Re-Firing NOT Retiring

“Retiring? No! I’m re-firing…there’s no mention of retirement in the Bible, as far as I can tell. In fact, except for Jesus and David, nobody had much of an impact until they were at least sixty, and most of them were in their nineties before they did their best work.”             Zig Ziglar (at 78)

Vance Luke is my new hero! Though Home with the Lord now, he’s how I want to go out. Recently, I heard his story on a Christian news podcast.   He was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota on September 25, 1918, and grew up on a farm. Later, he served as a major in the Army Air Corps during World War II which later became the US Air Force. A mechanical engineer, he worked on the fuel system for the B-52 bomber. Following his military service, he went to work and eventually ended up as the Plant Manager at a Goodyear plant. He and his wife moved to Rome, Georgia where they “loved it and stayed.” He joined the First Presbyterian Church sang in the church choir and invested his life serving the Lord. When he retired, he used his hands and mind to build and repair nearly every building on God’s Farm, a ministry to troubled teens in West Georgia. 

Yet, Vance Luke’s greatest asset was unseen. He knew who he was in Jesus Christ and that was the guiding source of his life. 

Married 65 years before the death of his wife Mary Gay, the Lukes raised three children, Ginger, Vance Jr., and Kay. When he first began volunteering at God’s Farm, he only worked on Fridays so that he could care for his wife with Alzheimer’s Disease during the rest of the week. Following her death, he started going five days a week.

He was 93-years old when he went on his first work-missions trip to Africa. As his adult children were planning the trip, they asked, “Should we ask Dad? And Jr. said, “Well you better tell him that it’s a 25-hour flight and it’s rough terrain and high altitude.” Vance Luke’s response, “Yep I’m going.” They put him in charge of construction and he worked harder than any of them. The team built two classrooms, a kitchen, and a 350 chicken coop. They visited families, got shoes for kids that didn’t have shoes, started a lunch program for the five farms there. And Vance Luke was right in the middle of all of it. Actually, he was leading a lot of it because he knew a lot more than everyone else did.

Ultimately, they celebrated his 100th birthday in Africa on one of their mission trips. There’s a little restaurant in Kajabi. The restaurant knew the family was coming to celebrate his 100th birthday and there were a number of Kenyans who came pretending that they were having dinner. They wanted to see what dinner for a hundred-year-old was going to be like. 

He was a grandfather to six, great-grandfather to nine, and great-great-grandfather to three. On August 17, 2019 Luke had a one-car accident about 15 minutes into his hour-long drive home. He’d already picked figs and cut grass that morning. It’s believed that he had a heart attack or stroke. He was headed home after serving the Lord all day and met Jesus and really went Home.

32 years! Last Sunday Jane and I completed our 32nd year of serving Grace Church. I was only 28 when we pulled up with our full car and moving van. I still remember the shock on the faces of the crew unloading us that one person could own so many books. Our little family of 4 became 5 in 1990. This is where our children grew up. This is their home. This is our home. We fell in love with you, our church. We fell in love with this community. Though transplants from Michigan and Georgia, Jane and I know that our hearts are here in Grace Church and in this community.

Anniversaries are a time for thanksgiving and reflection. No one knows about tomorrow. “D.V.” is a vital Latin phrase for every believer. It stands for Deo Volente and means, “God willing.” James 4:15 says, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” Lord willing, I plan to serve at least one more decade at Grace. How do I picture the next ten years?

I want to be a Caleb. At 85 years young Caleb wanted to take more territory for the glory of God. Through the years the Lord has given me the privilege of leading many to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He’s allowed me to share His Word and help others learn that Jesus loved them and to love Jesus. I truly hope that I’ve only just begun. I don’t want to coast. I want to go for the next hill and mountain like Caleb did. The greatest victories are spiritual ones. They’re the ones that count for eternity.

I want to be a Noah. Noah was 500 years old when he built the ark. God has so richly blessed us with our new building. The land, the building – it’s all a miracle! It’s all by God’s grace and the generosity of His people – YOU! Yet, the task is far from complete. Because our other properties hadn’t sold and we wanted to be fiscally conservative, we set aside plans for an education wing. Yet, we need more space for our children ministries and the next generation. I’d love it if the Lord let me be part of that!

I want to be an Abraham. At the end of his life, Abraham planned wisely for the next generation. It’s tempting and wrong to settle for the status quo. Like Abraham, I want to invest in lives of those who are coming behind me. I want to prepare for their future so that they can be more fruitful and more effective in walking with the Lord and reaching this community with the gospel. I hope that they will be more effective than I have been.  

I want to be a Daniel. At the end of his life when his enemies were looking for something to accuse Daniel with, the only thing that they could find was that he was a man of prayer. When I first came to our church, I was far too program oriented. The Lord has taught me over and over again (I’m a slow learner) that it’s His ministry and more true ground is gained with prayer than programs. Yet, when it comes to prayer I feel so inadequate. Though I know that I have a long way to go, I am so thankful that the Lord Jesus has patiently brought me this far.

I want to be a Joshua. What a visionary! At the end of his life Joshua urged his people to stay faithful and not rest on their laurels. By God’s grace I want to help our church have a vision and passion for all that God can do through us for today and tomorrow if we surrender and trust Him.

I want to be a Moses. Some leaders stay too long. Moses was submissive when the Lord told him that his work was done and it was time to go. It was very hard for him, yet it was best for God’s work and the nation of Israel. There will come a time when I need to take my hand off the plow and quietly get out of the way so God’s work can continue to grow and bring glory to His Name! I want to be sensitive to His timing, not my own.

Jane and I are so thankful for the past 32 years! We love you so much and are so thankful for you! You truly are our family! And we’re excited about what the Lord has for Grace next! We are so blessed! Thank you for letting us serve the Lord by serving you these 32 years!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.