Stan Wilkins, director of the Davis Ministry Center at Shorter College and interim pastor at Cartersville First Baptist Church, died Nov. 29 at Atlanta Medical Center due to head injuries suffered in a fall at home. He was 53.I write obits all the time at The Index, but this one was very different. See that baby being held in the picture? He's our adopted son, Jackson Reese, all of 16 days old at the time. He's being held by our interim pastor during baby dedication Nov. 19. Nobody knew this was going to be the last time Stan would teach us from this stage. Nobody knew that in just over a week this man of love and honor would be going home.
Like everyone else, I've gone through a slew of emotions since the mule-kick-to-the-gut news that Stan had fallen off a ladder at his house and was in serious condition. There was the high of hearing improvement on Sunday before bad news on Monday and Tuesday and then getting the wrenching news Wednesday morning.
It didn't seem fair. He had too much going on. How could this possibly be in God's plan? It felt like the last third of a really great novel had been ripped from the book's spine, leaving jagged and ripped bits of paper screaming for the ending of a wonderful story that would never be told.
Following his death it seemed like everyone had a Stan story. That showed an important trait about him: No matter who you were, he had a knack for making you feel like you weren't just another face. No one was kept at arm's length. You could only get as far as the crook of his elbow as he slapped his arm around your shoulder.
He could love you and be rough with you at the same time, befitting a pastor with the initials SAW (prominently displayed on the tag of his truck). He's the only pastor I've seen call his congregation geezers and hypocrites from the pulpit and get away with it. We knew it was in jest, but it also came with a dose of truth. He talked about being Christocentric. He spoke about living for Christ. He introduced us to the phrase "hair unit."
On the last Sunday he preached, he talked about giving thanks. He said gratitude isn't exclusive -- we're to give thanks in everything. It's not emotional -- emotions will fight against gratitude, but give it anyway. Most importantly it's Christ-centered, not man-centered -- it comes from what God has done for us, not what we can do for ourselves.
It may seem like Stan was preparing for some big things coming up in his life, but the fact is that he was doing the big stuff the whole time. In mentoring seminary students, counseling church members, or assisting pastors through the association, his ripple effect will be going on for a loooooooong time. I'm grateful for the time God put him in my life. I'm grateful for the time he was willing to invest in me and my family.
Stan can keep on teaching through all the things he taught us. I can be caring and genuine the way he was. We all can. Maybe the ending of that book isn't ripped out after all. Maybe it's up to all of us who loved Stan to carry on and write the ending ourselves through whatever ways Christ has blessed us. It's a great way to honor an honorable man.
