What a thrilling
time for FBC Decatur! God has provided Dr. Bill Hurt to lead FBC
Decatur as our new Pastor. We are excited about Dr. Hurt’s
leadership, his heart for ministry, and the future of FBC. Here
are some excerpts from a recent interview with Dr. Hurt. Read
through these highlights and learn a little more about Dr. Hurt,
his heart, and family. We will learn about Dr. Hurt’s theology
from the pulpit, these questions are designed to let you know
more of him as you would an old friend…enjoy!
What is your
most vivid memory as a child?
My most
vivid memory is not of a particular moment, but rather the
whole of my childhood. I grew up with a great childhood,
parents, and siblings. I am the youngest of four brothers -
no sisters would have been able to survive the rough and
tumble environment! I had a truly blessed childhood. My Dad
and brothers were my heroes.
What is your
favorite memory regarding your girls?
Of course,
my best memory is of their individual professions of faith
and then the special moment where I had the opportunity to
baptize them. You can imagine how special that was for me as
a father. Another favorite of mine involves one of those
bits of wisdom that comes from the mouth of babes. Melanie
was a toddler, around 4 years old. Laura Jo was 7 or 8. I
took the girls for a last minute expedition through the mall
in search of Easter shoes. This was the evening before
Easter. Now this was not a casual shopping trip, this was an
in-earnest, all out hunt. That’s what we guys do. We don’t
shop – we hunt. Even after diligently looking at countless
pairs of tiny patent leather shoes, all colors, all styles,
our search had proven fruitless. None were the “right”
shoes. No shoes, Easter was tomorrow - and the mall was
closing in 30 minutes! I tried to impress on my young
daughter that we had to make a decision quickly…to which she
insightfully replied “Daddy, you did not have to come in the
first place…” Needless to say, I don’t do a lot of shopping
with the three women in my life!
What is a
favorite Hurt Family tradition at Christmas?
When the
girls were young, after our Christmas Eve service, I would
load them and as many of their friends as I could fit into
the car, and take them to a movie. It gave Tommi Jo time to
prepare things at home, and was great fun for me and the
girls. We enjoyed it so much, we did it every year. It is a
very special time that I share with the girls, and it has
become one of our favorite traditions.
What sports
do you enjoy in your spare time?
I enjoy
biking, but my passion right now is running. I run as much
as possible, and compete in races when my schedule permits.
[Author’s note: Dr. Hurt ran an impressive 48.56 in the Bob
Coleman 10K race in February of this year – finishing 5th in
his age category]
As far as
sports, I must confess that I am as rabid a New York Yankees
fan as any of the Alabama/Auburn football fans I have
met
at FBC Decatur! We will have to have a meeting of the minds
over the merits of baseball vs. football!
What is
something that would surprise us about you?
I am a huge
music buff! Music moves my soul – all different genres:
Christian, Country, Musicals, Beatles…I have over 100 CDs,
and I love them all.
What do you
love most about Tommi Jo?
Now you are
talking about something really near and dear to my heart!
What do I love about Tommi Jo? That she is as pretty inside
as she is outside! And her loyalty. Loyalty not only to me,
but to Christ and the Church. Even if she were not married
to a Pastor, she would still be highly plugged in to the
church. [Author’s note: Tommi Jo has a passion for music
oriented church work and has served as church pianist,
directed handbells, directed 1st-3rd grade children’s
choirs, and served in a host of other positions]
Where did you
get your sense of humor?
No question,
from my Dad! He had a keen sense of humor. We often laughed
that you would never go to a gun fight with a knife…the same
held true for my Dad’s wit – you just didn’t go up against
it because it was razor sharp!
How did you
come to know Christ?
I don’t
remember the exact date, I grew up in a Christian home and
it was a gradual realization about what Christ had done for
me and coming to know him. However, I do vividly remember
when I was making my decision public – my Dad was preaching
and I thought he would never finish so that I could walk the
aisle!
What
leadership style will you bring to FBC Decatur?
Larry Little
tells me I am a “Lion.” Actually, he said I was
“Thoroughbred Lion”! I guess that’s a fair assessment. I am
highly motivated, and have a good grasp of my talents and
skill areas. I also have an appreciation for the abilities
and skills of others, and try to bring out the best in each
person. I think the important thing is to never lose sight
of who is behind the goals of what we are doing – Christ.
You are a
tall man, what are the advantages or disadvantages of being
6’4”?
Ever tried
to find clothes to fit a 6’4” man…? Well let me tell you, if
you can even find them in the store, you have done
exceedingly well. And if you do find them, you won’t find
them on sale! Due to my height, most of what I wear has to
be ordered or tailor made. On the bright side, I can always
see the parade over the crowd…!
Any pets?
Oh yes, we
have Chesney Torre Hurt, the Miniature Schnauzer. Tommi Jo
and I had a different dog for 15 years, a Cocker Spaniel
named Rocky, and we loved him dearly. You will come to learn
that when I give my heart to something, I give my whole
heart, not just part of it. I loved that dog. When Rocky had
to be put down (on Valentine’s Day no less), it just broke
my heart – I cried, the girls cried, even the Vet cried. It
was not a good day at the Hurt house. So, I really did not
want to become attached to another dog. Laura Jo, however,
was begging for another pet. There is a Kenney Chesney song
in which he sings about his daughter going off to college.
Back then, Laura Jo would only be living with us for a few
years before heading off to college herself…and well, your
kids are only young once…and that is how Chesney the
Schnauzer came to live with us. And yes, Torre is for Joe
Torre – the best manager in major league baseball…
Who is your
favorite author on Leadership?
I have
several favorite authors, including Max Lucado, but one in
particular is James Hopewell, author of “Congregation.” He
talks about the importance of listening to the people in
every church. Before you can truly lead, you have to know
and understand where people are, and where they have been.
Know what speaks to their heart. I am looking forward to
getting settled in Decatur, and getting to know the hearts
of the FBC family.
Dr. Hurt's
Favorites
Food:
Steak or Mexican
Color:
Blue
Season:
Fall and Spring – not too hot to run, perfect for golf...
Sport:
Baseball! And golf.
Book:
“All I Really Need To Know I Learned In
Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum
Song:
Too many to choose! “It is Well with my Soul”; “Hey Jude”
and “Let it Be” by the Beatles; ring tone on my phone is
“For Good” which talks about true friendship
Bible
Verse: 14th Chapter of John
Movie:
“Field of Dreams”, followed very closely by “Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid”. I may have to add “Forest Gump” to my
list of favorite movies since he was from Alabama…
