JAMES STEPHENS MEMORIAL

By

Shelby G. Floyd

James Stephens

October 12, 1926—October 13, 2010

Monday, October 18, a memorial was held at the Heartland Church of Christ in honor of James Stephens. All the elders and ministers conducted the service. Hundreds of family and friends came to the calling and memorial service. The ladies and men of the congregation served a wonderful meal to about a hundred after the burial.

Jim was one of the founding members of the Heartland congregation. He also faithfully served as one of the overseers since the beginning. It was appropriate that Jim’s last public appearance was at the church that he loved so dearly.

Jim was number six of sixteen children, born and reared in Kentucky. His teenage years were during the Great Depression era. At the age of fifteen he went to work for his future father-in-law doing a man’s work. During World War II he served in the army in the occupation of Japan. He was a member of what has been called “The Greatest Generation!” That generation went off from home and won a world war, then came home and created the greatest economy the world has ever known. Jim worked for General Motors for 42 years and had been retired about 22 years. During these retirement years he and his wife Bonnie traveled all around America.

Having not received much formal education in youth Jim set out and self-improved in speech and literary skills. Then he set out to preach any place that needed a speaker on Sunday to deliver the gospel message. He also used his influence to speak to his friends at work about Christ and the salvation that is found in him. His work was not in vain for he converted and baptized many people—including Louis and Alberta Fox, Leonard and Margie Estes.

Jim also encouraged many young men to prepare and to preach the gospel message. Bill Carpenter, Danny Speight and myself, all went to college and set out to be ministers of Christ. Jim secured my first preaching appointment at the Colburn Road Church of Christ in northern Indiana. Because of his interest and encouragement, as well as many others, I am now in my 50^th year of proclaiming the good news of Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior.

The story is told that Jim had a copy of One Dozen Sermons by N. B. Hardeman. Jim memorized the sermon “The Wages of Sin” and delivered it at the Garfield Heights Church of Christ. Several in the audience responded at the invitation. Several weeks went by and N.B. Hardeman was scheduled to speak at the same place. Well, he delivered the same sermon—his sermon, and had no responses. We all would tell Jim he had better results with that sermon than N. B. did with his own sermon! Maybe Jim was like G. K. Wallace who was accused by a lady of preaching one of Hardeman’s sermons, and he replied, “It is my sermon. I paid $10.00 for that book and it is my sermon!”

HUMOR

We all like and enjoy being around people who do not take themselves too seriously and who have a good sense of humor. Jim had a lot of wit and humor. He visited back in his youthful home around Tompkinsville, Kentucky. The people around there were excited because a new Wal-Mart had come to town. When he came back to Indiana he said that a man said, “If Wal-Mart ain’t got it, you don’t need it!” My mother was from Kentucky and sometimes she would wear a turtleneck sweater to worship and Jim would ask her why Kentuckians wore turtleneck sweaters. Of course she didn’t know. That is when Jim would tell her—“to cover up their flea collar.” We all appreciated Jim’s good sense of humor and laughter.

Jim and Bonnie were not forgetful to entertain in their home family, friends and strangers. They always had a house full of people to share food and fellowship. Jim realized that God wants us to enjoy all good things. And as Solomon admonished there is nothing better for man to do than to enjoy the fruit of his labor—good food and friends. When you were invited to his house for steaks—he did not buy T-bones, but Porterhouse and they had to weigh at least a pound.

After worship, Jim would always go around and invite a lot of people to go out to some restaurant to eat. But he would always say, “But if you get a better offer—take it!” Usually most would go with Jim because they did not get a better offer.

DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION

The Old Testament Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all lived long lives and then died. Of Abraham it is said, “Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people” (Genesis 25:8). Jim also lived a long life full of years—he reached the biblical four-score plus because of strength—physical, mental, moral and spiritual.

Our dear brother was laid to rest with full military honors at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in northern Johnson County. John the apostle heard a voice from heaven that said, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them” (Revelation 14:13). He now awaits the wake up call at the last day.

Paul informed the church at Thessalonica that the dead in Christ will rise first and then the living in Christ will be transformed and both will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will ever be with the Lord in glory (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58).

To Jerry and Debbie Stephens, Linda Stephens, Stacy, Jon, Caden, and Cassidy Hubner, and all of the many relatives and friends of the Stephens family, we extend our sympathies in the loss of a loving family member and faithful servant of God. And may the blessing that God commanded his High priest Aaron to pronounce upon Israel, be also yours:

Numbers 6:24-26

“The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’

NKJV

Heartland Church of Christ

1693 West Main Street

Greenwood, Indiana 46142