We know Phil. Someday, Dick, Bob, and Phil will all be gone. But their enduring approach will have born much fruit. They will be hard to replace. When they are replaced, we will look for persons with the same commitment to long-term relationship building.
Relationships matter in any church in any place.
Relationships mattered to Christ. In the small town, the value of relationship seems so intensified. There's no where to run and no place to hide. Who I am in a city league basketball game affects how others view my church. Once I spent a game barking at a referee.