Brister is a small community on the outskirts of Emerson, Arkansas (home of the annual Purple Hull Pea Festival and World Championship Tiller Races).
Brister Baptist Church is the heart of the small community and draws people from neighboring areas.
For over thirty years, pastor Eric Goble has led the church faithfully. I remember visiting the church for the first time about fifteen years ago. I knew right away that there was something special going on. The small sanctuary was packed for two services every Sunday morning!
I had the opportunity to preach recently at Brister while Pastor Eric was away. It is always an honor to spend time with the church family there (which includes my aunt and uncle).
Before my recent visit, a received a text from Tim Cole. Tim teaches a young adult Sunday School class. He invited me to sit in on his class.
When I told my aunt about Tim’s invitation, she explained that his class had become popular with the young adults of the church. It didn’t take long visiting Tim’s class to realize why.
Tim has a welcoming spirit and a genuine heart for people. He doesn’t put on a front; it just shows. I have a feeling the text invitation I received from Tim is probably indicative of the way he reaches out to all the members of his class. No wonder his class is growing!
I also found out that in the summer, Tim shows up unannounced weekly to mow the church property. (And all the pastors said, “Amen!”)
Men like Tim Cole are the heart and soul of healthy churches. With a pastor like Eric Goble and members like Tim Cole, the sky is the limit for Brister Baptist Church!