Charles Mattis

By God's grace I was raised as a "Timothy", but instead of a grandmother named Lois and a mother named Eunice, it was Blanche and Raydean. When my father was killed in Vietnam, I watched how these women responded with trust in God which had a profound infl uence on my faith. During my pre-teen years I began to embrace the metaphor of God as father. God was not only my heavenly father, but he truly became my father. When I was twelve I gave my life to him, and he has pursued me through various people, places and events which have formed my faith. His spirit continues to in- fl uence my journey through worship, Bible study, teaching, leading, solitude, prayer, fellowship, work, family, missions, and service.

God knows us all and through the power of his spirit, he continually forms us into the image of Christ. God is at work in us to become like Christ so that we may glorify Him, reflecting His image and His likeness to others. The shepherd's role is to call all of us to reflect his glory and yield to the power of his spirit in our lives and in our church. The shepherd is to serve the flock, being an example of faithfulness. The shepherd should lead the flock, gently showing the way. The shepherd encourages, prays, anoints, equips, and makes peace among the flock, all the while following Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The joy of our mutual journey together as His sheep, is in the gradual disclosure of how He will reveal His glory in each of us, and how we can administer His grace to others.

I think our clearly articulated vision and purpose of calling all people to God and prayerfully joining together in missions, ministry and worship has helped us be united in purpose. I believe the Spirit of God is convicting us that unity can be a reality at Highland, even with diverse views. The shepherd's role in this regard is to remind us that unity comes from our love for one another and our focus on the supremacy of Christ. My prayer for the Highland Church is that we may exalt Jesus Christ above all else. May God continue to give us a "spirit of unity among ourselves as we follow Christ, so that with one heart and mouth we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:5,6)