Pastor Randy: 0:00

The thing that I think that has impacted me more than anything was the passing of my daughter. She was such a joy in our family when she passed. The stress that comes, the pain that comes, the loss of your future that comes. That's the biggest thing, because I've got tons of preaching notes I'm going to give to her. She's going to write a book. All this is going to happen. That's done. A lot of marriages don't make it when a child passes, and so that's how stressful it can be. So I'm very proud of my wife for her journey through all that. God has helped me and so we walk through this together. So in our pain we can also rejoice. We know that Nancy's with the Lord. We look at her children, whom we love, but they're without their mama. So we rejoice for her past and her walk with Jesus. We're thankful for where she is. But it's that loss of future and you deal with that constantly. But God in His grace sustains us.

Rhett: 1:11

Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of Armchair Authentic, a podcast with Rhett and Justin. It is our hope to steward our story in a way that serves your story through having real life conversations with real people. In fact, today, man, it really was an honor to have a conversation with Justin and I's pastor, pastor Randy Williams. Man, we're going back today to the roots and foundations of our faith and we cannot wait to jump into this conversation, as it is a special episode. But before we do that, I do want to take a moment and say welcome to those who are joining us, maybe for the first time. We just want to say welcome to the podcast family. Thank you for giving us an opportunity just to speak to you and have a conversation today. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Rhett: 1:58

If you haven't already done so, could I encourage you to go to Facebook or Instagram and begin to follow us at Armchair Authentic. You can also follow us on X at Armchair Off Pod. That's Armchair Off Pod A-U-T-H-P-O-D For those who have taken the time to rate and review the podcast. Man, thank you so much for doing that. It truly is an encouragement to us, but more than that, it really is a great way we can serve those who aren't on this journey yet. So, justin, you and I had an incredible conversation today with Pastor Randy Williams.

Justin: 2:33

Yeah, we sure did, Rhett. This was an honor for us because the first seven years of our life when we surrendered our life to Christ, back when we were 15 and 16 years old, and we surrendered our life to Christ back when we were 15 and 16 years old, this was our congregation. He was our pastor.

Rhett: 2:52

And we talk a lot about the impact that he made on us. Yeah, our story would not be what it is today had it not been for Pastor Randy Williams and Parkway Christian Fellowship over in the Roebuck-Huffman area of Birmingham, Alabama. So that's why we wanted to take some time to have a conversation so that you could get to hear more in-depth of our story through his story.

Justin: 3:10

Yeah, and to timestamp something for you that will only be applicable for this week. If you're listening to this, on the release of this podcast, which is Monday, august 19th, this upcoming Sunday, for those who have been impacted in the Birmingham area by the ministry of Pastor Randy and Diana Williams, you can actually go join and watch the service where the new pastor is installed and also take part in a reception where we can just celebrate what he's done. More information on that during our conversation.

Rhett: 3:40

Now, without further ado, our extended conversation with Pastor Randy Williams.

Justin: 3:47

Well, all right, rhett, this feels a little surreal, man. It does the reason why we are sitting in the auditorium, the sanctuary of Parkway Christian Fellowship, which is where you and I spent the first seven years to eight years of when we surrendered our life to Christ. We are sitting, if you can imagine, we're sitting center stage where our pastor preached, for has preached for so many years, but we got to be a part of this adventure. So this is really, really crazy, because in our presence we have our pastor, pastor Randy Williams, and his beautiful wife, miss Diana Guys. It's so good to have you with us today on Armchair.

Pastor Randy: 4:31

Authentic Wow. Thank you so much. I'm honored to be here.

Justin: 4:35

We're going to have a lot of fun today. This is really cool because if you were to picture our view, me and Rhett we have it set up where we're staring out. Pastor Randy is staring at us with his back to the auditorium, and so when I'm looking around, rhett, I think about the first time that I ever saw really Pastor Randy coming in as the senior pastor of Parkway and I've told you this story so many times. Pastor Randy, we're looking at this balcony, me and Rhett. We were both here on this day, pastor Randy's first service here 32 years ago, to accept this mission as senior pastor. He came on the stage I'm not surrendered yet to Christ, haven't gone through that transformation and I see this man walk on the stage and out of nowhere, through the sound system, you hear this mission. If you think, mission Impossible. So, rick, you got the and so he comes on stage and it's this audio copy reading like you know, I don't know the word for word, but it's like do you accept this mission?

Justin: 5:49

And Pastor Randy's looking at the audience or the congregation and it says this mission or this letter will self-destruct in five seconds and literally as he finishes reading, he just throws it in the air and it flashes like in flames and just disappears.

Rhett: 6:05

Mouth drop moment as a 15-year-old like this is the coolest guy ever.

Justin: 6:10

This is awesome.

Rhett: 6:12

I don't know what anybody else is thinking, but as a 14, 15-year-old, we were like that's amazing.

Justin: 6:16

I'm thinking the only reason I'm at this church at that time is because we used to go to a different church down the street and I found out if I go here, I can walk home to my apartments and I can leave church early. This is my confession time, pastor Randy and Miss Diana, but when I saw that I thought, okay, I can get behind this. This is a little bit different church than I've ever seen before. So let's just see what happens here. But, rhett, just for us to actually share that story together and to be here with Pastor Randy today, we're just so excited to have you here, pastor Randy. This is really cool.

Pastor Randy: 6:50

And you know that was 32 years ago and I remember it well, so I need to fill in some blanks here. I had an envelope and I walked up to the platform and on to the pulpit, open the envelope, pull out pictures, just like on Mission Impossible, and I'm looking them over and I hit the audio tape. Okay, and you know, pastor William, should you accept this assignment? And as it says this is so-and-so, and I'm picking up a picture and looking and nodding and everything. So I had on the pulpit, I had a little votive candle lit, okay, and I had flash paper on that cassette and so when I took it out it said this tape will self-destruct.

Pastor Randy: 7:31

I put that tape over that, over that uh fire, and it went like that and I threw it and where you guys are sitting, I threw it into that tree right there. Okay, didn't mean to hit the tree. So when I flung it and you see this flash, you guys all you see is the flash and your eyes are here and the tape went across and I happened to look because I didn't hear it hit and there it is, stuck in the tree and I thought that is perfect 32 years later and I'm hearing this story behind the scenes now.

Justin: 8:08

Yeah, you know they say like sometimes you don't want to know the the trick. I just thought it was like it vanished and I still couldn't figure it out as a kid. And now you're giving me the behind the scenes. Look, what do you think about that right?

Rhett: 8:22

uh, yeah, it's amazing. Literally. I'm kind of still in the overwhelmed moment of sitting here in this auditorium on this stage, looking out, because this was the catalyst moment for a spiritual family in my life and I'm going to do my best not to get emotional, but if I do, it just is what it is. But I'm sitting here looking at the very pew where I rededicated my life to Christ and was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and God gave me a family.

Rhett: 8:53

And here we are 31 years later in ministry doing what we're doing, had it not been for the foundational impact that God used you guys in our lives. So, yeah, I'm kind of sitting in la-la land a little bit right here you can't help it but just but overwhelmed. And I think one of the beautiful things about having you on this podcast, Pastor Randy and Diana, is just to get to go back to our roots, because you obviously have a story in your journey that led you here and all the ministry that you've done here, which we're really excited about. Getting to honor you guys and celebration We'll talk more about that in a minute. But it's just cool because had it not been for your sacrifice, for your investment, for your obedience and the decisions you guys made to move your family here, I mean I know God could have still wrote a story in us and through us through another Avenue, but it's just so cool that he did it through you guys.

Pastor Randy: 9:48

Well, and I'm glad to be a part of that story. I mean, this is exciting. It's exciting to be here, because I don't really know you guys. You know, you guys were teenagers and young and immature.

Rhett: 10:03

I'm listening. Well, I'm listening to Armchair Quarterback.

Pastor Randy: 10:05

That's okay.

Rhett: 10:07

Whatever you want to call it, it's fine. We have just got an official name change today. Yeah, that's funny.

Pastor Randy: 10:13

I'm listening to Armchair Authentic and I'm going. Man, these guys are mature. I see Christ in them and that's what's exciting. It tells me that you didn't just go to church and hear the preaching. You got in the word yourself. You got on your knees before God yourself. You've allowed the Holy Spirit to work in you, and that's the dynamic thing about serving Christ. It's not about just learning in our head, it's about having it in our heart, and that only comes by us pursuing after him.

Justin: 10:41

Well, I think about, obviously, when you preach the Word of God to us, I mean it was so powerful.

Justin: 10:47

I always remember you're so deep too, just theologically how you could really break down Scripture.

Justin: 10:57

But even more than that, I do think it was how we saw things modeled, understanding again where we came from, you know, we grew up literally my dad, rhett's dad they did the best they could amazing men to this day but they were having to be mom and dad and also go work their jobs, so we never really got to have the modeling of a family dynamic which was healthy and something me and Rhett, we would almost like fault you guys on, because we thought this is a little wacky, because here's something we never heard of. Guys on, because we thought this is a little wacky because here's something we never heard of, because we were great friends too with Carmen and Melissa, two of your daughters who just had such a huge impact on our life. And we want to go play with Carmen and Melissa and say, hey, what do y'all want to do today? And they were like, oh, it's Monday. We're like, great, even better. They were like, no, it's family night. Don't know what that means, but ask your parents, if y'all can come hang out with us.

Justin: 11:45

No, we don't. Family night's where we hang out with the family, and we'd be like, oh okay, and they would leave and me and Rhett would say, well, that's dumb, we couldn't comprehend it. Yeah, and then over the years, obviously now as men with our own families, we're like Pastor Andy and Miss Diana. I mean we got our family nights. It doesn't budge and that's normal to us now, but it wasn't then. And so just the way that you guys modeled these lifestyles for us, I mean it's impacted us to this day.

Pastor Randy: 12:15

Yeah, you know, we taught our girls from the time they were very young no friends, no phone calls, no visitors over. It is family night, just family. But we let them choose the activities and we guided them, of course, but by the time we moved here our girls are old enough to really have this concept. So you're giving me feedback that makes me proud as a dad going all right, they were solid in this. They didn't come home and say please, let us hang out, it was settled, it's family night.

Justin: 12:51

I'm glad we grew on you guys that y'all would maybe not let us come to the family night, but it wasn't before long. Y'all made us a part of your family and let us come over for some meals and just to have some great time. And so that when Rhett says family getting formed, we really did. We stepped into a family and it's funny how it's always been me and Rhett get to walk. We have our separate journey. At the same time, a lot of it weaves together.

Justin: 13:15

Our family dynamic really began to shift under your leadership and the people that you installed as leaders in this church who carried out different roles, like Pastor Rod and Pastor Scott, and I mean Pastor David, all these different people at one time who were in leadership through the past decades. It had such a profound impact on our life, and so we can't help linger here a little bit, because this is, of all the conversations that we have, this is going to be it's just going to always stay up there as one of the more special ones to us because y'all have had such an impact on our life. We get to do some amazing things in ministry now and I'm grateful for the family that God set me in along the way, but I always find myself in the fine ways, not living in the good old days, but I jump back all the time in my mind to the Panama City trip that the youth pastors take us. That's not an easy thing to send a bunch of your youth to Panama City, but I happen to be on that trip and surrender my life to Christ and then to come back and get to be a part of this and the relationships we've made.

Justin: 14:22

I'm still in touch with a lot of these people and the memories that I have when I have to go back and remind myself of my first love. It's amazing how your ministry is such a foundation for me. It's kept me strong On some of those days that I'm wondering is this really the right track that I want to be on? I might, could go be more worldly, you know, successful, you know if I did something else. Those days you know when you're wondering is this even worth it? And I take it back I can't tell you how many times to my parkway days, my first seven years, that have completely created a foundation in Christ of who I am today.

Pastor Randy: 15:01

I heard a definition of humility that I really like. It's recognizing that your life is the product of so many people pouring into it. So I tell people that some of my mentors lived in the 1700s. I'm reading their comments and they speak to me. Some of them are alive today. So we're the product of so many people pouring into us. I'm glad to be a part of that process. I'm glad that somehow I have been a blessing. But we recognize that's the product of so many people pouring into us. I'm glad to be a part of that process. I'm glad that somehow I have been a blessing. But we recognize that's the work of God. That's what God does. God speaks through us. I've had so many people speak into my life and it's great to pass that on. Now I'm coming to a time of retirement and somebody else is carrying on. So it's awesome. You guys are doing the same thing. You else is carrying on. So it's awesome. You guys are doing the same thing.

Justin: 15:45

You're carrying on to another generation 32 years that you have been pastoring here, 57 years ministry altogether and that's some of the questions that I definitely I want to get to. Yeah, and really just even that thought of 32 years this place that you're able to be the pastor of and the shepherd of, it's had the highs, it's had the lows. You've kind of gone up and down. What has it been that's kept you solid here, both of you guys, for 32 years at Parkway?

Pastor Randy: 16:16

You used the word foundation a moment ago. I think our foundation was strong. We came to Christ in a heart-changing moment, not just our head. I see a lot of people who, I think, have head conversion. My heart is heavy because recently and you guys know this better than I do but there are a number of worship leaders across the nation that have left the faith and that concerns me. And I'm not judging them, I'm just saying I want to use that to look at my life. I don't want to just have confusion in my head. I don't want to just say, well, the doctrine doesn't make sense to me now. No, I need something in my heart. I think that's the difference between Christianity and every religion. Only one offers a heart change and that's Christianity through Christ.

Pastor Randy: 17:04

So we had that foundation. We had our hearts changed by the Lord Jesus and then we were filled with his spirit, called to preach. So we felt like whatever assignment God gave us, that God would enable us. We had to learn this scripture very early, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord. So everything had to be built upon this foundation of trusting the Lord. So we determined that if we knew the will of God, that's what we committed to. So an example I drove all night to go to Houston Texas to interview for a job at a Bible school.

Pastor Randy: 17:45

I wanted to teach New Testament, greek. Okay, they, their teacher was resigning. This was a shoe in, but it wasn't God's will. I'm in the interview, I have the job. Until they asked me a question Is your wife with you in this ministry? I thought they meant does she want to teach at the Bible college? And I said oh, no, no. And they stood up and closed the book and said well, we'll call you if we want you to come. I thought what just happened? So they're hearing. Yeah, I'm a believer, but my wife's not.

Rhett: 18:21

Oh my gosh.

Pastor Randy: 18:23

So I drive back home and I can't believe, but I've you know how'd this fall through? But then from that trip God took me to Northeast Kansas where I planted a church. I was there 14 years, almost 14 years, and we knew God clearly spoke, it's time to leave there. Go back to Kansas city, which I went there for five years, and then God clearly spoke and said it's time to leave here. But he didn't say where I was going and I got voted in a church in North Carolina and I knew that wasn't God's will. And we were interviewed in Arizona all over and finally God led me here and I knew this is where God wanted me. So my understanding of the kingdom is you do what God says. You don't do what I said.

Pastor Randy: 19:10

I want to tell you a moment about my dad. But my dad was an atheist and he would cuss me all the time for being a preacher, and so he visited my church first time I ever saw him in church. And we're just planting this church. We have 20 people, we're just getting started, we're in the basement of a building and it is a true basement, and we go home to eat. My dad says can't you do better than this and I got to say to him, I got to say this yes, I can, but this is where God wants me. And in the ministry you don't do what looks good, you do what God says. And of course my dad, he just you know he's rants and raves about it, but the truth is, when you know the will of God, you walk in that and you keep doing what God says until he says to do something else. So when you're committed, that's what you do so.

Rhett: 20:03

I have a question going back to you know, I appreciate you opening up about your father in that moment, and the common theme here is hearing the will of God, having the foundation of the word of God in your life. But it wasn't always that way. You know, at some point there was a moment where your eyes were open to the revelation is what we call in Christianity to that moment where you're like God's real. I want to accept him into my life. Talk about that moment Like what was life growing up and what you're willing to share, and then that transformative moment that has led you to become the man that you are today the church that I was going to Diana's church and we're not a thing yet, you know, because her brother's my best friend, so I'm going to church.

Pastor Randy: 20:45

Well, her mom invites all the youth group over on a Saturday night we're having revival, and she invites us over on Saturday late afternoon for tacos. Now her mom makes the best tacos in the world and followed by the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. So this is like a teenager dream come true. So, as guys, it's always competition. I can eat 10. I can eat 12. Her cousin ate 19.

Pastor Randy: 21:10

So we're over here just doing this thing Well then we go to church and the evangelist is going to preach but says I want my daughter to share a dream that she had. So this teenage girl gets up, talks about dreaming that Jesus came and she was left behind. And immediately I knew that's me. I knew I'm not ready to go. And that night and I had wrestled with this before I felt conviction, I felt drawn to Christ. But I was resisting because I knew if you're going to be a Christian, you got to mean business. You can't just take it on and try it. You surrender, he's the Lord of your life, or you don't. You don't play a hypocrite, you just you're genuine. That night I wanted to be genuine. That night I came to Jesus, surrendered everything.

Pastor Randy: 21:58

I remember going home and it was just my mom and I living in the house and we lived in a very bad neighborhood. So we had a little code. I would knock on the door. She would say who is it? I'd go, I'm hungry. And she knew it was me. So I got in. So she opens the door. Even then, when I go, I'm hungry, she peeks out and I didn't plan on saying this. But I said Mom, I got saved tonight and I didn't plan on saying this, but I said Mama got saved tonight and I heard that come out of my mouth. I thought where did that come from? I didn't even know the terminology.

Pastor Randy: 22:30

Really, was your mom a believer at this point? She had grown up in an Assemblies of God church. Her parents, grandma, led worship, as we would say today. They said she was the song leader, grandpa was a deacon and she had been a youth leader at some time and she had gone to Bible school and so she had known the Lord and was doing her best in survival mode really trying to—we just had all kinds of issues, no money or whatever. So she understood and she starts crying. She's happy, you know, but I really did not want to play any games. I want a mean business. Lord, if I'm going to serve you, I'm going to surrender it all, and I did. Now I'm a new babe in Christ, right?

Rhett: 23:15

Now, how old were you again? I'm sorry I missed that. I was 13. 13. Okay.

Pastor Randy: 23:19

So now I have to grow in the Lord, struggle for a couple of years, a couple of years later, I'm filled with the Holy Spirit and everything is radically different. I mean, I feel the power of God in my life, I feel like I can serve God. And I remember in our church all the preachers would testify how they ran from God until God convinced them you're in the ministry, I've called you, and I thought I must not be called to God because I'm not running from God. I literally I thought I can't be called to the ministry. And finally, one day, just God convinced me.

Pastor Randy: 23:54

I'm calling you in the ministry and we were having service and praying around the altar. That was a big thing. After service, come to the altar and pray, seek God, learn to hear from God yourself. And we were there. And this lady came over later, hands on me, began to prophesy over me and the Lord said follow me and I'll make you the minister I want you to be. Now let me translate that Don't try to be like Billy Graham, don't be like somebody else, you just be who I want you to be. That was a confirmation of what I already felt in my heart the call of God, a real confirmation that I've called you. So at that point I began to surrender to that.

Rhett: 24:33

What were some of the decisions that you made? Obviously, you surrendered your life to Jesus in that moment, but what were some of the decisions that were pivotal and catalysts for you, for that life change, for learning how to hear from the Lord, from being able to discern you know, I kid around from was it the pizza I ate last night? Or is this really God's voice speaking to me? Because you didn't do that in isolation. Obviously you did that by making some decisions.

Pastor Randy: 25:00

So what were some of those decisions you made that led you to where you are today. One decision was to study the Word of God. I remember, specifically at night, after homework was done, after I've done everything I need to do, I'd get my Bible and my mom had remarried at that point, so she and my stepdad they were going to sleep my lights on. There's times I fell asleep on my knees praying. There's times I would lay in my bed with my Bible open. I'd wake up, you know two or three in the morning, with it still going on, but I would take just a simple note paper and I would write down anything that was new to me. So I remember starting in the book of Romans and just writing things down. You know Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I'd write down what is an apostle and I'd have to study that and learn that that's really good.

Pastor Randy: 25:44

And so to me that began a process of Bible study. I learned how to do it better, of course, but just inquiring into the word To flash forward a long time. I learned then to take the word and pray it back to God. By grace you save God. Thank you that you saved me by your grace. So that reestablishes the word in my spirit. So that was one being a man of prayer seeking God, being unashamed to cry out to God, learning to discern his voice. And that's not an immediate thing, like you said. Is it pizza? Was it that dill pickle?

Mrs. Diana: 26:20

I put on the cheeseburger yeah.

Pastor Randy: 26:23

But after a while you begin to understand his voice and I can tell you there are times when I wonder. But then there are times I know, and so those are powerful times when you know God spoke this to you, justin, you referenced some issues that were going on in the church here and we just had to know God, are we in your will? And Miss Diana, we just had to know God, are we in your will? And Ms Diana to her credit, immense credit she walked with me through all of these callings because God's calling is also on her. And so she says to me are you sure God has called us here?

Pastor Randy: 26:59

And I didn't want to just go. Oh, yeah, yeah, you know what, babe, this is going to be great. I wanted to know and I was standing right over here, I was walking back and forth and over here you guys are familiar with this area real quick and God spoke to me right there and he said trust me. And when he said it, it's amazing. God doesn't have to give you a big, huge commentary. He can speak one word you go, got it. You know. I mean, if you can say peace, be still, and everything changes creation you know.

Pastor Randy: 27:30

So when he said trust me, I said okay, that's it, I've got peace, yeah. And so all of those decisions get in the word, know how to pray, uh, yield to his spirit, listen to his voice. All those decisions are followed up by actions that lead you into better communication with God.

Rhett: 27:48

How important was the local church to you and your development. I believe.

Pastor Randy: 27:52

Now, as I look back, I believe the local church. The church is the most important thing to God on planet Earth. It's the bride of Christ and it's expressed locally, so it's in that local setting that we begin to be transformed. There are things that God can do in your life only when you, personally, are with him, and there's things he can only do when you're collectively with other believers. To give you an example love one another. I can love you if I never meet with you right.

Justin: 28:23

But if we?

Pastor Randy: 28:23

get together, you're allowed to say something that really ticks me off.

Rhett: 28:27

It's so good. Yeah, it's true.

Pastor Randy: 28:29

I got to learn.

Rhett: 28:30

Wait a minute, it's that iron, sharpening iron, it's like wait, I'm in the fire here and God is saying I thought you said you loved him Well okay, let's be real. We're working on this now.

Pastor Randy: 28:41

God yeah, exactly so when you ask about the local church. That is the crucible that God works in to do the things in your life that he can't do to you privately but he does in that corporate setting. I learned to worship in church. I worship in private, I learned to fellowship because of the house of God. But I'm listening to you, I'm listening to you. I'm listening to you and you're pouring into my life and suddenly I'm thinking things I never thought about before. So iron sharpens iron.

Justin: 29:13

Yeah, and the thought of that. When you say going through the crucible, that's such a great description because if people that are listening so far they heard that you planted a church, so they're putting you in that perception of seeing your pastor only. And when you first came to Parkway, when God put it in your heart to come here, it actually wasn't a senior pastor. Is that right?

Pastor Randy: 29:36

Here's what's crazy because I'm pastoring this church that I planted and I'm telling God, God, I'll stay here the rest of my life. Yeah, Because it was. You're in the will of God, it's wonderful. And no sooner have I said that and the phone rings and a friend of mine in Kansas City calls and I pick it up. He said I want you to pray about coming and joining me on staff and I said well, I don't need to pray about that, I know where God wants me. I'm right here. No, we're arguing back and forth. I said look, I'm not going to tell you, I'll pray if I'm not going to pray.

Pastor Randy: 30:04

So, he said okay, then promise you'll pray. All right, I will pray. So I hung the phone up and my hand is still on the phone and my prayer was something like this God, I know that you've called me here, I know this is where you want me, but I promised I would pray, so I'm going to pray. Lord, do you want me to go to Kansas City? And something changed in me that moment and I thought, oh, my goodness. And now I mean I look back now and I'm going yeah, okay that was the moment.

Pastor Randy: 30:34

But at that time I'm thinking God, what is going on? So I go home and I'm telling Diana, I don't know, and as God just arranges things, for the next six weeks in a row, I have to go to Kansas city. It's 160 miles from me. We would go twice a year, but I'm going six times in six weeks to six different events that I have to be a part of. This is strange. So the church where I'm being invited to become associate pastor, they have this six o'clock in the morning prayer meeting. So every time I go, I go to the prayer meeting and God just is talking to me and he confirms this is where he wants me. And I'm thinking, wow, this is crazy. So I go there and I'm there five years as an associate and God says to me and these are the words that came to me it's time for you to drive the bus. And this is not the bus you'll drive. Okay, all right, god, let's go where to silence and they're radio silence forever.

Pastor Randy: 31:34

Yeah, I visited a church in illinois. I preached for them. I thought maybe god's taking me there. I have family, that's where my mother's from. This is great and uh, and heaven comes down. I mean, it just comes down.

Justin: 31:46

Greatest service that they've probably had in years and that you've experienced too. They had a trauma.

Pastor Randy: 31:52

Their pastor committed sin, ran off with somebody. You know, my heart goes out to them and I preach and just healing comes, amazing, you know. And I thought this is it. I preached five times there. I would call them. I'd be somewhere preaching and say I'm coming through tonight, do you have anybody to preach? I'd be glad to stop, please. So I stopped Five times. It happened, this is it.

Pastor Randy: 32:15

And yet when they asked me one of the strangest things in my life I'm sitting back like this three guys, three elders, are over here, what would you say? And I'm leaning forward to say yes, I mean, it has to be right, it has to be. And I'm leaning forward and halfway up there it's like there's a voice shouting inside of me. I know nobody hears it, but I hear it in me. That goes no like that. And it shook me so bad and I thought, well, guys, I need to pray about this. And so I go pray. But ultimately I end up here and, yes, I came as an associate pastor, which didn't make sense to what God said You're supposed to be driving the bus, yeah? And yet this is where God said yeah. And I thought, god, this is just crazy, what are you up to? Well, then it flipped around and I became pastor.

Pastor Randy: 33:06

Yes, so you know, then you look back and go oh yeah, well, yeah, that was easy.

Justin: 33:12

Yeah, obviously, hindsight, we get to look back and see it and it becomes so obvious. But just he says that you're going to be steering the bus and then you make another move into an associate pastor role.

Pastor Randy: 33:23

Yeah, You're telling others, okay, it's time for me to be senior pastor again. Then you have to say well, I took this position as associate pastor and they go. What Thought you heard from God Exactly?

Rhett: 33:33

Humanity. It's like you just keep moving up the ladder. It's like, well, you're senior pastor and founding pastor, when else do you go from there?

Mrs. Diana: 33:40

You don't go backwards you know, in the world's eyes.

Justin: 33:42

But God has a way of working through everything.

Pastor Randy: 33:45

His ways are above our ways.

Rhett: 33:46

The past, finding out you just follow as a person that I know hears from the Lord and from both of you as a couple. It's amazing, but I think you've missed it in one place in your life. Okay, and I'm just going to say it. Call it out, rhett, it's in your choice of NFL football teams. Oh man, kansas City Chiefs.

Justin: 34:02

Come on, Pastor.

Rhett: 34:05

No.

Justin: 34:06

I disagree with Rhett, oh Jesus help us, lord.

Rhett: 34:09

Let the record show. I mean, you know we're talking about hearing the pizza and then hearing the will of God, and I'm like you know, I don't know.

Justin: 34:15

Rhett, you called me out on a few episodes ago because you called me out as being a Kansas. City Chiefs fan, oh man, and now full circle, and I know this is directed towards Pastor Andy Randy, but I have to intercept. Yeah, I blame you for this. I blame you for this Because 32 years ago so I guess it would have been 31 after I dedicated and surrendered my life to Christ, when I met Pastor Randy, miss Diana, carmen, melissa, like like the ones in Birmingham, I found out quick about Kansas City Chiefs.

Justin: 34:46

Matter of fact, I think it was during Christmas, you guys would get me like a Kansas City hat.

Rhett: 34:50

You were brainwashed. Oh, come on, that's where it is. It's hitting me now. Okay, actually, I'm having a revelation.

Justin: 34:56

All right, they brainwashed me. That's what it is. It was them. I thought this was my own choice.

Rhett: 35:00

Just like a really good Alabama fan.

Justin: 35:02

But Pastor Randy, is that's? Right Well but, pastor Randy, that's why I have to disagree with Rhett on this. Kansas City Chiefs, they've got the dynasty going. You are an avid fan. I think about you every time they've been winning Super Bowls. I've sent you some texts during the Super Bowls to congratulate you. So I'm going to reframe the question, because Rhett put such a negativity on our beautiful Chiefs, I don't know.

Rhett: 35:25

I think there's a lot of people on my side listening to this around the world.

Justin: 35:28

You're a big Chiefs fan, pastor Randy, tell us about this conversion when? Did this happen.

Pastor Randy: 35:32

Yeah, why would you not be a Chiefs fan? Oh, here we go. I started this. I opened it up.

Rhett: 35:38

So we got three against one here. I know Ms Diane didn't have a microphone right now, but I think I just opened up a can of worms on me here. She's Chiefs all the way. I'm just doing this for those who are listening on the other end, bringing them into this moment. All right, so listen.

Pastor Randy: 35:50

Grasshopper, you will learn. So, since you guys are young, you won't relate to this, but I actually watched the first Super Bowl.

Pastor Randy: 35:58

Chiefs and Green Bay. Green Bay won and then three years later, chiefs won, they beat Minnesota and then, 50 years later, we're back in the Super Bowl. So I was a fan through all that time. I grew up in Kansas City, born in Arkansas, lived in Memphis, lived in St Louis. Then, when I was four, we grew up in Kansas City, so it was natural. Now here's what's crazy. I was attending Bible school and didn't even know we had a team. And then the Super Bowl's coming and some kid from Wisconsin paints his shoes yellow and green. And I'm going what is that for? He said it's the Super Bowl this weekend. I said, what is that? And so I found out, oh, kansas City Chiefs, all right. And I can't really say I didn't know they had a team, I just didn't know they were any good.

Pastor Randy: 36:54

We used to play a pickup game of football next to their practice stadium in an area called Swope Park. They would have to walk out of their locker room outside the stadium and then into the practice field and we would stop, all of us would stop and just watch them. We thought they were the biggest men we'd ever seen in our lives and so anyway, that just kind of went by me. I thought, okay, well, they play football. So then I got interested in what are they doing, so been a fan ever since. You know. I'll tell you this story because you guys were here back when we did the 50th anniversary of preaching, that's right. And Miss Diana put that together and she hid it from me, which is a major task, you go girl.

Pastor Randy: 37:30

Because, I accidentally find out what's going on. I don't even have to try, it just unfolds and I did not know this. So I'm in Kenya where I've been ministering. Coming back home and I have to fly into Kansas City for my 50th high school reunion. Diana's flying up to meet me. She doesn't put any word out on any social media until that day. So I get to Detroit, I've got a three hour layover and I'm on my computer and I look on Facebook and here's this announcement and I thought, oh, they accidentally put that. I shouldn't know this. Well, she let it out that day, so I would learn it on the way home. So we meet up in Kansas City. She says well, did you get on Facebook today? And I'm going this is crazy, because she never wants me on Facebook, you know. And I said, yeah, I saw the announcement. Okay, so here's what happened in between Detroit and Kansas City.

Pastor Randy: 38:23

I get on the plane, I sit down. I have a chief's jacket on. Okay, fold it up, put it overhead, sit down. I'm sitting by this guy. We're talking football. And he says well, you know, that's what I do.

Pastor Randy: 38:33

I said I thought he was a high school coach. I said no. He said I'm the assistant head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Wow, I could not think of Brad Childress' name. My mind went blank, wow. But he takes his hat off and he's balled on top. You're like, oh, there he is. I said, coach, I am so sorry we have just drafted Patrick Mahomes, okay, wow. And I said, coach, I've been in Kenya. I don't know a thing about the draft, other than I know we drafted Mahomes. I don't know a thing about him. And we talked Chiefs football for two hours. Oh, football for two hours. Oh, that's fun, oh yeah. And I said, okay, is he the real deal? And he stops everything, like time freezes, and he just looks at me. I mean, it went on what felt like two hours, but it was probably, you know, 30 seconds and he says, oh yeah, oh wow. And I thought, well, he sold on him, well, I guess he was right.

Rhett: 39:26

You know, there's no doubt his talent is amazing yeah, and you know what you know?

Pastor Randy: 39:30

uh, no team has had a three-peat in the Super Bowl, so I really want to do it if they don't. I've been so blessed just to see them win some Super Bowls and, yeah, I'm excited.

Justin: 39:41

Well, and you became an Alabama fan when you moved to Alabama, right? Another wonderful decision that I'll disagree with that hasn't changed has it.

Rhett: 39:51

I mean, come on, either. You know, 90% of the people in your church are Alabama fans. I think you're going to go that route, or at least you're going to tell people that.

Pastor Randy: 40:00

So my first service do you remember Earl the guard?

Justin: 40:02

Yeah, my first service.

Pastor Randy: 40:04

okay, I'm shaking hands with people. I'm standing over here and Earl walks in the door and he shakes my hand. He says all right, so who are you for? Yeah, exactly, and I said not being for me. I said who's playing? And he says you're not from around here are you?

Pastor Randy: 40:21

Yeah, I know I said no, seriously, who are you talking about? He said Alabama or Auburn. Well, I thought Auburn was in Georgia. I mean, you know, bo Jackson came from Auburn, played for the Kansas City Royals baseball team, and all the talk about being from Auburn. I thought Auburn was in Georgia. It should be. So I said why would I root for a team from Georgia? I'm for Alabama. He says, all right, you know, and so that was the year they won the national championship. Yeah, they won the national championship 1992. Yeah, they won the national championship. Everything's going well and uh. So I just became a fan but actually fan of both schools, and you can't do that here in the south. Okay, I like auburn, I like alabama, but I went to an auburn game.

Pastor Randy: 41:03

They were playing arkansas leonard, remember at the school our cook, he takes me to a game. Wow, that's great. I don't have a team in the fight. Okay, yeah, so I'm cheering for good plays, alabama.

Justin: 41:15

I mean, auburn makes a good play, yeah, good play.

Pastor Randy: 41:17

Arkansas makes a good play. Way to go, you know. So on the way home and I think Auburn won that game On the way home, leonard turns to me in all seriousness because he was one of those serious fans he said I'm never taking you to another game.

Justin: 41:30

Oh, I knew that was coming. I knew that was coming. That's just how it is. So had the Auburn fans been?

Pastor Randy: 41:36

a little more gracious, I might have turned into an Auburn fan it sounds about right.

Justin: 41:42

Sorry, Ren.

Pastor Randy: 41:43

And for those who are listening outside of this area, it's fun and games. It's great. You have to choose a side. You got to wear the colors, you got to show yourself strong. Yeah, you asked me if it's changed. Okay, I gotta admit this. All right here. It is all right. Confession I moved here from the big eight, which is now the big 12, but it's actually 16. So, yeah, right, who can figure that? Okay, grew up in missouri, so missouri tigers was my team growing up. Okay, now, they've never been great, but some years had good years when they joined the SEC. I'm going. Okay, they got to have one fan in Alabama, yes, so I started rooting for the Tigers. Well, that makes sense.

Rhett: 42:20

You're from? Yeah, you're from. I can go with that. Yes, it's good. I'm glad you've transitioned.

Justin: 42:24

It makes a lot of sense and as hardcore Alabama as I am, I'm an SEC fanatic and most of the cities that listen to this we're about 300 cities around the country so we have to explain Usually we've qualified at many episodes that college football in the South, how big it is, but everybody can pretty much understand NFL, so just put that in the terms in the South College football is the NFL In essence it's fun being here in Alabama.

Pastor Randy: 42:54

As far as football college football it's fun, it's outstanding. The sec is incredible, Uh, so I mean it's a great place to be, but you guys understand real football's in the NFL, right?

Rhett: 43:04

Okay, Well, that's what they say, hey thank you so much for listening to our peer authentic we're really going to close this up.

Rhett: 43:11

If you want to know more about Pastor Randy. Blah, blah blah no, I'm kidding. You know it really is an honor to have you on our podcast. 57 years of ministry is amazing. Wow, your faithfulness to finish this chapter. Talk to me about this transition, because you know, 32 years at PCF there's a celebration for retirement happening on Sunday, august the 25th. If you're in the Birmingham area, we obviously want to invite you out to that, right here at Parkway Christian Fellowship. I know Pastor Randy and Diana and their investment has made a huge difference in so many people's lives. So if you're in the area and can make it, it'd be great to have you. I know I'm planning. Lord willing, I'm going to be here. I've already talked to some of my other commitments and said I've got to be here, so we're really excited to be here on Sunday, august the 25th and the time of that service is at 1030.

Justin: 44:00

Pastor Randy and Miss Diana will be installing the next pastor for this next season, and so 1030 am this is going to be their service that they're having. And then at 1230, it's going to be more like a reception where you're just hanging out All the people listening from the Birmingham areas that would want to come in and just let Pastor Randy and Miss Diana know what they have meant to you in ministry. That's going to be a chance where there's just going to be a lot of shaking hands and hugging necks and eating some snacks and pouring your love out to these guys.

Rhett: 44:33

The reason I mentioned the retirement celebration we'll talk more about that near the end before we close is because I know you're getting in ready to transition into passing the baton of leadership to a new pastor. So I can only imagine, as one who has passed the baton of a church that I've planted and didn't serve that ministry for 30 plus years, I understand personally the emotions that are tied into that. So what are you processing right now? Who is the new pastor? Talk us through the decision, the moment, the transition, all of that that you're willing to share. I'm sure somewhere along the way there are young pastors listening who are pastoring a congregation right now and who might not be thinking about this moment but should be thinking about and making plans for it and being able to teach them what to expect and how to approach it and all of that.

Pastor Randy: 45:17

So I'll be 75 in September. When I was 65, I began to think about retirement. Seems like a natural time to think about it, but I never had a peace from God that this is time. I think timing is very important, and so we would talk about it. What kind of house do you want to live in? Where would you like to live? Do you want to move back to Kansas City? Do you want to go with the kids in Savannah? Where do you want to be? But there was never this release. So earlier this year I really felt God say this is the time. And it was an interesting moment, you know. So I had a peace about it.

Pastor Randy: 45:51

Well, we were pursuing that because a couple years ago God spoke to me it's time for transition. Now you never know when God says do you mean this minute? Do you mean, you know, are we in a process? We're obviously in a process. Churches do it differently. What we felt like we should do is pursue one candidate at a time, and so we started with what would be natural Isaac Armstrong's, coming back from Mexico. Well, lord, you must be sending him back to take the church. So, isaac, would you pray about this? He does. He says I don't feel God is in that which. I appreciate his walk with God and his ability to hear from God, and of course I'm disappointed because that just seems like that's what should happen you know, and besides, that's just so easy.

Pastor Randy: 46:39

The first guy hey, we got it, but it wasn't. So think in the terms of Samuel coming to anoint David. Here comes the oldest and he's getting ready to pour the oil and God says that's not the one. But he doesn't tell him who he is. So Samuel goes you got another son, bring in number two. Okay, the Lord's anointed, that's not the one. And they go through all of them and it's like God, I don't get this. And he goes Jesse, have you got another kid? Well, we got David. He's the runt. He's out here taking care of the sheep. Bring him in here. And God says that's the one. So we had this process. God, is it this one? No, this one. No, is it this one? No, until we came down to this one, ron Harris.

Pastor Randy: 47:31

I've known Ron for several years, but not really have known him, just acquainted. We're in the same minister's fellowship. He's outstanding. He's been an evangelist for 20-something years and just feels like God's calling him to settle into a pastorate. The more we talked, the more he would come and preach, the more I felt like God, this is the one. And then God just gave me that peace. It's time, he's the one.

Pastor Randy: 47:47

And so we're in this process now of moving forward. So we have this long runway. He was voted in in May, he will be installed in August. So we have this time of he's getting oriented. I'm helping him, I'm stepping out slowly, I'm moving from the fast lane to the slow lane, he's moving over into the fast lane, so that's our process. So August 25th is not a surprise to anybody. This is a planned transition. A lot of churches is like hey, god, call me away, see you and in retirement, and you don't retire from ministry, you retire from a staff position. So it's time for somebody else to carry the load. So Pastor Ron is already running with it. He's already making great decisions, already leading forward, and I'm just kind of fading off to the side happily to say praise God for this process.

Rhett: 48:41

So what do you think the next chapter looks like? Do you have clarity on that?

Pastor Randy: 48:44

Well, I always tell people this Everything can change in a prayer meeting.

Justin: 48:48

Yeah.

Pastor Randy: 48:50

So here's what's going on right now. I'm in the middle of a study I want to complete. It might be a book at some time, but I was praying one morning, reminded of the Great Commission, and Jesus said especially these words, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you. And I read that and my mind went blank. What has he commanded us to do? I couldn't think. You know. I want to say, well, love God with your heart. Well, actually he was quoting Old Testament and I know he wrote that too, but I thought, hmm, and I just really had a blank.

Pastor Randy: 49:24

So I started studying. There are 72 words in Matthew, just in Matthew. I was going to do the whole New Testament and I thought, no, the words of Jesus, that'll be the Gospels, and then I'm down to Matthew. So I need to study those and I've done about eight of them. So I will do that. I'm also creating a prayer list, a daily prayer list for me, every day. I want to stay in that mode of seeking the Lord. So I need your birthdays, because I'll be praying for you on your birthdays. If the Lord speaks something to me, I'm going to call you hey.

Pastor Randy: 49:58

Justin, I was praying for you. I felt the Lord say this Red, I was praying for you. I felt the Lord said this Doesn't mean if I don't call you. I didn't pray for you Because I'm going to have several. I've already got about 220 on the list and I just need to add everybody. So today, on this date, I will be praying for certain people. So I want to do those two things. And then the third thing I want to be an encouragement to pastors, pastors in our area. Okay, I want to just be a friend, finger on the pulse. You know, pastor Red, how are you doing? You know how's your family? Anything I can pray for you about? And it would work something like this let's say you're pastoring and I would say, hey, diana and I are going to be with you in service. You don't have to acknowledge us. I'm not coming to preach. I mean, if you ask me to, I'd be glad to. But we really, we really want to come and take you and your wife and family out to eat.

Pastor Randy: 50:48

Find out how we can help you Beautiful.

Justin: 50:50

I love that.

Pastor Randy: 50:51

Yeah, and so just creating a don't want anything. You're not joining anything, I'm not selling anything, I don't have Amway to give you.

Pastor Randy: 51:00

So it's just like can I really care for you? Can I really show you the love of God? Diana said it well earlier in pre-meeting here. She said we've been down the road so we know some stuff, we've experienced some stuff, some things are settled in our heart that you may be wrestling with. So that's what I want to do. In a perfect world, I'd be in 52 churches over the next year and have 52 lunches with pastors. So that's what's going on right now. I'll probably fill in ministry as requested, but that's not what I'm looking to do. Hope to do some writing. You guys probably don't know, but I started a book, a novel, many years ago on the book of Jude. If you read the novel, you will understand the book of Jude, and I need to complete that. I quit writing it 16 years ago when we had a miracle grandchild that we felt like we need to give attention to, and I haven't gotten back to it just out of busyness.

Justin: 51:52

So I will get back to that. So, Ms Diana, what's going on with you during this process? Has Pastor Randy talked about that?

Mrs. Diana: 51:59

Well, I think we're in one agreement. I was called to ministry when I was 14. So I knew my life was in ministry and if you're in ministry called by God, you can't really retire. So you change lanes or you change shift things. So we're looking to shift but we're excited about it. The church is excited about the new pastor, him and his wife Monique is her name. We're just looking, like you said, to move from the fast lane. After 57 years it's time to slow down a little bit and still be involved and our heart is to minister to pastors and pastors' wives. We know there's some tough times. There's some things that we've been through. Maybe we could share an advisory, consulting, just loving on pastors. Of course I want to spend more time with my grandkids. Of course and he mentioned our little miracle grandson we have a miracle grandson that turns. He wasn't expected to live, had a lot of issues at birth, but he turned 16 next week.

Mrs. Diana: 53:03

Miracle Zoe. Simpson is, and he will be here on the 25th. And he is so much full of life and he will talk your leg off and joke at you and he will be the life of the party that day. But all of our kids and our grandchildren will be here. We have one daughter in heaven, nancy.

Mrs. Diana: 53:25

Three years ago she's graduated and her children will be here and her family, so it's going to be an exciting time on that 25th. We're looking forward to it. We're just going to take about 30 to 60 days and just be gone from Parkway, but then we'll come back.

Justin: 53:43

You can't get rid of us.

Mrs. Diana: 53:44

So we'll be doing more traveling and spending a little bit more time with family. All of my brothers and sister and their spouses will be here that day, so it's the first time. I just realized this about a week ago, first time ever that all of my family. Of course, he's the only child, so he don't have any other family.

Justin: 54:04

I hear you it explains it, he's adopted to our family.

Rhett: 54:07

I hear you.

Mrs. Diana: 54:08

And so all of my brothers and sisters and siblings and all of my children and grandchildren will be here all in one place at the same time First time ever. Wow.

Justin: 54:18

So deserving to have you guys celebrate it like that. You're so worthy of that honor that's going to be lavished on you guys that day because you've done so much work. It's not recognized when you're coming and doing things behind closed doors, especially you, miss Diana. You're not always on that platform getting to speak the message, but you are the strength for the past 57, but 32 years here at Parkway and I just want to say it over the airwaves right now the important part that you play and you've played in our lives as well, and just the family dynamic you created when you're talking about the next step for you and Pastor Randy what a needed role, because I'm a visual listener. So when Pastor Randy's telling the story of what you guys, you could see yourself doing, I'm imagining the pastor and the pastor wife who has someone like you guys in relationship where there's no agenda. But hey, I'm buying lunch. Well, okay.

Rhett: 55:11

That sounds good.

Justin: 55:12

But then it's like I visualize y'all having this conversation two on two and then at some point you're kind of splitting out a little bit. It's just not readily available, and when it is, it's almost like the walls are up.

Rhett: 55:24

They're answering you and like oh yeah it's great.

Justin: 55:26

How's it going? Great? Everything's good, everything, oh yeah, praise the Lord.

Mrs. Diana: 55:29

Right.

Justin: 55:29

And for you guys to be able to draw out that authentic conversation.

Mrs. Diana: 55:33

Yes, and I agree with you. When we were planning a church in Northeast Kansas we were in a farming community, a small town, and we were new to pastoring and I just I remember those longing days. I just want to talk to another pastor's wife. I can relate to her. You know it's good to have friends in the, in women, friends in the church, and that's very healthy, but to to relate to someone on your level it's a huge need and that's a need you'll never get to retire from.

Justin: 56:01

The older you get, the more relevant you're becoming. I know, you've seen it, I've experienced it the pastor fall off. You know we talked about the retirement. Sometimes it's like see you later and what we did leave off is obviously there's the other goodbye of you are no longer fit to get to be a pastor in your congregation because of stupid decisions. Right, and we're all capable of that decision. We're all one step away from stupid, right, but it's all about having the right people in your life to keep you accountable and the fruit that you guys are going to see from this are countless pastors who had a brother and a sister, a mother and a father. Figure in you guys to keep them from stepping off the ledge that would disqualify them.

Rhett: 56:44

Okay, guys. So I have a question for you that I often get asked as a leader what is one of the most challenging things you've ever faced and how did you overcome it? Now, I know, with 30 plus years, 32 years in ministry, right, 32. Yeah, so with that I'm sure there are many challenges that can come to mind from you know, the pressures on your marriage, finances, family, kids, staff relationships. So if I'm asking you that question, question if there's been one of your greatest challenges that has impacted you and your family and the church and in ministry as a leader, what is that and how did you overcome it?

Pastor Randy: 57:19

we're like every married couple, there's going to be stress points and growth points. But the thing that I think that has impacted me more than anything was the passing of my daughter. She was such a joy in our family. I tell people we didn't raise our girls to populate hell, we raised them to go to heaven, and so everything we've done to represent Christ to everybody else, we practiced at home first. To represent Christ to everybody else, we practiced at home first. And so when she passed, the stress that comes, the pain that comes, the loss of your future that comes. That's the biggest thing, because all of my notes I've got tons of preaching notes I'm going to give to her. She's going to write a book. All this is going to happen. That's done.

Pastor Randy: 58:09

So a lot of marriages don't make it when a child passes, and so that's how stressful it can be. So I'm very proud of my wife for her journey through all that, and God has helped me and so we walk through this together. So in our pain we can also rejoice. We know that Nancy's with the Lord. Yes, we look at her children, whom we love, but they're without their mama and we see that every day. We understand that. So we rejoice for her past and her walk with Jesus. We're thankful for where she is, but it's that loss of future, you know, and you deal with that constantly. But God in his grace sustains us. He is there. It's never been about I'm just going to quit serving God. I'm just not going to do that. It's really about God. Thank you for being faithful, thank you for helping us walk through that. I would have to say that's the toughest thing I've ever had to deal with.

Mrs. Diana: 59:11

Being in ministry, you're going to be hurt. People are going to hurt you, some intentionally, some unintentionally and I think, to answer the question that Rhett asked me is the biggest challenge I have faced and I haven't overcome it totally, but I've learned how to deal with it is bitterness when people hurt you, it hurts and it affects you. It affects your family, it affects your spouse, it affects your relationships. So I have learned to let it go. And bitterness, if you internalize it, will only grow. So you have to forgive, you have to learn to forgive, and forgiveness is not just a one-time thing, but it's a heart, attitude or you release them that hurts you. So I just would. That's been. My greatest challenge is to forgive those who have hurt me, and a lot of them is just unintentional. So, but then the intentional hurts. That's what's hard, but you know, in the end you've got to forgive, because if you don't forgive, you're the one that's suffering, you're the one that is eaten up with bitterness, and bitterness takes its root and grows if you allow it to take root.

Mrs. Diana: 1:00:34

So I would just caution those in ministry don't become bitter, just forgive. Go on Walk with the Lord. Find joy in His presence. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength. And you can't have joy and bitterness at the same time, so you have to choose.

Rhett: 1:00:50

If you're okay with me asking a little bit deeper with with what your statement was and yours too, I'd like to ask you specifically I could not imagine that the pain of that kind of loss, and as you even share that with me, my emotions begin to be overwhelming, because I have a 16 year old son and I began to try to put myself in your shoes and I I could not imagine. But I've heard the stories and I know that there are people listening who maybe have not lost a loved one that way. Maybe they have, but maybe something that's very, very painful has happened to them, to where they maybe once had a relationship with God. Maybe they were even thinking okay, you know God is good, but I'm not really serving him. But then that pain happens and then a lot of people turn on God, they blame God and they turn, they run.

Rhett: 1:01:41

And you guys could have done that, you didn't. So how did you make the choice? What was walk me through that process? Because that's a lot of pain. You've experienced the goodness of God and now you're experiencing a moment where a lot of people say where is God in this moment? So how would you talk to somebody and pastor somebody that's gone through that same type of pain, to help encourage them to maybe not blame God or run from God but to run to him, like you guys, obviously have.

Pastor Randy: 1:02:10

You know God knows your pain, he knows what you're feeling, knows what you're going through. You said you can't even imagine. It's true, you can't. We've ministered to others and until you experience you can't. I hope you never experience it. I don't want you to try to imagine it.

Pastor Randy: 1:02:27

But God knows your pain and the Bible says he's a very present help in time of need, and it comes down to whether I really believe what he says about himself. If I believe that, then I have to accept. Okay, you're here to help me, God, You're here to see me through this and I need your help. I can't do it on my own. Unfortunately, things happen in church like Dinah was talking about bitterness from being betrayed or something and we're in this danger of someone hurts us, but we blame God, we take it out on.

Mrs. Diana: 1:03:00

God.

Pastor Randy: 1:03:00

Well, he's your helper, so you don't want to turn on him, you want to turn to him.

Mrs. Diana: 1:03:05

Yes.

Pastor Randy: 1:03:05

And that's what we did. Lord, walk us through this. It doesn't have to be healed this moment, it doesn't have to be cured right now, but we understand that this is a journey and as we go, you'll be with us and you'll walk us. There's probably things we don't know right now that we're going to need to know, so we need to listen to you. So I think understanding God is faithful and he's with you and when you have those moments that you're upset at him, he's big enough to handle that. I'm sure, as a little child, your son has said something to you out of anger or whatever, and you realize, okay, he's just a kid. Well, I think God looks at us and goes they're just my creation.

Rhett: 1:03:43

That's good.

Pastor Randy: 1:03:45

So he can handle it. If you're mad at God, tell God you're mad at him. Tell him why you're mad at him. Tell him you don't want to be mad at him, but you are. You can't get over it, because he can handle that. He can handle all your questions, your doubts. You take them to the source of help and that's what we did, constantly going to the Lord. We both had moments independent of each other, just private moments, where it just overwhelms you. Memories come and just knowing God is there, he's ahead of me. He already knew it was going to happen. He knew how I'd feel, he knew what I'd be reaching out for. He already has the answer. Just knowing that he's got this, then we're able to walk in and say God, I'm not there yet. I need your help today. If you can just help me take one more step, I would appreciate it, knowing that he's there, just trusting him and acting on it.

Mrs. Diana: 1:04:39

I was thinking of. We've had several two, I don't know how to explain it more than just two opposite things. We had a miracle. Zoe was born 16 years ago. He was not expected to live. He had major problems. He turned 16. He's a miracle.

Mrs. Diana: 1:04:58

Nancy, our 48-year-old oldest daughter, suffered with cancer, battled it for 10 years and we prayed for healing. We believed, I believed in healing. I still believe in healing. I've been healed, but she wasn't healed. She was graduated. Instead, she's totally healed now in heaven. I believe that. But wrestling with those two things they're opposites. I think what I struggled with and maybe a lot of people do that I've talked with before in the past who have had loss in their families or relationships, are struggle with why, why God the big? Why is the question that you wrestle with? Why, if I prayed and I believed and I had faith and I stand on the word, why did she not live? That's the question, and you struggle with that in other situations too. Why did this happen? Well, I've said this many times to people You'll never get the answer to that question. So why Roll it over in your mind? Stop, bring down those thoughts. You have to. It's a battlefield of the mind is where you fight it really.

Mrs. Diana: 1:06:11

But the why you'll never have an answer. To leave that in God's hand. When you get to heaven, then you can ask that question and then he may answer it, or it may even be. It won't even be relevant, you won't even care. When you get there in his presence, it won't matter why. God won't have to answer that question. So the question why, why did this happen? Don't deal with it, just bring it down.

Rhett: 1:06:35

This is Diane. I have a question for you. I don't want to interrupt you and take it a different route, but I know there's a lot of young ladies who are listening to this podcast. Some of them are pastor's wives, some of them are aspiring to be in ministry. They're in college and they're looking to find their mate, their spouse. They're praying through different things, and so if there's one thing that you could share with a young lady who's aspiring to be in ministry, how would you encourage her?

Mrs. Diana: 1:07:02

I would say be yourself. Your relationship with God comes first. Keep your relationship with Him, stay in the Word, stay strong in your faith. If you're a wife of a pastor or a minister, then just know you're not alone. There's other ladies out there and reach out, if you have to, to someone, ask for help. Don't be a lone wolf, because a lot of times when you get to that place you want to turn inward and you don't want you put walls up. That's just like we were talking about before. But I would just encourage them. Just keep your relationship with the Lord first, and then next comes your spouse and your family Ministry comes down about number four or five on the priority list.

Mrs. Diana: 1:07:52

And if you keep that in your mind, then you can make it.

Justin: 1:07:56

I want to thank you guys for just being authentic in those answers. Being vulnerable, I got to add this about Nancy you know, when we went through our surrender and we already talked about getting to know you guys, carmen and Melissa that you guys know in sisterhood I mean you know the oldest sister kind of rules the roost, and Nancy wasn't in Birmingham when you guys came. She was still in college and got involved with like a drama group and they would travel around the country and I mean really opened us up to drama. I mean she was so talented, something that was just so affirming about her to us, the rite of passage for me and Rhett. I remember just the love that she had and the true acceptance. I felt so accepted and loved by Nancy. And for us who didn't have like girls or women in our life growing up, it was so sweet to have the older sister kind of acknowledge that hey, you guys belong in this crew and that was so special.

Mrs. Diana: 1:09:04

Yeah, she was five years older than Melissa, so she was the only one for five years, so she was perfect in the in the older sister role she can handle it, she is just, she was always encouraging Always had the light of life in her eyes.

Rhett: 1:09:19

I forget the first time we met her she was. Was it Evangel? Is that where she was?

Mrs. Diana: 1:09:23

going. She went to.

Pastor Randy: 1:09:24

Central Bible College.

Rhett: 1:09:25

She went to Central Bible College and I think they were doing a magazine at that time. You know, this is pre-social media, so people are like magazine, you know, but like it's a big deal, like this isn't print, you know. And she came down and she interviewed us in our little you know, I thought she just made us feel so loved, so special, so seen, and it was, you know, it was, you know it was very affirming and yeah, justin's right, it was like a big sister we've never had before.

Rhett: 1:09:47

And that's kind of how we felt, even with Carmen and Melissa's, like these are sisters, that, that, um, we just learned so much from and she was such a beautiful soul and that encouragement and that light and that life and everything that she I'll never forget. I was so nervous for that interview.

Justin: 1:10:01

She's like what's it like?

Rhett: 1:10:02

leading worship for a youth group. I'm like, what's it like? Leading worship for a youth group? I'm like it's awesome. I mean, I don't know how you're going to write an article around you know these teenagers answering these questions.

Mrs. Diana: 1:10:10

But she had such a great gift. She was a lot like her daddy. She had her daddy's personality.

Justin: 1:10:17

She did so we were grateful that we were able to get to know her as well, and I love how you say that she has graduated and you can't help but grieve someone who had that kind of impact on so many people. That's just the fact for the rest of your life, Even those of us who knew her nowhere near the capacity of you. It's just something we're going to have to grieve until we get to be graduated and join her and then, and then join in the big oh.

Mrs. Diana: 1:10:45

God, you're so perfect, it's going to be a big celebration.

Pastor Randy: 1:10:49

Pastor Andy. So I had one of these happy, proud dad moments. She had this drama group of 70 middle schoolers, junior hires. They're not even human, you know. They leave the human race for a couple years. Then they come back and she comes into the room. There's 70 of them, they're all playing. She walks in to take me in to show what she does and she's okay, dad, you can sit here, it's okay. And she walks in All right, everybody.

Justin: 1:11:15

And when she snapped her fingers they ran to their place, they sat down they got quiet and I thought, okay, she's in charge of this, she's got this. It made me proud as a dad. Yeah, that's awesome. One of the stories I do want to at least share, and I think it will lead to one of our last points, because it speaks to really. Pastor Randy, the leader that you are and what we've benefited you were talking a while ago about we had the honoring service seven years ago for you guys. It was actually celebrating 50 years of ministry and 25 years at Parkway. On that stage it was me, rhett Micah, you talked about Isaac Armstrong, his sister, Leah Tessa. There were so many people. Stephen Fruge.

Rhett: 1:12:02

You had people on the stage leading worship that night.

Justin: 1:12:05

And here's the common thread they all came out of this house and they're doing ministry across the nation across the world technically, even with Isaac and his ministry, and it was a picture of the seeds that you guys have sown.

Justin: 1:12:21

Even being on this stage, I'm literally sitting in this position where I don't know if it's a trigger, but it brings back a memory, because Pastor Randy would give us so many opportunities where our first time of singing and playing guitar and our group called 24-7, he would let us come up, I mean probably twice a month, or me, Rhett and Micah would actually sing a song that we had worked really hard on. And I remember one night I don't know if you remember this, Pastor Andy I had a mind block. I had Rhett to my right and I had Micah to my left and I blanked out, Like it was a song called I'm Free, and I'm trying to kick into the song and I can't hear the key and we stopped singing. If you can picture this, it's acapella and I look at uh, I remember looking at Rhett, and Rhett has escaped into like heaven, Like he wants to avoid the awkwardness. His hands are lifted saying like praise you Jesus.

Rhett: 1:13:13

Like he's ignoring me. Let's set the stage. This is. This isn't the day and time I know a lot of churches don't do this, you know anymore but this is the moment before the pastor comes up and speak. There was always a special, remember, we've got to have the special and anyway. So we were a part of the special and you gave us the opportunity to stand on this platform. So Justin, mike and I, we were a trio. We sang a cappella. The church is here, it's a Sunday morning, you know, large crowd. And the moment was you started the song and you had to start it on pitch and you would. You would hum it and then you would try to start singing it, but you were in the wrong key and you couldn't get the right key. And so Mike and I would lean over and go, hmm, you know, and you'd be like, okay, and we've come back, it's a singer's nightmare.

Rhett: 1:13:57

And then you just couldn't get it. And then Mike would come over and then you, no, no and then. So what it looked like in front of everybody is that this was a staged like. This was like a rehearsed little skit as if we had forgotten how to sing the song? That's right, and so you're freaking out, and then I'm like, okay, well, at the end of the day he's not getting it, so I'm going to just escape to heaven.

Rhett: 1:14:16

I lift my hand like Jesus. It's the Rhett pose. It's like God. If you don't show up in this moment and take over, pastor Randy's going to come up and we're going to go sit down and nothing's going to happen.

Pastor Randy: 1:14:26

So I'm like.

Justin: 1:14:27

Jesus. Hallelujah, glory to God. I looked at Micah and, in, typical Micah fashion.

Rhett: 1:14:32

He's judging me.

Justin: 1:14:34

He's shaking his head like you've got to be kidding me, he's angry and I'm in the middle like and thankfully, what happened in that moment to break that block? Pastor Randy is sitting to my right, so stage right. You begin to bell us out. You stand up to come to the stage and all I can picture is what is that moment going to look like? I'm going to feel like a loser and it gave me a good minute.

Rhett: 1:15:00

At least you gave us a good minute to try to get this together. You're like dear Lord, these kids aren't going to get it. I'm just going to take it over.

Justin: 1:15:05

And because pastor Randy came up, it took my mind off enough and it was almost like you will not take this mic, we cannot walk off and I just start going, I'm free and we kick into our song. Yeah, it comes back to us. Jack the drummer, the bass player, there's even there's no music to the song. They come up and start playing and it turns into a night. I mean, it turned, it was a night service. It turns into like a revival moment. You have the band playing, we're doing our thing. The whole audience stands up, just starts worshiping.

Mrs. Diana: 1:15:40

God.

Justin: 1:15:41

Song's over. Pastor Rainey comes up to preach Cause they look completely staged.

Rhett: 1:15:45

They're like they played this. They made it look like they weren't pastor rainy's gonna come up and rescue them. And they remembered in that moment and pastor rainy's like yeah, you got it, boys, and he goes and he's worshiping off to the side and the whole church erupts in our mind. It feels like after service.

Justin: 1:15:58

We had so many people come up to us and said I love the skit that y'all did.

Rhett: 1:16:03

Yeah, we did.

Justin: 1:16:04

We did that on purpose and we just we were like, hey, thanks, we were trying something different. But those memories and we were talking about Kansas City you connected us to go at the church that you were at I believe Antioch, if I'm remembering that right but the church you were at you scheduled us to go sing at one of their huge youth conferences. So through your connections and belief in us, we got to do a lot of this and I mentioned the seeds that were planted, with all the people. 23 years later, seven years ago, at that time of people that you invested in.

Justin: 1:16:36

What was it that has just been in you that you trusted? Obviously, you guarded this stage in the sense of Lord. I want to make sure that I'm shepherding this right and stewarding it right. Where did you get that? From where you began to hand off and allow these young people who let's get real we can look back. We thought we were something. Then you saw what we really were.

Pastor Randy: 1:17:02

Well, you know, it happened to us first. We grew up. Diana played the piano, I played guitar, so I led worship in our church. She was the keyboardist. And then after every service we would come to the altar and pray. There wasn't this, come up here and we lay hands on you. It was like you get a hold of God. And so after we would pray a while, one by one teenagers would go to the piano and Diana would be playing and they'd sing and I'd eventually come over with my guitar and then we would sing for maybe an hour. We just worshiped God for maybe an hour. And so what was going on is those adults in that church were allowing us, they were pushing us forward. So it just seemed natural.

Pastor Randy: 1:17:45

When you see God bringing another generation, you know what you don't realize is man, these guys, they got a lot to go. What was I like? What kind of grace did people have for me? And then I think about I preached. I was asked to preach one time at a fellowship meeting. I preached two hours and probably said nothing, and it's the most embarrassing memory I have of preaching.

Pastor Randy: 1:18:11

But I had to learn from that. And you know, not one person came up to me and said you got to learn to shorten this. I mean, they had grace. So I think that foundation for us enabled us, because you've got to see God, what will you do? It's like Saul saying to David well, you at least need to take my armor, because Saul didn't know what David's going to do. David doesn't even know what he's going to do other than go, just stand there for God. It's that moment that you say, okay, god, let's just see. But also in the moment, in the moment you've got the moving of the Holy Spirit and you feel like, okay, let's just step forward. So I don't remember that service, okay, but I know.

Justin: 1:18:54

I do, I do, okay, yeah.

Pastor Randy: 1:19:00

So I just know that what I would have done is said okay, I'm going to step up here because it looks a little awkward. I don't think it's a skit, so I'm just going to step up, we're going to flow forward, and then you all take off. So hey, it's great, let's do it, and I think the Holy Spirit just used that to connect everybody. It's like this is going to be the easiest preaching night.

Justin: 1:19:21

I've had Just go for it guys.

Pastor Randy: 1:19:23

But you've got to allow that next generation to do what God is calling them to do. My friend Dale Yurton has a great saying. He said every generation deserves to worship God with their own music. We fight, worship wars. We don't really have to do that, we need to embrace, but we also need to guide.

Pastor Randy: 1:19:42

Guide them. You give parameters and you know when to step in. You don't have to step in condemningly, you just step in. You know, I appreciate you sharing that story that that brings back. Can I share one real quick?

Pastor Randy: 1:19:53

Yes, so we're having service, the house is full and the big pulpit if you remember the big pulpits oh yes, I come up to preach and and I read my text, okay, and all of a sudden something happens. I mean something, and I look up and everybody's looking down at their Bible and I thought this is strange and so let me read that again. So I read it a second time. Same thing. It's like just something like falls on you, you know, it's like wow. So I read it again. I read it five times. I read that text and every time it's like a chute opened up from heaven and just heaven came down just on me. I'm the only one feeling this, everybody else is just. You know it's like, keep reading that. You know, after the fifth time something's happening. I say excuse me, folks, I just need to have a benefit, and I step back and raise my hands like this and it's like someone gave a command. It's like someone said everybody stand, because everybody stood at once. They stood and they began to praise God, worship people praying, people crying, people worshiping. For 45 minutes it went on. Nobody commanded anything, it just went on.

Pastor Randy: 1:21:11

We had a retired judge here that morning that I had invited to a service. I saw him. I only met him one time. I thought who is that? I know him Well. He comes up to me after he was also a retired preacher. Uh, he came up to me. He said I want to tell you something. And I realized, oh, this is the judge. He said this is god. I thought, wow, you know that? What? What a great confirmation. But it's just one of those moments and god does that.

Pastor Randy: 1:21:38

You know, he can take our, our days of refreshing yeah, he can take our I can't find the note time. He can take the time where I think I'm going to do something and then God just comes. And I understand people who are not familiar with the sweet move of the Spirit. They think it's all emotion. But it's beyond that. If it's just emotion, you're worn out at the end. But when it's God, you're so refreshed and it's just like, wow, this just seemed to be the right thing to do, just get in God's presence.

Justin: 1:22:10

That was a beautiful moment that was here. Right, that was here yes, I was sitting right over there. I remember that. You remember that Because that just wasn't like Pastor Randy and his messages, because he's bringing the scripture. He's bringing a message every week and I remember you reading that and you just then you kept reading it. Yeah, exactly like you're talking about, and you just feel the move of the Holy Spirit come through. And that was that service is ingrained in my mind.

Pastor Randy: 1:22:38

One of the mistakes we make sometimes is we think okay, next time I'll read that again.

Mrs. Diana: 1:22:44

It's not going to happen again. Yeah, that's so good. It's like wait a minute.

Rhett: 1:22:46

We've got to put that in a can. We've got to market this. This is a process. We found something here. A plus B equals C. In this moment we're doing that again.

Pastor Randy: 1:22:52

So you go to a conference, that's right.

Justin: 1:22:54

You go to the conference, you tell the story, spit mud and you put it in their eyes. That's how we heal.

Pastor Randy: 1:23:05

So we're the church of the mud daubers, yeah.

Rhett: 1:23:08

I know, right, if you're listening to this and you're not a church goer, maybe you've raised differently and that's awesome. We just wanted you to know that this moment that Pastor Randy is explaining is something that goes beyond the natural. It's a moment with God that reveals in your spirit to where it's like, wow, I don't even have any words. And it's again like Pastor Randy says, it's not emotion, but it is just a sovereign moment that goes beyond your natural, connecting with a supernatural, sovereign, holy God in a way that is just build your relationship with him in an intimate way, and it's just so. Those moments are so special and God wants to do that in you and through you and he wants you to experience that. So I hope, as you're listening, you're listening with open-mindedness to know that, wow, you know there is a God, he is real and you can experience him, not just for an experience sake, but for a relationship that he wants to have with you as a son or a daughter.

Justin: 1:24:06

Amen. This is so great that we got to have this conversation, I mean in this room, in this spot, reliving these memories that us four are getting to look at and, hopefully, our listening audience. You can draw the picture in your mind, and we're glad that you got to go on the journey with us before we end, because if you're listening right now to this recording on its release date of August 19th, which is a Monday, this upcoming Sunday is the celebration we were talking about a while ago. So, pastor Randy, would you set us up, tell us a little bit about this Sunday and what it's going to look like.

Pastor Randy: 1:24:40

Well, you know, over the years I've been privileged to minister to hundreds of people, and so we're just going to have a great celebration. We're going to come and praise God together. There's going to be a formal transition of leadership, so Pastor Ron and I both will preach one message. I'll start, he'll finish, and we're just going to have a great time. I'd like to say this If I have ever preached to you, please come. If I've ever counseled you, please come. If I've ever counseled you, please come. Come on. If you've been my enemy, please come.

Mrs. Diana: 1:25:09

Yes.

Justin: 1:25:10

That's so good.

Pastor Randy: 1:25:11

Whatever the relationship has been. If you've attended Parkway Christian Academy, please come. If I have shaken your hand and handed you a diploma, please come. I want to see you on that day. I want you to be here with us just to celebrate. This is not a sad occasion. This is a great transition. We believe we're honoring Christ throughout this whole thing and when it's all said and done, it won't be about Pastor Randy or Pastor Ron. It'll be about the Lordship of Christ and just seeing God's people work together, the kingdom being evident, and we go on from this point. So please come and join us.

Justin: 1:25:49

So that's Sunday, august 25th. Two opportunities here. There's 1030 to see the service that Pastor Randy just described and then also stay, or if you have something and you can't make the 1030, come to the 1230. There's two opportunities to hang out and actually watch this process Once again, 1030, you'll see the service and the leadership shifting that ends up happening and see the new pastor installed. Come and meet Pastor Ron and then at 1230, we'll have a great time just hanging out. And just so y'all know, when this recording ends, me and Red are going to see if there's a way to work in where we can do a Mission Impossible thing for Ron, where we throw the cassette across the room and catch it on fire.

Rhett: 1:26:32

Wouldn't that be appropriate? That would be so great If we got this church on fire.

Pastor Randy: 1:26:37

But actually if you're going to do it now. You've got to descend from the ceiling.

Rhett: 1:26:41

We still got the cable up here somewhere.

Justin: 1:26:43

I'm sure we can get it we relive the memories of Jesus floating and the cable slipping, oh man, the Easter dramas we've referred to in the past.

Rhett: 1:26:50

Wow, don't tempt us. We are two kids still at heart here in 40-something-year-old bodies.

Justin: 1:26:56

We've already told them we're here on that day, so we're ready. Anything they need, we're ready to perform any act of floating and cable. Y'all be thinking what it's going to be.

Justin: 1:27:06

But the main point, guys, we get to honor Pastor Andy and Miss Diana. This is going to be a beautiful occasion, and not just you guys, but just your family, your daughters. They have impacted our life. We are who we are today because of the influence of the Williams on Bradshaw's and Barden's, our sons, our wives, everybody who's come across our path in ministry. You're hearing the voices who started that foundation, that Jesus decided that first seven and eight years of ministry are going to happen in this house. So this is such an honor that we get to talk to you guys today and we love you so much. We love you too, god bless you.

Mrs. Diana: 1:27:46

We love you. We're so proud of you guys.

Rhett: 1:27:48

Thank you guys.

Justin: 1:27:51

Thank you for listening to Armchair Authentic with Rhett and Justin. We hope you enjoyed that conversation with Pastor Randy and Diana Williams. Well, we look forward to upcoming episodes and that's why we would love to hear from you. Send us your topics, discussion points. You can reach out to us at info at armchairauthenticcom. Well, until next time, we hope you have a great week. See you then.