Bob Bailey

As a church grows and grows.....it is hard and next to impossible for me or any of our Pastors to know everyone. This is true for anyone who comes to Team Church. This is why we have Home Teams and Service Teams and really push that everyone gets connected relationally to a group. You just can't know everyone......however, I did know Bob Bailey.

Bob, Lori and young Caroline started coming to Team Church a few years ago when we were still meeting at Butler High School. Not long after Bob started coming he shared with us that he had a tumor in his brain and the Dr.'s did not give him much time to live. As a matter of fact, during that summer he pulled me aside and said he did not think he would see Christmas. Bob made it to that Christmas and the next three. Bob served faithfully in our Cafe' when we moved into the new building and did so until he just could not physically take it any more. I use to tease him that we were always looking for "anyone" to serve and that even if he had to take "breaks" I expected him to serve faithfully....he knew I was teasing.

Over the last year Bob would come up to me in between services every so often to give me an update on how he was doing. He would tell me that it was hard knowing you were dying and that he worried for his family. I could not do much except pray for him, assure him heaven was great and further assure him that Team Church would be here for his family when he was gone. For the most part, Bob kept his since of humor and began to cope with his dying body.

In December, right before Christmas, Bob came by the church to say hi. I really did not have time, but felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to just sit and chat with Bob. We talked about Christmas, his recent stay in the hospital again and how he was glad to be out. He told me about when he and his dad use to go fishing and how his daughter loved to fish also with his dad. He told me stories from his childhood that he never had told me and while he was talking I got the feeling that Bob knew the end was coming soon.......Bob Bailey died late Monday night. His body could no longer function and the pain was no longer tolerable. I learned of his passing yesterday morning from Brad Saab our youth pastor. He had built a special bond with the family while ministering to Caroline and was there for the family as Bob passed just like I had promised. We will also be there for them from here on out too.

Bob will be missed. His dry humor will not.....ha ha...Bob would have like that one! I am glad I got to know Bob just a little.

With Bob's passing, people losing jobs, and a growing list of challenges in lives of those who call Team Church home......I am reminded again that being The Church is exactly what we set out to do 10 years ago! It is about doing life together.

Don't forget that this Friday I will be leading out in a special prayer and care time for anyone who just feels the need to pray and read the Bible as we seek God's face for peace, comfort and real hope in these challenging times. Bring your Bibles, bring your kids, bring a hurting heart, bring whatever you want....and I will see you here for a night of powerful insight, relational support and godly encouragement.



"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
Philippians 4:6-8