The Churches of Buffalo
We have passed the two-month mark of our epic journey. We have been to 27 different churches in those nine weeks. Tomorrow will be 28. Thursday will be 29. Sunday will be 30 and 31. And things are not really going to slow down.
One of the benefits of being on the mission field is not to have to deal with the politics of American churches. The battle is equal, at the least, in ferocity on the mission field as it is in the States. All of the attack and backbiting and bitterness and anger and meanness and badmouthing comes from secular sources on the mission field. I can deal with that. But bitterness, anger and separation amongst the brethren? That’s a different story…
We have to walk more gingerly in the States. We have to remember which churches fellowship with which churches, which subjects to avoid when talking to whom, and where to draw the line in current events.
Honestly, it is something we sort of dread having to navigate while stateside. And then there were the churches of Buffalo.
Our highest concentration of supporting churches is in the Buffalo area. I think we have ten. We spent two weeks just in Buffalo. From John Britt way up north down to Mike Herdzik down in Kennedy, every church had an excellent spirit. When sitting down to talk to the pastors, there gleamed an obvious common thread in our conversations – their love for one another.
One of the pastors said that 35 years ago there were 3 good churches in the Buffalo area. Today there are scores. Here are some things I noticed that were common in the time I spent with these pastors.
I NONE OF THEM WERE TOO BUSY TO SIT AND TALK WITH US
We never felt in the way like we were being swept to the side because pastor was so busy and important. None of them dumped us off on an assistant pastor because he had “other business to attend to.” Not one time did a pastor say he had to go or needed to get to work. On the contrary. Bro. Guadagno, Bro. Costantino, Bro. Burke, Bro. Kohl – all spent ample time just talking with us for large chunks of time after services and into the night.
II NONE OF THEM TALKED ABOUT THEIR ASPIRATIONS IN BUILDING THEIR KINGDOM
None of them referred to the churches they pastored as if they were something they owned. None had aspirations of reaching milestones in attendance or growth. None bragged on big days. All had an obvious attitude building His (God’s) kingdom and not his own. None perpetuated a false humility in their desire to see “revival”.
III EACH OPENLY SHARED CONCERN AND PITY FOR SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR CONGREGATION
They did not sit as lords with the congregation as fiefs. They did not condescend nor cast aside the problems of their brothers and sisters in Christ in the church.
IV NONE OF THEM TRIED TO IMPRESS US
Nobody walked on to the platform to applause. No one exerted his will over the “commoners”. No one walked around expecting respect. They all spoke highly of other pastors in the area. They criticized no other pastors anywhere.
V NONE OF THEM MADE US IMPRESS THEM
None of the them attempted to size us up or fix us or lure us into a misstep. 
VI ALL OF THEM SHOWED GENUINE INTEREST IN OUR CHILDREN
They would sit on the platform steps (gasp!) and talk to the kids, pick them up, ask them questions. (By the way, if a pastor is too good to sit on the church steps or altar steps every once in a while to talk to the little ones of the church, then he is too good.) Pat Burke got games for them to play at his house, Dave Costantino bought them ice cream, meticulously checking whether each kid had what he or she wanted, Louie Guadagno sang with our kids, and on and on.
VII ALL OF THEM PLAYED THE PART OF SERVANT AS OPPOSED TO LEADER
Dave Costantino ran to get the ketchup or napkins when needed, Mike Herdzik grilled chicken and humbly had his church pray around us, Art Kohl – well, Art Kohl and servant are synonymous.
VIII ALL OF THEM LET DOWN HIS GUARD WITH US
None of them tried to keep up a persona. Mark Emke wore a tuxedo t-shirt to dinner on the grounds, Mike Herdzik wore an apron, Louie Guadagno and his wife walked at least two hours with us around Hamburg, Art Kohl wept as he introduced us, Dave Costantino pumped our gas.
IX NONE OF THEM HAD A TROPHY WIFE WHO HOBNOBBED WHILE THE PASTOR DEALT WITH US
X NONE OF THEM LORDED OVER THE MEMBERS IN THEIR CHURCHES
Nobody walked around like a king or prince. None talked condescendingly. None spoke with an agenda or vendetta. They were real. They were men. They were the pastors of Buffalo.
And they made the Savior look good.
This is so refreshing!! Thank you for sharing this. I pray other pastors take this to heart and be the compassionate and God-called servants that their churches deserves.
It was refreshing. There are men who mold a church to need what they are, but these men were servants to outsiders and to each other. Loved it.
I am so happy to hear this and the pastors of Buffalo have such high respect of you. What amazing compliments you have shown towards these men!
I don’t think any of them are known much outside of Buffalo, but they are affecting change. Several of them have started new churches in the area with their own people on purpose. They will never have big churches. They have grasped that they do not own the people, but that they are God’s. Loved it.
What a blessing to read this!! I love you all and I also love to read your updates and see pictures of your adventures! We are privileged to attend a church like these! We are so thankful for you God bless!!
Thank you! Glad that our writings haven’t corrupted you and Tear-it-up Tim. Greet the family and church for us!
I found this to be encouraging. I’m hearing almost daily now from IFB pastors (b/c of my new book) and the fact there seems to be widespread recognition of previous errors and a likewise widespread commitment to fixing them without going overboard is a tremendous encouragement to me.
So thanks for writing. And keep it up.
That is good to hear. Looking forward to reading your book at some point. We will be in about 70 churches over the next six months. Interested to see the temperature of the brotherhood.
Excellent article Nick! Don’t know if I have ever met you but I went to hac with your dad.
Thank you, sir.
Your perspective from the outside looking in to our Buffalo area was a real blessing and encouragement. I never want to take for granted being a part of something as special as the fellowship of churches here in WNY.
It was a blessing and encouragement to us as well!
Good to hear of servant-hearted leaders building the kingdom and investing in the people that God so loves!
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