The Impact Of Peck Lindsay

October 2009

There are people who come along in your life that make a profound impact on the direction that you take and the choices that you make. Peck Lindsay has been that kind of person in my life.

Peck, as he has done with so many pastors in KNCSB, befriended me and offered his help early on in my pastorate in Mulvane, Kansas. I was amazed early on that the Executive Director would take time to reach out to a pastor who was young and not very influential.

I have learned through the years that influence and position don’t particularly impress Peck. He genuinely cares about pastors and churches. His friendship was something that I knew I could count on early in my KNCSB experience.

Peck also made an impact on the direction of my life when he invited me to help with some projects at the state office. I was first invited to work on what became the Heartland Center for Christian Leadership. Later, I was invited to work on the revamping of the Baptist Digest.

Through this experience and the willingness of my church, I became a part-time contributor to the Baptist Digest and gave some leadership to Heartland. Peck was very clear up front that I would probably never work full time for the convention. That was all right with me. I was enjoying what I was doing as a pastor of a wonderful church.

Imagine my surprise when after a few years of part-time work for the convention, Peck invited me to consider working full time for the convention. God’s timing was perfect, because I had reached the conclusion that it was time to move on from my pastoral responsibilities.

These last five years have been a refreshing time of ministry. I loved pastoring, but I love what I do now as well. In all of this Peck has really made it possible for me to grow and enjoy what I am doing. I have written about leadership in this column recently. Let me say that I believe Peck to be one of the Godliest leaders that I have had the opportunity to be around.

Peck encourages everyone to explore the God-given potential for his or her life. He understands when someone fails and is willing to help pick them up and dust them off.

Peck has challenged me intellectually as well. I learned very quickly not to ever underestimate his mind. Every time I have challenged him about an idea, he can always articulate a reason for his position that is well thought out.

We will miss his leadership but we know that his friendship will continue.

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