WHEN THE LINES FELL IN GOOD PLACES

Before leaving to plant a church in Germany back in the late 80’s, I was privileged to work for “Chuck Snyder Advertising”, an agency that did TV advertising for Safeway grocery stores in five of the Northwest states, Sears department stores in four states, as well as various local accounts like Mercedes and Chevrolet. Chuck had been a producer with KING-TV in Seattle even as far back as the ’50s and was an amazing father in the faith for thousands of people. As if that wasn’t enough, he was the Chaplin for the Seattle Seahawks professional football team, the Seattle Mariners professional baseball team, and the University of Washington Huskies college football team. And, if that wasn’t enough, both Chuck and his wife Barb had a powerful ministry nationally to the professional athletes through the “Pro Athlete Outreach” organization. On top of all that, he and his wife Barb had written some pretty awesome books like: Incompatibility, Grounds for a Great Marriage published by Focus on the Family; Barb’s book Stand By Your Man, and my favorite, Chuck’s book Men, Some Assembly Required.

While working for Chuck, I learned so much. It was kind of like working for EF Hutton, when he spoke I listened. Chuck was intrigued that I had married a single mom with two daughters, but with equal enthusiasm he was also concerned as he could see I was pretty undeveloped for the big pants I had put on.

FOR FATHERS THAT HAVE AN EAR TO HEAR

A few months before our time in the USA was over, Chuck called me into his office to have one of those, “How are things progressing?” talks. I loved it when this would happen because he never came across with an over-spiritual, “I’m going to help you out,” kind of attitude. It always left me in amazement of how good God was. He was an example to me of something Chuck Smith used to say: “God works supernaturally, in natural ways.” For anyone that knew Chuck Snyder personally, or found himself on the receiving end of his giving, you would have to agree that this was the beauty of how God used Chuck. He was always witty, sharper than a tack, and generous as could be.

Well, on this occasion he asked me how I was going to approach moving into the mission field. “Are you going to sell everything and live on mattresses on the floor, eating off cardboard boxes like Hudson Taylor? Or are you going to ship a container with all of your belongings ahead of you?” I was shocked he would actually think that the second scenario was anywhere near my contemplations. I said, “We’ll probably do the Hudson Taylor thing, Chuck.” Confirming his fears, he patiently told me that over the years they had supported a lot of families in the mission field. He said that “many stayed and many came back.” Often those who came back did so because the kids struggled to adapt, and it seemed that most of those were ones who did the Hudson Taylor thing. I said, “Chuck, to be honest, there is no way we can afford to do something other than that.” He said, “I think the Lord has the best in mind for your daughters, and I’m pretty sure that if you make arrangements to take all your things, He will provide for it.” I wasn’t sure how to answer him because if that much money came in, I can guarantee it wouldn’t pass my approval to spend that money on a container.

BE STILL AND KNOW

Picking up on my street mission attitude, he then said, “Listen Nick, I’m so convinced that the Lord cares so much for your girls (your wife included), and what He’s sending you there for, that I’ll pay for the container if He doesn’t provide.” I then took it to the next level of defense of how this was a useless consideration, and told him how our possessions were not much more than a good selection of worn-out, second-hand store goods. He realized immediately I wasn’t getting it and started in with his next level of offense. “It’s not about what you have, it’s about what it means to your family… it is their home, and you need to take it with you because your family needs to have a strong sense of security for what you are about to take them into!” Realizing I wasn’t dealing with a normal person here, I took my rightful place at the seniority table, and raised my white flag of surrender. I’d never heard anything like this before, and believe you me, I heard it! I wisely said, “Okay Chuck, I’ll do it.” Then came the “hammer” (as they say in German), as I was getting up too quickly to find a quiet place to lick my wounds and figure out what just happened, he said, “You’ve got a real gift with making furniture. From this time forward until you leave, I’m paying you by the hour to take from all my supplies in the shop and make as much furniture as you can because God wants you to feel like this is an important thing. But here’s how you have to do it: before you start packing up the container with furniture, take a box for each of your girls and go into their rooms and pick up their trash. Put the trash in the box and label it ‘Amy’s/Angelina’s trash.’ Then, after you get moved into your place in Germany, open the boxes and scatter it in their rooms.”

HOW A HOUSE BECAME OUR HOME

I left Chuck’s office with a new vision of how God saw my kids, and all the more when I saw the results. When we arrived months later in Germany and finally unpacked our container, the kids were so elated they were hugging, kissing, and dancing around their furniture. We were all so blessed! After the insecurities of saying good bye to all our family and friends, and the stress of getting across the pond, finding a house and getting moved in, it was all good after we got the kids moved into their rooms, and situated in the comforts of their own stuff. That house immediately became a home, and a powerful witness to our kids of Gods faithfulness and His commitment to take care of our every need. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young (Isaiah 40:11).

For years to follow, this even trickled down into the distinctive of how we viewed our children’s ministry in the church. I’ll never forget when we were expanding our coffee bar and youth room years later. A man who was not from our church came to me and gave me the equivalent of $10,000, saying that it was not to be used for the remodel, but for the decoration. After asking why he was doing this, he pointed to the antiques that I had in- herited from my dad that were on display in our existing (smaller) coffee bar. He said he knew a lot of churches where the youth room was full of old couches that no one wanted, and maybe a few posters on the walls of cats or dogs with Bible verses on them, but nothing like this. He loved sitting and observing the youth as they poured into the coffee bar after one of the four Sunday services, and with glee he watched how the new ones would look around at the place with expressions of awe that said, “These people care about me!” That was something taught to us through my boss, who became my good friend, Chuck Snyder.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

Chuck recently moved to his heavenly mansion (that I can’t wait to see someday), but his amazing love and generosity lives on in our hearts and thoughts still today. In fact, Chuck’s wife Barb continues to support us to this day and always opens her home to us like one of her kids when we’re in Seattle. Thanks, Barb! What an awesome God we have!

You’ll never believe it, but it only took one month after that initial meeting about the container before I freed Chuck from his commitment. God had provided for it completely, and when it came in, there was no doubt in our minds that it was for our container. Wow!!