on Sunday. Now it's just like any other day of the week.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you mean businesses?
SPEAKER_01Business I mean I'm sorry, businesses were closed. There was no sports going on on Sundays. And now it's just like, you know, just another day.
SPEAKER_00And I mean what do you think led to that just as far as watching the trajectories of things to where um there was kind of this where where you've seen that that uh uh idea of respect for others kind of dissipating um the idea of that that sacredness of uh that Sundays for church, things like that.
SPEAKER_01Oh my, go ahead, Terry.
SPEAKER_03Too many new activities. You know. Sunday used to church was that's where you went. And now, you know, people are so, you know, suede it away, you know, saying, hey, we've got a ball game or practice, you know, or yeah, anything like that. It's it's less emphasis on our Lord. Yeah. And uh that's what we're gonna have to correct. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so let me ask let me do a follow-up on that question then. Uh, because you you you just made that that uh mention of uh emphasis on focus on the Lord. Um so was that your experience growing up of what church was was about? Why like with the like even to the extent of the decisions you made about what you would wear to church or how you would how you would act in the church? I mean, what what was your experience like in that? Well, Terry, were you allowed were you allowed to wear your Hawaiian shirts at church when you were kidding?
SPEAKER_03We didn't have a church we could go to until I was six years old. And my mother, fortunately, her dad, my granddad, was he should have been a preacher because every time you saw him you got a sermon whether you were ready for it or not, and he was this filled with the spirit. And so anyway, once my mother was a spiritual leader in our family because my dad worked for an independent oil company and he was on every morning early. He was working from Victoria, Texas to Tippa, Texas, down in Brownsville, from Corpus Christi to Freer, Texas, and drilling oil wells, and he was overseeing every one of those wells. So anyway, and so my mother came in one morning and says, kids, we're going to church in the morning. And so we all said, What? A Baptist preacher moved, a young preacher, and his family and his mother moved to Orange Grove, Texas. And he started a church in the school cafeteria. And so we were there every Sunday. All right. That's where I that's a cool story.
SPEAKER_00Well, and I know, I know, even you know, as as far as the multiplication of locations of churches over the years to where it is it is interesting that uh now there are even in rural settings in Texas, there are m there's more of an opportunity for people to go to church. And not just that, having the media of being able to watch it online. Um I mean, it is definitely a unique a unique kind of thing. Billy, what about for you? What was your your experience with going to church growing up? Like what expectations did you have or or had of you going in?
SPEAKER_01Well, I guess it started out as more social. And when I was about twelve is when I accepted the Lord as my savior. And uh in a small town, there's not much to do. So where are you gonna go? And there's nothing nothing going on. But uh it was a good experience. I grew up as a Methodist and then uh I just needed more sound doctrine. So that's when I and I'm not bad now than the Methodist, so but uh that was my experience. I mean, I always went to church and dug my boys to church and now they're back in church. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh so um so uh w when you when you look at your own faith life today, you know, what are what are things in your life that you feel like the church addresses um or things that you just that you feel as a uh a personal faith challenge that you that you face at the in this uh stage of your life?
SPEAKER_01Well, I I have a hard time uh witnessing to others. That's a challenge for me. And I I mean it's a daily prayer, you know. Somebody comes into my life that there's an opportunity. And I s I do struggle with that.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm. Yeah. I mean that is uh you know, the ironic thing is that's that's not just this stage. I mean it's every stage, I know. For all for the other three of us sitting in this room, it you know, it is absolutely uh a challenge for most of the listeners. Um but let me let me ask you this and even though it is a challenge for you, like what are ways that the church comes alongside you in and helping with that or um and supporting in that?
SPEAKER_01Well, I ask for prayer. I mean that's the first place I go. And with good friends, real close friends, I'll say, you know, I'm gonna be in this situation with people that are not believers. If you could pray for me in this situation, so that's my that's my most important.
SPEAKER_00Very cool. Very cool.
SPEAKER_03Terry, what about for you? Well, Billy hit the keyword prayer. You know, um Lord has answered major prayers for me that are life-changing prayers, you know. And uh I I look to him for guidance every day, and he hasn't let me down.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. That's that is a beautiful, the beautiful thing having the community praying together with you. Yeah. And then uh having other generations praying with you. Um I know uh that's something that we try to key on is that idea of connecting people across generationally to be praying for one another. Um and so sometimes almost too much to where that's how I shouldn't say it's never there's no such thing as too much prayer, right? Um but uh uh one question that I have on here also is so what as there are other generations that are gonna be listening to this podcast, what do you want them to know about your generation, about the builder generation?
SPEAKER_01You have time. Oh yeah, we got we have plenty. There's so much over the years. Um it's just a different era now. I mean, I can go back and I've had to put some thought into this that I thought the fifties were the greatest era ever. There was no wars going on, it was a calm time. It's a great time to grow up. But as I put some thought into it We had segregation at that time. It wasn't always good for every everybody else, uh that race. And uh you know, you love your neighbor as yourself. That that was not true back then. And uh it's still a problem. It's much better. But when I thought about the generations, that's what I went back to. Um you know, uh there was shame back then too. When if a couple lived together without matrimony, that was living in sin in that day. Um it's just a different time. Uh I've had to adjust. And getting I think getting a lot of 24-7 news that's thrown at you all the time that the kids hear. We didn't get that back then. Yeah. Uh we had one television station and I was 12 years old, we got a TV. So it's just it's just different. And I think we get uh complacent about it, that it's acceptable.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Uh to have a child out of wedlock. I mean that was really mad.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, so yeah.
SPEAKER_00And and it was a lot a lot more of a cl a closer culture where the like with the people in the town, they knew they knew who you were.
SPEAKER_01Yes, they do.
SPEAKER_00They knew they knew what was happening in your life. Uh I know even to the extent that you're making mention of uh, you know, they're not not really even having a TV in the home until age of twelve. I mean, you had to find people still needed to entertain themselves. So, I mean, they were you know, but they did it more with the people around them.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you learned to entertain, you learn to play, you learn to go outside, you learn to invent your own games. We didn't have uh people telling us what to do, when to do it. Everybody's a winner. We didn't have that back then.
SPEAKER_00Well, what about for you, Terry?
SPEAKER_03What if you're we didn't have cell phones. Yeah. We didn't have a phone. Well, we had a phone. We didn't have our television until I was probably 14 years old. And we got one station. We did too.
SPEAKER_01KLBJ was.
SPEAKER_03It was usually flipping where you couldn't, you know, where you couldn't watch it. But anyway, this is it was a great generation back in my younger days, even, because we had close friends. We knew their parents, their parents knew us, they knew our parents, and if you ever got in trouble, well, get ready when you got home because your parents. But I think this was great, you know. And um anyway, yeah, my dad, you know, I always I would ask for things. We he let us work, you know, made sure we worked. And whenever, you know, if he wanted something, I say, Dad, can I have a motor scooter? He says, Well, do you have the money? And I said, No. He said, Well, when you get the money, yeah, you can have one.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So there's a lot more trust between parents and their kids as to what they could do, right?
SPEAKER_01And there was more of a unit, too.
SPEAKER_03And respect. Respect for the teachers, the schools, your yourselves. You know. It was just uh it was a time I'm glad I grew up in.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Well, I think, you know, even I know Terry, you're a car guy. Like the I one thing that strikes me as I was thinking about this conversation is how much less people work on their cars now, right? I mean, oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01That was computer works on cars.
SPEAKER_00It's even gotten to the point where you know you can't work on a car because the computer won't let you, right? And so the other day I was changing the brakes with my dad, and I was like, man, I feel so worthless.
SPEAKER_02Like I was doing something simple like that.
SPEAKER_00Um, but I also heard heard it, you know, talking about the whole TV and uh, you know, interactions with my my mom tells a story about how they grew up in the Fort Worth area, so they were cowboy Dallas Cowboys fans, but at the this this time, so this would have been in the 60s, I think. Um the the Cowboys were blacked out if they didn't sell out their their thing. Yeah so my granddad would make my eldest uncle get up on the roof and hold the hold the antenna a certain way so that they could pick up the uh pirate signal from Waco.
SPEAKER_01We did that too. And we knew who had the TV in the small tank antenna.
SPEAKER_00It's a good way to mark it out, right? Yeah. Well, and and you know, it's interestingly enough too, and you made a made a statement about the 50s being uh a generation that didn't have a or a a decade at least that didn't have a war in it. Um I mean, did that did that separate y'all from the generation that was uh behind y'all that you were coming out of? Like did when you were growing up, did people talk about what life was like in the war? And I mean, because if y'all were born in 30, you said 30 39 and 38. So y'all were small children when the war, uh the World War II came to an end. But so do you remember people talking about that and kind of what what uh that did to their perceptions of the world or you know, the way that they ran their lives?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I have memories of the war. Uh they're very very faint. Um but I remember when the war ended, that was a big deal. And we live close to Camp Swift. I don't know if you know where that is, it's on the Ogan Highway.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_01So the town was full of soldiers all the time. Um I could go into a lot of detail about it. Now I have some vivid memories. Um so yeah. And then we were be after World War II and before the Vietnam War. And once the 60s started, it everything it seemed everything fell apart.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Uh and that's how I think we appreciate the 50s because of what happened after that.
SPEAKER_00Because of the term the kind of tumult and oh yeah, the war and it just uh drugs and just everything came out.
SPEAKER_01So it was a different era.
SPEAKER_00What about for you, Terry? Like what what were some of your memories of the uh even even of the way that people uh in that uh how that the the culture of coming out of World War II affected the people that were around you. Yes.
SPEAKER_03Um in high school, of course, you know, there were guys that had been in the service and they would come and speak to us, you know, and tell us how bad it was and just how evil war is and everything. But uh anyway, I was and I have uncles that served at Ima Jima and they would not talk about it. It was just too disastrous, you know. They're one of very few that survive that war. Yeah. You know, so they never thought they would not talk about it. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But uh anyway, it was well one of the things, so like I I as uh you know as part of my studies in this, I've pulled up a uh I have an infographic from a group called McCrindle, and it it talks about the way that different generations respond to leadership, right? Um and so for instance in this case it it makes the statement that for the builder generation there's this idea that there is a leader that every everybody looks up to, and then that leader gives direction to everybody to the people who are I guess report to them. Uh and so do you feel like that's a true statement that in the way that that uh that you clas now not necessarily now because you know we live in a very different kind of context now, but classically the kind of leaders that you trusted in your life, were they were they people who were just like you were, just kind of out in the middle of of your community, or were they the people who were like the mayor of the town or the the president or the general or the or the boss or something anything like that? You're talking about uh how we dealt with that segment or how how you dealt with it or how you felt how you felt about like like who who are some of the people that you looked up to as leaders in your life.
SPEAKER_01Well, you respected them. I mean, I r I looked up to my teachers and they looked like teachers back then too. Not so much anymore. Uh yeah. I mean it was just ingrained in us to to respect those in power. Even in my state job, I had a supervisor that I had a problem with. But I respected his position. Not so much him sometimes, but his position.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, being able to separate between the between the two. Yeah, and and it makes a statement in this also of the learning, the that learning and leading style being formal to what to what you're saying of look, this person is the person who's in charge, regardless of how I feel about the person, because they're in this this position, uh I'm going to respect, I'm going to comply. Right. And I'm going to do my best work in that direction. Terry, I mean, do you feel like that's a fair stance?
SPEAKER_03That's what one of the problems is today, no respect for law enforcement, you know, or anything. Yeah. And uh we all respected our teachers or I respected all of my managers, you know, during my working years. And I was a manager for most of those years. And so I tried to lead by example, and uh I didn't work, I worked with my employees, not and that and that's what not against them.
SPEAKER_00That's a question that I have too, because generally we look at leadership from you know bottom up. But from from your perspective as someone who is a manager over people, what was your your expectation of your of the people who worked under you and also your uh your expectation of of how uh or of well or the way that you how did you care about them? Like what what did you feel about these people that worked worked under you?
SPEAKER_03I I tried uh, you know, I lived by example and I had a chance to influence a yellow, a lot of young men that I hired and trained, you know. And they never forgot me. Yeah they still call me today. They're still reporting together. Well, you know, they always say, Why did we have such a good time and enjoy our work? And I said, because she had a good manager. After a while they say, Well, you know, you were right.
SPEAKER_00Well, um one question uh even for our our context here as a church, and you know, in the context of this podcast talking about the bigger uh region of the church. So with that being the leadership style and the way that the way that y'all perceive the leaders, how did how did you what how did that transfer over the way that you looked at the pastor of the church, churches that you went to over time, over the way that you over the way that you looked at that person as a as le a leader in the church?
SPEAKER_03Well, they are the leader in the church, and of course you're you're aware of that. And you know, it's like you've got to be friends with them and respect them and love them, you know, and they'll love you back. It's just a simple deal for me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Uh respecting them and appreciate what they've what they have gone through to get to their position. Um and I find there's just so much love in this church. And people that are just now joining or visiting, that's the one thing they bring up is the love in this church. And uh our pastors exhude that. So and and that's a that's what it's all about.
SPEAKER_00Well, and one question I I would have too is you know, y'all have also gone from the transition of having pastors who were older than you to pastors who are contemporary, now to pastors who are younger than you.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And so is has that what kind of emotions has that brought up in y'all as you've had begun having pastors that are, you know, 10, 20, 30 years younger than you?
SPEAKER_03Well, when I lived in Waco, we moved to McGregor, Texas. And I bought an old house and remodeled it. And guess what? The preacher lived right next door. Oh, yeah. And he was a young man, and he may still be teaching or preaching sermons about me. But anyway. Beware, children, the stories are terrible. But I tell you, you know, it made me kind of nervous to live when I first found out when he came over to offer to help us move in. But we became the best of friends. I mean, absolutely like brothers. And when they decided to move about three years later to Missoula, Montana. Ooh, out there. We all stood in the driveway and hugged and cried when they left.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_03What about for you, Billy?
SPEAKER_01Well, I don't think there's that much difference. If I'm getting a s uh sound doctrine from my pastor, I don't care what age they are, really. And I and I'm, you know, I in this generation, I have had p pastors that were older. And it's funny because I don't always know if I should call them by their first name.
SPEAKER_02Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_01But now that we do have a lot of younger ones, I do call them by their first name. Years ago, I'd call them pastor or whatever.
SPEAKER_00Well, I'll tell you, being one of those, I appreciate being called by my first name. Generally that it's like, uh, and so you know, with that, um, you know, if if you were gonna give uh say a word of advice to young uh uh younger ministers in the church about how to best interact with your generation, what would you encourage encourage them to do? Sorry, this this wasn't this wasn't one of the written questions. So I think honor your elders.
SPEAKER_03No, I tell you I have no problem whatsoever with the age of a pastor. It's you know, I like a friendly pastor, one that knows you and knows your name, and it just makes it home.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know, it does. It makes a big difference when the pastor comes down, he knows your name and talks to you, hugs you. Yeah, uh it does make a difference. And I've been in churches where that wasn't always true. They were good preachers, but not necessarily good pastors. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And that's why I asked the question, because you know, there's a lot that we can take for granted in the way that um the the position is held. But I think each generation values different kinds of things. And that for for y'all's generation, that is what I keep hearing over and over is that idea of closeness, of connection, of sound sound doctrine and respect, but at the same time interacting with one. Yeah, relationship. Um those seeing those two those two things as not being mutually exclusive, right? Because I mean it's it's and I will say in the times when I've done the game days, which you know I I've foolishly wandered into a game of spades with a a gentleman or a church named Bob who then beat me by a thousand points. All right, I'm gonna say this. Like, don't ever in his case, he he was he was like, I don't know what are the rules of this game? I don't even I t I totally got hustled by Bob. All right. But you know, it there there is this desire for that community that's there and for and and finding meaning in the context of that. That you know, we tr we trust what God said through the word, and then we put it into practice in the way that we relate with each other. So is that a pretty fair fair thing for that? Well, so as as we kind of get to the end of this uh conversation, one of the last questions I put on there, uh on the sheet for you was what is a uh Bible passage that particularly moves you? Um, you know, the benefit of what that every generation in the church has is the same Bible. And so I love getting to hear from people, you know, what is the the by the Bible passage or verse that really speaks to your heart? And so we'll go with you first, Billy.
SPEAKER_01Well, it depends on where I am at in life. Uh so I have different ones, but where I'm at today is uh Romans 8, 18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be care to be to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
SPEAKER_00I love that.
SPEAKER_01Right now that's that's mine, I live by that. So I love that.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, Billy.
SPEAKER_01Thank you.
SPEAKER_03Mine is John 3 16. For God's the world of the world, love the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever should believeth in him shall have eternal life. And as Lewis Timberlake always said, we win in the end. And with this verse right there, we do. Yeah, you know.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Well, thank thank you guys for taking this time to share with me today. And I I think I know my listeners will agree with me that you both did a great job, right? No, it was excellent. And you know, I I hope, friends, as you're listening to this podcast, that you begin thinking about in your life how how best you how you are best interacting with folks from other generations. We have a lot to be able to learn from one another and to gr as we grow together in a maturity in Christ. So we look forward to seeing you next time on the Citizen ATX podcast as Pastor Jonathan goes through the uh goes into an interview with the boomers. They're coming up next. So stay tuned next week for that uh podcast. But until then, uh take care and we'll see you next time on the Citizen ATX podcast.
SPEAKER_03Thank you.