Pastor R. B. and Dolly Acheson

I first met them in the summer of 1996.  I knew of them, as they say, 'their reputations preceded them'.  He had been a District Superintendent and had pastored the Westside Church of the Nazarene for 18 years.  He retired in the early 1980's.  He had relocated a congregation from near downtown out to the edge of Marion County.  The church had a Day Care and a Christian School.  He also had a dream for a retirement center.  The retirement center was built.  Under his leadership Westside Nazarene became the first not-for-profit, to be able to issue bonds.  This happened as now Sen. Lugar was Mayor Lugar.  These achievements pale in comparison to the 'pastors heart' that was displayed through the ministry of Pastor Acheson.  
I was called to be pastor of the Westside Church in August of 1996, I was about to turn forty.  He had been retired for about 14 years.   When I moved to town he was working at a local cleaners.  Pastor Acheson was sharp both in body and spirit.  I devised a plan.  I would ask Pastor Acheson to come back on staff and serve the church as 'assoicate' Pastor.  I asked him to meet me for breakfast at Bob Evans (this would be the first of many meetings at our favorite dining establishment).  Somewhere during the breakfast, I stated that I felt I owed him an apology on behalf of all of us younger pastors who were enjoying the fruits of their ministry labors.  I apologized that we would allow a person of his stature to be in a place where he had to spend his retirement years working in a dry cleaners.  He raised his hand and said "Pastor, I was able to lead two or three people to the Lord, because I worked in that place."  "Don't feel sorry for me."  Even recalling it now, I have a lump in my throat.  I would come to know, that this was truly how he operated his life.  My plan that morning was to offer him a part-time position.  He was so enthused and somehow before I had left the restaurant, he had decided with my agreement that he would be our full-time associate pastor.  What a journey it was!  There are so many stories.  I told him that he could marry anyone who asked, he should feel free if asked by any family to conduct their loved ones funeral services.  

I never asked Pastor Acheson to be my mentor.  I did not know much about it, but he was and is my mentor to this very day.  I wanted to tell you a few things I learned by observing Pastor Acheson:

1    If you love people, they will by and large love you back.  To watch him move among people, was to watch a real shepherd at work.  He taught me by his example, that at the end of the day, we are still called to care and love the sheep.