Deer Me...

I moved my family to Hobbs, New Mexico, in August of 1974. I had been called by the Taylor Street Church of Christ in Hobbs to serve as their Minister to Youth, Minister of Education, and Bus Minister. This was quite a job description, especially when the church elders decided to add on my being Minister of Personal Evangelism and Hospital Visitation. I began experiencing the feeling that my ministry was being impeded by church work.

I had a good background in church youth work and bus ministries. However, I never had been a church education director. This prompted me to set up a project that would prove my mettle and what could be more worthy than an attendance drive?

I perused the church’s attendance records over the past twenty-five years. This showed that the high attendance months each year were in March and October. Thus I set the date for our attendance drive for the last Sunday in October, 1974. What better time to set up this project than in a month where attendance historically was high?
Those records also showed that the record attendance for Sunday morning Bible classes was 684, back in October, 1965. Surely we could beat that record.

My thinking was, “If we could set a new attendance record for Sunday morning Bible study, it would be a bright feather in my cap. As you can see, my ego wanted to win a medal. Oh, did the Lord ever have a lesson in store for me.

By now, it was mid-September, 1974. There was just over a month left to promote this program. So I got started with committees, individual volunteers, advertisements, etc. Our main thrust was to ask every church family to bring at least one visitor on that designated day. Then following Bible classes and worship services, we would serve a scrumptious catered meal.

Finally, the big Sunday arrived. I was nervous since I was not working by faith but by self-acclaim. Our parking lots began filling up. Cars lined the curbs all up and down the streets around our building. We had to open a special adult class in the church auditorium (sanctuary) because the classrooms were filling up.

Yes, we set a new attendance record that morning with 786, exceeding our previous high attendance of 684 by more than one-hundred. The day went well. I was elated. People began singing my praises. “And now for the rest of the story.” (Paul Harvey)

The following Sunday morning, which was the first Sunday in November, I went down to the church building early. I did not want to miss any comments such as , “What a great job you are doing,” or “We are so glad the Lord sent you our way.” Etc…etc…etc.
But something strange occurred. Not many people were showing up. In fact, that morning only 331 members showed up for class plus three visitors to boot. What was going on? What happened?

I could not find any of the elders so I asked one of the deacons, “Where is everybody?” He replied, “Oh, deer season has opened. Most everyone has gone deer hunting.” My ego imploded. I was absolutely devastated.

I proceeded to write a bulletin article for the following week entitled, “WILL THERE BE ANY ANTLERS IN MY CROWN?” The article started out with a parody on 2 Timothy 4:2 (KJV), “Be instant in season and out of season, except of course for deer season.”

I learned that all of our elders had gone on a deer hunt together. My article caused quite a stir. I believe I came pretty close to being fired. One elder said to me, “You got away with it this time but don’t ever do that again.”

From that point on, I stood aside so that God’s Spirit could lead my every step.

Each year as deer season opens, I am reminded of that great lesson on humility the Lord afforded that young whippersnapper.

Winston Hamby
Winhamby@gmail.com