We were traveling there to pay our respects to the family and memory of Jack Holder, a man I very much admired. In the early days of our calling to plant the ParkwayHills mission church, he and his wife, Mary Martha, signed on to be a part. I was thrilled because Jack was a key leader at Northway Baptist Church where we attended, and I knew that this decision would go a long way in encouraging others to come and help us as well.
What I didn't realize then was how close we had been to each other geographically for many years - without either of us knowing. Jack was born in Ben Hur, Texas - and graduated from Mart High School (less than 20 miles, as the crow flies) south and west of where I spent the summers of my childhood. However, I did not know Jack as a boy from Central Texas, but as a successful Christian businessman and lay leader of our church. He had chaired about every committee at Northway, and, in the latter days of his time there, had chaired our Long Range Planning Committee that looked into relocating us to the corner of Midway Road and FM 544 - the site our one-time mission, Prestonwood Baptist, eventually bought and moved to itself. In short, Jack and Mary Martha's decision to come and help us was a real coup fo this young preacher - one called but, in so many of the world's ways, ill-qualified. So then, for our first year and and some change, Jack and Mary Martha Holder formed a part of what we came to affectionately refer to as the 'ParkwayHills Nine' - one couple of nine who'd come from Northway Baptist Church and signed on as we were first organizing - meaning, couples who agreed to tithe or, in short, pay me a salary so we could begin. And now, there he was, Jack Holder, a man I admired and looked up to calling me pastor. WOW!While driving down on Saturday I thought of a memory. One of a cold, rainy day in early March, 1989 - a week before our first service under a tent. I'd planned to hang door hangers on all the doors of the Bent Tree West neighborhood. However, as I was readying to do so, there came an awful rain storm leaving the task designed for many to just me - so it seemed. But, that's when Jack Holder showed up. And, with umbrella and rain boots in tow, he said, "Come on Pastor, I'll hold our umbrella."
When Jack retired as the CFO at John Deere, still a relatively young man, he and Mary Martha decided to move back to the place of their roots - their home town and family farm outside of Mart, TX. I was worried over him leaving. He had been our first Board President, and formed much of what and whom we looked to for confidence and strength. But, as he told me the news over breakfast, he looked at me to say, "Pastor, you will be fine." God has this - and I am confident He will make it work as you remain faithful to Him." Jack was right, of course. God did have 'us' - all of us - and faithfulness was all He required.
So Belinda and I drove to Groesbeck last Saturday, then on out to a country cemetery plot with others who knew Jack well. We went to pay our respects to this man we loved. The first of our ParkwayHills Nine to go 'home'. For that is where He is. He has passed on to the 'Land of the Living' to be with his Savior and Lord - and... we will see Him again!
https://www.groesbeckfuneralhome.com/obituary/jackie-jack-holder
Pastor Sam
Ephesians 3:20-21
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