Next weekend, Calvary Church in Naperville, Illinois celebrates its fortieth anniversary. My father-in-law, Bob Schmidgall, planted and pastored Calvary for 30+ years. The example he set is really my inspiration for ministry. Lord willing, I want to pastor one church for life because I saw the kind of impact you can have when your roots grow deep! Calvary isn’t just impacting thousands of people every week. They have given tens of millions of dollars to missions.
Lora and I aren’t able to make the pilgrimage back to celebrate because of the Buzz Conference, but most of our family is headed back to Naperville for the festivities. I wrote a tribute for the occasion that I thought I’d share via blog. I think all of us who are pastors hope that we touch somebody so that someday they could say something like this about us.
I still remember the first time I personally met Bob Schmidgall. I was in the Intensive Care Unit at Edwards Hospital. It must have been two or three o’clock in the morning. And I was in pretty bad shape, so my parents called and asked if he’d come over to the hospital and pray for me. In typical Bob Schmidgall fashion, he was there in a matter of minutes. No questions asked.
Ten years after that first meeting, I would ask his permission to marry his daughter. And my pastor became my father-in-law. So my reflections are both personal and pastoral.
Bob Schmidgall is a tough personality to pin down, but when I was in his presence I could somehow sense the presence of God. You knew that He knew God. And it made you want to know God better yourself.
In all my years of ministry, I’ve never met anyone that prayed with more intensity or consistency. He prayed with a rare confidence that put you at ease. Early Morning Prayer was part of the warp and woof of His life. I’m sure growing up on the farm helped him establish an early morning prayer routine, but it was his heart for God that kept him in the posture of prayer throughout his life. As a result, his prayers outlive him. They continue to be answered long after his death.
In some ways, it is ironic that Bob Schmidgall died from heart failure. He had as good a heart and as big a heart as anyone I’ve ever known. I’ve never met anyone more passionate about the cause of Christ. Missions was his heartbeat. And he truly was a missionary’s best friend. The generosity of Calvary Church was a reflection of his sacrificial giving.
If I had to describe Bob Schmidgall in a single phrase, it might be visionary servant. He dreamed God-sized dreams. But even as Calvary Church grew larger, he never stopped putting a towel around His waist and washing feet. He loved to lead. But he also loved to serve. No dream was too big. No task was too small. And that unique combination of leadership and servanthood gifts made him who he was. Even as his responsibilities expanded, he remained the humble servant. He made people feel important because they were important to him. It was evidenced by the volumes of names he knew! How could one person know that many names?
Bob Schmidgall loved God with all of His strength. He pushed his physical limits for spiritual purposes. But he didn’t sacrifice his family on the altar of ministry. Family came first. He was always busy, but he always had time.
Most of my personal memories are remarkably mundane. I remember him doing crossword puzzles. I remember his infamous hook shot from the free throw line. I remember him laughing till his face turned red or hot chocolate came out his nostrils. I remember going to Bulls games during the Michael Jordan era. And I remember buckling my seat belt whenever I was a passenger in the car he was driving! And somehow, his presence, made those mundane memories meaningful simply because he was part of them.
He loved God. He loved life. He loved his family.
But one memory from his death epitomized his life. I’ll never forget the procession from the church to the cemetery on the day of his funeral. The train of cars stretched more than five miles long. He left tens of thousands of people in his spiritual wake. And they represent the legacy he left. His life is a reminder of the difference one person can make who has devoted His life to the cause of Christ.
He fought the good fight. He finished the race. He kept the faith.
