Bob Gomez

My spiritual journey begins in 1970. Up to that time I had been a practicing Catholic. Not a very good one I might add. But through some personal experiences primarily the serious illness of my wife, I came to know what a real relationship with God and His son could be. I had done a great job in drawing my wife away from her "first love" into Catholicism. But because of her illness and the realization of her lostness she renewed her relationship with Jesus and His Church. I witnessed the strength, joy and hope she received from her faith and I genuinely felt that I could not continue my life without giving myself totally to Jesus.

I was 31 when I was baptized. My life changed immediately. Oh, we continued with problems and health issues, but I had someone greater that I could call on for help and encouragement.

Since then I've immersed myself in His Word and work. I believe that Jesus loves me, that He died for me, and that He is waiting for me in heaven. I also believe He is empowering me through the Holy Spirit to greater acts of love and service. I am committed to His work and to sharing His message of love to all people

A shepherd is first and fore-most a servant of God. He is responsible for the "Sheep" in his flock and puts them ahead of himself. A shepherd should be eager to save souls and to teach and instruct others in God's plan. In order to lead others in his flock he must be led by the Spirit and reach out to those who are in need of encouragement and comfort. His life should be respected by those who know him and work with him both in church and in the community. He must be a man of integrity, a good listener, patient and trustworthy. He must be a student of God's Word so that he will be able to give an answer about his faith and love for the Lord. A shepherd must continue to lead at home and have a partnership with a godly wife so that she will be able to encourage him in his servant role.

I pray that we will never depart from following the leadership of Jesus and the Word of God. I pray that we will continue to expand the mission opportunities of the Church, enlarging our outreach to the entire Abilene community. I hope that we always give our members the encouragement to use their spiritual gifts in the service of the Lord. I would like to see another Hispanic Church in Abilene and more of our own members sent out on mission trips. I believe that we should reinstate the office of Deacons to help our members grow in their capacity to serve in God's Kingdom. There is so much more we could accomplish with this office of Christian servants. I want Highland to be seen as a loving and caring church and a community of believers that encourages and affirm all ethnicities. When we look for a rationale for doing more we must also look at the need for more staff and fi nancial capability. Our staff is one of the most dedicated and committed that I have ever worked with, but they are often overwhelmed by the responsibilities of a growing congregation. We are responsible for those whom we support in the mission field, for new programs that we endorse, and for our own facilities. We should also increase our commitment to enlarging our University student numbers and perhaps even use some of these efforts to reestablish a bus program. I would like to see a ministry to Dyess. At this time in our country there is so much need in those families for encouragement and support. Perhaps by greater utilization of our building we might be able to offer nonreligious classes or counseling and refuge for these families and others in need. I would like to see us continue to expand the role of women in worship and encourage special worship hours such as the Taiz