Carrollton United Methodist Church, New Orleans, LA, where Bill was called to preach.
‟When we come down to it, the whole issue is a matter of integrity; the willingness to ask ourselves the really hard questions and seek to answer them with a total commitment to the truth. Without integrity, everything else is cheapened, even the truth which we may be seeking to espouse. If Jesus taught His disciples anything, He taught them that He was THE TRUTH; that they would know the truth, and the truth would make them free; and that they would proclaim the truth to a world that was in the darkness of untruth.” That’s my husband/pastor’s writing. For me, Bill embodies the valuable quality of integrity.
In this month of October, the church and probably Hallmark promote pastor appreciation. For most of my adult life, Bill was both husband and pastor to me. And I’ve been blessed with both relationships wrapped into one.
I hope that you can say with me in regard to your pastors: ‟You are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another” (Romans 15:14), ‟serving as a priest of God’s good news” (v. 16). ‟Therefore I rejoice over you” (16:19b).
In 2008 Bill retired from World Gospel Church as senior pastor and then began a few years as volunteer associate pastor at Free Life Community Church. Both churches are in Terre Haute, IN. Now we attend Southport Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, IN, and we’re grateful for Pastors Rob Hock and Glen Massey who preach the Truth. At the beginning of Pastor Rob’s messages he says, ‟Before we go to the Word of the Lord, let’s pray to the Lord of the Word.”
Bill’s sermons always included teaching and were always founded on the Truth of God’s Word. His delivery only matched his message in presenting the Truth. To all these men of truth, I send my appreciation for your messages and your lives. I have been/am blessed.
Ann Coker 