My Father-In-Law Was Not Normal: 2025 review

From my father-in-law funeral

Welcome to the memorial service of a man who welcomed so many people into his life and home.

Good morning, my name is Dave Rodgers, Pat's favorite son-in-law, without a doubt.

I am going to paraphrase a comment someone made on one of Krista's posts.  "Pat & Lori were not normal."

Pat was not normal

According to him, he controlled how well the University of Michigan played.  When he was in the room watching, they played poorly, and when he left the room and was not watching, they made great plays.

According to that post I mentioned earlier, the way they served was not normal.  Many of us were served by Pat Ryan

87 years at one church is not normal.  Through amazing times and hard times, Pat faithfully served the Lord at Emmanuel Baptist Church.  He faithfully prayed for this church and the churches his children and grandchildren were a part of.

Pat was not normal.  He was an amazing prayer warrior, faithful church member, loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandmother, and a great man of God because his hope was in the Lord.  

One of the verses that Pat had marked in his Bible, would quote often, and lived out, is Psalm 42:5

 

 

 

 

 

Four Big Words

Entering 2026, I want my life and Trinity Baptist Church to be marked by four words (worship, discipleship, evangelism, and missions) and a question connected to each word.

Worship - How has my life made much of God this week?

Discipleship - Who am I building into?

Evangelism - What opportunities have I taken to share the Gospel?

Missions - How have I invested my resources and life for the spread of the Gospel around the world? 

WORSHIP is not merely about singing.  Worship is about all of life, of which singing privately and corporately is a part.  

Under Authentic Worship, Trinity's website says we are "a church that places high priorities on sound doctrine, community, and relationships."

Worship doesn't begin with singing.  It starts with Biblical truth and right relationships with God and others. The songs we sing together are the overflow.

The sermons that are preached, the studies that are selected, the songs that are sung, and the decisions that are made come from a desire to help our church family make much of our great God.

DISCIPLESHIP needs to be centered on Christ and grounded in scripture.  

Here is a very basic definition of discipleship I have used.  

SEEKING someone TO HELP YOU FOLLOW Jesus. 

HELPING someone FOLLOW Jesus and

I am praying that Trinity will be filled with members who are growing in their fellowship with Jesus Christ and are seeking to help others grow into the image of Christ.

It is my prayer that discipleship connected with Trinity Baptist Church means more than that which is done at 2050 Aberdeen Street, NE.  Discipleship at Trinity Baptist Church is carried out through its members and those we have discipled.

I read somewhere that EVANGELISM and MISSIONS are not compartmentalized programs of the church for an elite few.  They are for EVERY believer.  

Evangelism and Missions must proclaim the Gospel and build up the church.

May the church be known for its proclamation of the Gospel in our neighborhoods and around the world.

At the heart of decisions made regarding the ministries of any church should be four words: worship, discipleship, evangelism, and missions.-

These four BIG words are so much more than strategic thinking for church leaders.  

They should be the life and ministry of EVERY  member.