Ron Asbury: Another Giant in My Life Has Gone Home

Golf Tournament - Gulf Shores, AL

Another friend who has played a significant part in the weavings of the tapestry of my life has entered into his rest. My colleague, one of my favorite golf partners, my friend and brother in Christ went to be with the Lord. I know that our ages it was unlikely that either of us would see the other again in this life but we both knew there will come a time when we shall be reunited in God’s Paradise. 

I first met Ron Asbury when in 1982 I became the pastor of the Woodland Baptist Church in Beaumont, Texas. Ron had already been at the church as Minister of Music for about a year or so and was well into developing a powerful music ministry. Over the years Ron and I played a lot of golf together. In fact for one two-year period, we played just about every Friday afternoon having a standing tee time at the Bayou Din Golf Club. Not to mention being partners in annual church tournaments. We played every course in Beaumont and a few in Houston. 

Ron always seemed to have a few cigars with him when we played golf. I didn’t smoke and we always shared a cart. He’d frequently light one up and offer me one knowing I didn’t smoke saying to me, “You know smoking won’t send you to hell.” Then one day I responded with, “No, smoking a cigar will not send anyone to hell . . . it will just make them smell like they’ve been there.”  He almost wrecked the cart laughing.

But as well as we were teamed for golf, we were a better team in ministry. I don’t recall either of us stepping on the other. Through motivation and manipulation, yes, I said manipulation, Ron was building a music program that was second to none other in our city. I remember he and I talking about motivation and manipulation and he said, “Manipulating people is not a bad thing as long as what you manipulate people into doing is what they both can and should do.”  Not sure I ever agreed with that, but it seemed to work for him. 

Woodland Baptist Church - Ron at Pulpit

Ron was a remarkable if not unconventional motivator. He would do whatever it took to get the best out of the people with whom he worked. He’d stomp his feet, pull faces and even poke out his tongue to get what he wanted from his choirs. He encouraged individuals to develop their talent and to minister to the church with them. He always seemed to find a way to encourage folks and to get them to believe in themselves and what they could do even when they were uncertain and afraid.

Locally he would be known as the man who brought a high school/college choir called Shining Light to life. He was duplicating in our church what he had already done with a group called Joyful Sound at North Knoxville Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. I know when he was on staff with me at Woodland Baptist Church he literally through our music ministry put our church on the map in our city. The nearly ten years we were together were some of the most productive and happiest of my ministry.

Ron and I would sit down once a year and talk about where I wanted the church to go in the coming year and he would shape his program to support that. I don’t remember ever having a ministry conflict. We pretty much saw what we did in our focus areas as part and parcel of the same thing . . . building the local church and extending the kingdom.

When Ron moved to Houston I thought, as did he, that our shared ministry was probably over. Little did either one of us know that just a few short years later I would be at the Fairmont Central Baptist Church in Pasadena and needing a Minister of Music. All told, Ron and I shared ministry for about 15 years. Thank you, Rhonda, for letting me know he was available.

Shining Light - On the Road Again

During those 15 years we played a lot of golf, shared a lot of dinners, and saw God do some wonderful things. I have said it before, and I’ll repeat it here . . . If I could have had one Minister of Music throughout my ministry, and I have had some really good ones, that man would have been Ron Asbury. 

No man was ever a more committed defender and champion of his family than was Ron. When it came to Carolyn and the girls his love and loyalty knew no limits. I feel for the poor soul that ever hurt one of them regardless of the reason. I’ll not elaborate here, but I learned of his commitment and loyalty to them through experience not hearsay. 

The one thing I regret is that I don’t recall ever buying his lunch . . . I tried a time or two, but he outfoxed me even when I had arranged in advance with the restaurant to pay. I sometime wanted to laugh as Ron, Tim Edgar and Craig Heiman argued over who was going to pick up the check. Apparently, there is an art to that. 

I could go on and on recalling experiences and shared times. There is never a stopping place when we recall our shared journeys. What I really want to say is that Ron Asbury was and authentic Christian man . . . . not perfect but authentic. He was a good man and all that is included in that term. Ron Asbury was a generous colleague who understood collegiality, a loyal friend, devoted family man but most of all a brother in Christ. His legacy will live on through his children and his grandchildren. 

My brother, I hate to see you go . . . . a lifetime's not too long to live as friends but thank the Lord that friends are friends forever when the Lord is the Lord of them. Thank you, Lord, for making Ron a part of my life.