Katy Reed Hodges: 00:07

Welcome to another episode of Tell Me More. I have Michael and Aaron from our worship ministries in here. We spend a lot of time getting to know Aaron, and it is sweet and good and encouraging. And we're lucky to have this worship ministry among us. So thank you for listening, and we hope you enjoy.

Katy Reed Hodges: 00:30

Welcome to this episode of Tell Me More. If you're watching, you see it. If you're listening, get ready. There's no detail. There's no loop.

Katy Reed Hodges: 00:40

I have replaced them, just for today with our worship ministry, the heads of our contemporary and classic worship, yay, very much. We've got Aaron Thomas to my right and my friend Glenn to my left. Yeah. The reverends, and I'm ex I'm very excited for this conversation. The impetus, the reasoning, one, it's good to have y'all anytime.

Katy Reed Hodges: 00:58

But to be honest, the Korean choir on Sunday Yes. Just caught all of our attention. It captivated us, and I thought, let's just talk about it all. Let's get them in here. And we have and I've joked about this but it's true.

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:10

What an oversight on my planning part. Aaron, you've never been on the podcast.

Aaron Tomes: 01:15

First time.

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:16

What? It's a mistake. First time. It's a mistake. We've been going for in August in August, it would be four years.

Aaron Tomes: 01:22

Oh,

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:22

wow. We just churn these things out every week, and somehow we've never thought, get Aaron Toms in here. It's a the day. I think we will have great regret.

Aaron Tomes: 01:30

Great

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:30

regret after this is over and we realized it. Somehow we got Michael into your life. I know Aaron. But I'm I'm excited for it.

Michael Glenn: 01:37

Same. Yeah.

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:37

I really am.

Aaron Tomes: 01:38

There's a

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:38

lot and as as with all of these episodes, it's highly manuscripted. Uh-huh. We've got every word planned Right. And we're ready to go. But Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:47

No. I gave some bullet points though. And so, let's take this the big end of the funnel, let's get a little bit smaller. Let's start here and just see where we go. But, Erin, it's your first time in here.

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:56

Yes. You're a lovely person.

Michael Glenn: 01:58

Mhmm.

Katy Reed Hodges: 01:58

Our church loves to get to know people, so we wanna get to know you. Absolutely. I think some people here are in the choir every Sunday and have been in your home and love you deeply from up close, and some love you from afar and kinda know who you are. They might be contemporary worshipers

Michael Glenn: 02:12

Mhmm.

Katy Reed Hodges: 02:13

And they just haven't gotten exposed to you as much.

Aaron Tomes: 02:15

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 02:15

So can we just start from, like, the basics? Imagine this is first impression. Like, Erin, I assume you're married. Yes. I assume you have kids.

Katy Reed Hodges: 02:23

Yes. There's some kids that follow you around here at church. Can you just start from there? Like, tell us about your family. Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 02:29

And I may even go far as back as tell us about your wife Yes. And maybe how when she was just your girlfriend. Like, let's let's really get to know the Toms in this moment.

Aaron Tomes: 02:39

Maybe more than you ever wanted to know.

Katy Reed Hodges: 02:41

Yeah. We'll just, you know, turn it down if you get bored. You know, turn the volume down. Turn it back up later. Fast forward.

Katy Reed Hodges: 02:46

Whatever it is.

Aaron Tomes: 02:46

No. Allison and I, we've been married for thirty eight years. In June, it will be thirty nine years.

Katy Reed Hodges: 02:54

Praise the lord. So and To teach us everything.

Aaron Tomes: 02:57

Yes. I will

Katy Reed Hodges: 02:57

say We're we're young. How long have y'all been married? You and Blair.

Michael Glenn: 03:00

We will celebrate, gosh, thirteen.

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:03

K.

Michael Glenn: 03:03

Oh, yes. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:04

Which is not nothing, but it's not '39.

Michael Glenn: 03:06

Mhmm. So No. I remember

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:08

It's actually January of '39.

Michael Glenn: 03:09

It is.

Aaron Tomes: 03:10

We have friends one time who told us we've been married for ten years, and I remember Allison and I thinking, will we ever make it to ten years? But thirty eight years, and June will be thirty nine years.

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:23

I think I remember a little bit of how y'all met, but will will you tell our listeners?

Aaron Tomes: 03:27

So we met actually on a mission trip

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:29

to Europe.

Aaron Tomes: 03:30

It was a music tour to Europe.

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:33

I remember music and a mission trip.

Aaron Tomes: 03:35

I was actually part of a 12 member handbell choir from First Baptist Amarillo.

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:40

Oh, I love this.

Aaron Tomes: 03:41

And everyone else were individuals who came from churches all over The United States. So we were the only group. Everybody else came on their own.

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:51

Oh, it's about the 12 of y'all

Michael Glenn: 03:53

That's right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 03:53

From Amarillo. We have the connection of First Baptist Amarillo. You and I, we knew this because my husband grew up there. Very influential church in his life. Still is, to be honest.

Aaron Tomes: 04:00

Yeah. Musically, just an amazing church. Yeah. Just Taught us very well. Not just music, but they taught us how to worship and why we worship.

Katy Reed Hodges: 04:06

Believe that. Appreciate it. It is formed. So just to thank you, first Baptist Chamberlain Yes. Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 04:11

For the continued work. Shout out. But, yeah, you raised people I love Yes. In two different ways. Yep.

Katy Reed Hodges: 04:15

Definitely. Okay.

Aaron Tomes: 04:16

There were 60 people on that trip.

Katy Reed Hodges: 04:18

Was it all handbell?

Aaron Tomes: 04:20

No. Y'all were the handbell? Choir Okay. And we were the handbell accompaniment, which is very unusual but in Europe, handbells are a big deal to this day. In fact, handbells came from Europe, that's where they came from but in Europe, handbells are a big deal.

Aaron Tomes: 04:34

In fact, after every concert, they didn't wanna talk to the singers or the director, all they wanted to talk to the handbell in

Katy Reed Hodges: 04:40

your center. Were like the celebrity.

Aaron Tomes: 04:41

We're yes. We're the rock stars. Wow. So it was so fun.

Katy Reed Hodges: 04:44

I wish I could ask you a question about, like, which handbell, but I don't know enough.

Michael Glenn: 04:47

Yeah. Can you I mean That's right. Briefly

Katy Reed Hodges: 04:50

Yeah. Like, were you the a or the g? I mean, this is my

Michael Glenn: 04:52

That's right. I don't know.

Aaron Tomes: 04:53

Well, handbells are unique because it has to be memorized. You can't have music in front of you, especially on a tour Oh, because you don't wanna fool with all the folders and music and all of that. So all that repertoire has to all be memorized, and you've got two bells. And if you miss it, nobody's gonna take your place. Right.

Aaron Tomes: 05:09

There's a big hole in the music, so it's very important that you have it perfectly down.

Katy Reed Hodges: 05:13

This is fascinating. So you got recruited. How I mean, were you in college at that point or still in high school?

Aaron Tomes: 05:17

Yes. I was 22. Allison was 18.

Katy Reed Hodges: 05:20

Okay.

Aaron Tomes: 05:21

She went as an alto, and they asked us at First Baptist Amarillo if we would form a group and go over there. So we did 60 young people. Out of those 60, there were three marriages that came from that week tour in Europe. Can you believe that?

Katy Reed Hodges: 05:35

Let's go. Okay. But help me understand why you were in Amarillo as a 22 year old.

Aaron Tomes: 05:39

Yes. I was in college at Oklahoma Oklahoma Baptist University, but they asked us to come back

Katy Reed Hodges: 05:45

to the part. Connected and yeah. Yeah. Okay. That

Aaron Tomes: 05:47

makes sense. And and formed that team. So it it was really

Katy Reed Hodges: 05:49

really how y'all met in Europe?

Aaron Tomes: 05:50

We met. She fell instantly in love with me. It was love at night. Doubt. Me all over Europe.

Katy Reed Hodges: 05:57

Just felt lucky.

Aaron Tomes: 05:58

Me to marry her. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 06:00

Yeah. We were let's reverse some roles. Is that Yes.

Aaron Tomes: 06:02

Exactly right. No. We I saw her on the bus. We were the last ones to arrive, and when we arrived, she was sitting in the bus seat with a bus driver's hat on. She already

Katy Reed Hodges: 06:16

had control

Aaron Tomes: 06:17

of the entire 60 member group.

Katy Reed Hodges: 06:19

Stop. Wow.

Aaron Tomes: 06:20

And the bus door opened up, and I saw her, and I thought, okay. Yeah. I'll get to know her.

Michael Glenn: 06:25

She she

Katy Reed Hodges: 06:27

well, even today, 30 whatever, forty something years later, she has a magnetism and I guess, charisma in the best way, not in a cheap way.

Aaron Tomes: 06:36

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 06:36

And it and she had it there on that bus.

Aaron Tomes: 06:38

That's it.

Katy Reed Hodges: 06:38

Just wearing the hat. And Yes. That's it. She can she can do that. That makes sense to me.

Aaron Tomes: 06:42

It was a very significant trip for us, obviously, because we met each other and wound up being married.

Katy Reed Hodges: 06:47

It changed her whole life.

Aaron Tomes: 06:48

It did. It was also an important trip for us because that's where Alison discovered her calling. She was 18, but even as an 18 year old, she was very aware that she did not know. She did not have clarity about clarity about what God wanted her to do in her life. And it was on that trip that God showed her very clearly that he wanted her to do this pathway, and it was all without words.

Katy Reed Hodges: 07:13

We

Aaron Tomes: 07:14

were on a playground one time between concerts. All these German kids were everywhere, and so no English was being spoken, but Alison was relating to all these young boys and girls from Germany Yeah. Just smiling, having a good time with them on the playground, and her life verse, one of her life verses is, you will hear a voice behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it. Do not go to the left or the right. And while she was on the playground, she heard a voice behind her, it was a person, but she heard a voice behind her saying, you know, you would make an excellent teacher.

Aaron Tomes: 07:49

And just like that, she knew

Katy Reed Hodges: 07:52

that On a music trip, I mean, you know, you you think you might find your calling in mute like, that that a music trip would help you find a music calling. Yes. That's in just in that vulnerable position, god spoke to her.

Aaron Tomes: 08:02

And she's been a teacher all these years, and, of course, now she's been a principal.

Katy Reed Hodges: 08:05

Yeah. So tell tell our people Yes. Her journey. I mean, just about vocation and

Aaron Tomes: 08:09

For many, many, many, many, many years, she taught different grades, different subjects. But recently, last four or five years, she's she was asked to be the principal at Newman International

Katy Reed Hodges: 08:19

Mhmm.

Aaron Tomes: 08:19

Academy. And it's funny because that's full circle because she was called to be a teacher in an international setting Mhmm. With international children.

Katy Reed Hodges: 08:28

How about that?

Aaron Tomes: 08:28

And here she is all these years later being a principal for a whole school of international children. So it's really cool boy.

Katy Reed Hodges: 08:34

I got a big job right now. I mean, it's

Aaron Tomes: 08:37

a Very significant.

Katy Reed Hodges: 08:38

Very significant.

Aaron Tomes: 08:39

And I would say that she's as much of a minister as any of us at the table. No. She really ministers

Katy Reed Hodges: 08:45

to No doubt. Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 08:45

She loves them. She knows them all by name. 600 kids on her campus, and she I'm not kidding. She knows every single one of them by name. Special.

Aaron Tomes: 08:53

She knows about their families and their homes and where they come from, their stories. It's really beautiful.

Katy Reed Hodges: 08:57

She's a special person.

Michael Glenn: 08:58

Very special.

Katy Reed Hodges: 08:58

Yeah. Definitely. So I have a lot of I mean, I have a lot of follow-up. Anything anywhere you wanna go with that?

Michael Glenn: 09:03

Is Allison never not smiling the most joyful person in the room? My goodness.

Aaron Tomes: 09:08

Yeah. She is definitely joyful. I kid and tell everybody how could she not smile when she's married to me? But everybody knows that's not the truth. But, no, she what I love

Katy Reed Hodges: 09:18

A base full of joy.

Aaron Tomes: 09:19

What I love about our family, Michael, is that who she is in public is who she is in our home. Mhmm. And I'm blessed to be able to say that's who our children are too.

Katy Reed Hodges: 09:32

Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 09:33

Many ministers, you all know, many ministers have one face or their families have one face when you're in public and people are watching you and you know people are observing you, But I'm so grateful that our family is the same at home and in church or wherever we happen to be ministering to in our work. Allison in particular in particular just brings joy wherever she is. And, I mean, she wakes up with that smile Yeah. On her face and goes to bed.

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:00

It's just her smile

Aaron Tomes: 10:01

on her face.

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:02

It's just who she is.

Aaron Tomes: 10:03

Created her to be.

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:04

Well, we're thankful. I

Aaron Tomes: 10:05

mean Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:05

Yes. We're grateful for her. That's an understatement. You mentioned kids. Do you wanna go ahead and get into that?

Aaron Tomes: 10:10

Absolutely. There's

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:10

a lot to be proud

Aaron Tomes: 10:11

of there. As a young couple, Allison I came from a large home, well large. I was four, number four of five. Yep. So to me, that was a large home.

Michael Glenn: 10:20

Mhmm. Mhmm.

Aaron Tomes: 10:21

Allison only grew up with two. She was she has one brother.

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:24

Okay.

Aaron Tomes: 10:24

So she was one of two. She's the oldest of two. So I wanted a small family. She wanted a large family. Mhmm.

Aaron Tomes: 10:31

So I was determined we were gonna have the perfect symmetrical family with one boy and one girl. And Allison was like, no. We want a lot of kids. So we

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:41

And who won out on that?

Aaron Tomes: 10:42

Yes. Yes. Well, we had Joshua Mhmm. And we were we had the boys, so we were aiming for the girl and God surprised us with Twin boys. Twins.

Aaron Tomes: 10:51

You're very familiar with multiples.

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:52

Twin boys. Yes.

Aaron Tomes: 10:54

Twin boys.

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:54

I got the boys. So yeah. And they're not I mean, what's the age difference there?

Aaron Tomes: 10:57

We went from one to three.

Katy Reed Hodges: 10:59

Pretty good. I mean, relatively good.

Aaron Tomes: 11:00

Very close to the twins. It's like a year

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:03

and three to but three it might be harder to have twins than a toddler.

Aaron Tomes: 11:07

Well, we felt like we had triplets.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:09

Right. That's the thing.

Aaron Tomes: 11:09

Close enough. We felt like it.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:11

So you're like, maybe a girl. Yes. Are we content? Maybe a girl in the mix.

Aaron Tomes: 11:15

Three boys. Joshua was one that prayed for his sister. He got tired of only having brothers, so he prayed for his sister.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:21

And it worked.

Aaron Tomes: 11:21

God gave us grace. Yes. Our first girl.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:23

Good.

Aaron Tomes: 11:24

Then Joy.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:25

Yeah. We'd love Joy.

Aaron Tomes: 11:26

Then the baby Josiah. The baby Josiah. So we wound up with six children that we just think are the greatest ever. We think they are the wonderful the most wonderful kids ever. God really blessed us.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:38

Y'all are a close family Very, very Relationally. Very Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 11:41

As I would say.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:42

And which I I watch because I want Yes. I mean, that's what I want is is to have my kids love to be home. Yes. This is what I observe with y'all's family. I mean, outside looking in in some ways, your kids like to be with y'all.

Aaron Tomes: 11:53

Definitely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:54

They're godly. They love church.

Aaron Tomes: 11:56

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 11:57

And they wanna find their place in God's mission in the world.

Aaron Tomes: 12:00

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 12:01

If I could have

Michael Glenn: 12:02

that Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 12:03

For mine Definitely. Definitely. I mean, these are things I pray for my kids. Right? So so it's we're thankful to have you as a model Well in our midst.

Aaron Tomes: 12:09

Yes. I encourage you. You just said you pray for it. That I do. Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 12:13

We give full credit to God for our family.

Katy Reed Hodges: 12:16

Can you tell me a little about that? Like, can we have a session? Can you teach us like how No. The job because sometimes, can I be honest, my prayers for my prayers for my kids, I think I can't always articulate? Mhmm.

Katy Reed Hodges: 12:27

I mean, I try to pray scripture but my deepest longings for my kids, I'm not I can really articulate. But I try to lay this is my prayer life in general. I try to lay that before God.

Aaron Tomes: 12:36

Right. No.

Katy Reed Hodges: 12:37

Just the the whole spirit speaks on our behalf when we can't what am I trying to say? Right. Spirit. But how how would you tell us, just model for us how y'all prayed for your kids?

Aaron Tomes: 12:47

Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 12:48

I would I would love that, Michael.

Aaron Tomes: 12:49

Say yes. Please. So we we knew early on as y'all did y'all do too. We knew early on what we wanted our family to look like, and we felt like that vision was from god. It wasn't a selfish vision at all.

Aaron Tomes: 13:02

We felt like god gave us a picture of what he wanted our family to be like.

Katy Reed Hodges: 13:06

And what characteristics can I ask of

Aaron Tomes: 13:09

Yes?

Katy Reed Hodges: 13:09

Tell

Aaron Tomes: 13:09

us. Well, one of the first scriptures we ever taught our sons was a good name is more desirable than great riches. To be esteemed is better than silver or gold. It's Proverbs twenty two one. But that scripture was, in my mind, as a father before any of my four sons were born, and so when my sons were born, I would speak that scripture over them even before they knew how to speak or listen, knew what it meant.

Aaron Tomes: 13:36

And when they were very young, we actually had t shirts made with big Toms on there, our last name, and then that scripture underneath, so they would be reminded, oh, I bear a name. And the whole point was Yeah. We would switch that name out later to you you bear the name of Christ everywhere you go. It might as well be plastered all over your shirt. It's certainly visible in your life.

Aaron Tomes: 13:58

The name that you bear, you are to honor, and you are to be a representative of whoever's name you bear. So that picture for our sons to be name bearers of God. Alright.

Katy Reed Hodges: 14:09

Yeah. Not bad. Let's start there. We're listening. We're taking notes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 14:14

Yes.

Aaron Tomes: 14:15

We really wanted our children to not be self centered, and I know that sounds obvious, but we wanted them to always look toward Yeah.

Katy Reed Hodges: 14:25

But you wanna you wanna articulate it. Right.

Aaron Tomes: 14:28

And one of the things that we found out very early is that doesn't just happen. Right. So, you know, our whole church right now, our word is discipleship. Mhmm. Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 14:37

It's our our focus for now. And I would say to young parents, discipleship definitely begins at home. Mhmm. One more

Katy Reed Hodges: 14:49

time. One more time for those in the back.

Aaron Tomes: 14:51

Discipleship begins at home. Would say that the greatest instructors, the greatest disciplers should be mom and dad in homes because if young children, and by young, I mean tiny children, don't learn what it means to absorb truths, it's difficult for them to pick that skill Yeah. Up later.

Katy Reed Hodges: 15:16

I took a children's I had to to graduate. I needed three courses or three credits left at Truett Seminary. I mean, it was one of those things, and this weird summer class was children's ministry.

Aaron Tomes: 15:25

Ah, yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 15:26

I have no call to children's ministry.

Michael Glenn: 15:27

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 15:28

I'm terrible with kids.

Aaron Tomes: 15:29

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 15:29

I needed to graduate. Learned a ton that was super helpful, and one of the things that we got just ingrained into us is that your kid's first image of God

Michael Glenn: 15:36

Mhmm.

Katy Reed Hodges: 15:36

Is this safe parent at home.

Aaron Tomes: 15:38

Absolutely. 100%. I

Katy Reed Hodges: 15:40

now that I'm a mom, I don't know that you needed to tell me I needed to love my kids well, but I just when you think about the import of the weight of that

Aaron Tomes: 15:48

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 15:48

That they're you're modeling love, security Right. Trust, truth. Right. That'll I mean, that'll sit you up straight, you know?

Aaron Tomes: 15:57

Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 15:57

It's just I'm thankful I really am thankful for that class. And and some other takeaways from that, but just she was a great teacher of, do you know what you're doing with kids?

Aaron Tomes: 16:06

Like Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 16:06

How important this is

Aaron Tomes: 16:07

Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 16:08

In the home.

Aaron Tomes: 16:08

They're world changers. Yeah. You want them to be world changers.

Katy Reed Hodges: 16:11

Yeah. She made us reflect on our own experiences of, like, first thoughts of God, first thoughts of parents. Mhmm. There's a lot there. Anyway, this isn't about that.

Katy Reed Hodges: 16:17

But yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 16:18

And I think one of the mistakes one of the mistakes a lot of young parents make is that they assume it's just going to happen. We go to church. Surely, it's They'll pick it up.

Katy Reed Hodges: 16:27

They'll pick They'll unintentional discipleship. Exactly. That would be accidental, incidental discipleship.

Aaron Tomes: 16:32

Or we we sent our kids we send our kids to a Christian school on purpose, so they'll learn those things. Yeah. It'll it'll just happen.

Katy Reed Hodges: 16:38

And, you know, that's I mean, for those, like, that's we if that's, I hate to say all you can do Mhmm. That's a great place to start. Like Mhmm. My my parents took a long gap from church

Aaron Tomes: 16:50

Mhmm. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 16:50

When they didn't have to anymore, when they were in college, had kids, and realized we gotta get them back in church.

Aaron Tomes: 16:56

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 16:56

And that was their motive is like, I just know in the sense that I want my kids to be raised in the church. And I would say in some ways, that's all they had. Right. If that's all you got, we're proud.

Aaron Tomes: 17:04

Absolutely. And we wanna meet you

Katy Reed Hodges: 17:06

at the door. Yes. But we wanna move you toward doing this at home and not just dropping your kids off at youth group and

Aaron Tomes: 17:13

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 17:14

You know, like, we'll meet you with what you got. God uses oh, he just uses what we got. Right. But there's so much more depth of what we want our people to become Mhmm. And how we want the home life to be affected by the church life and yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 17:25

Just. Well and you touched on something else, Katie. You said it's what we have. I think a lot of parents, particularly young parents, feel inadequate, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. If you don't feel like you're the greatest spiritual person in the world, you feel Yeah.

Katy Reed Hodges: 17:40

Then what do you have to give to

Aaron Tomes: 17:43

child? So we'll leave it up to the professionals at church, and we'll leave it up to those that are called

Katy Reed Hodges: 17:48

that are Christians. Lack of confidence, a lack of Yes. Yeah. I hear that.

Aaron Tomes: 17:51

I would say that as a parent, as a father, as or a mother, God has called you Mhmm. To be the number one encourager, lover, discipler of your children. Whatever it is you have, give it

Katy Reed Hodges: 18:05

freely. Show up with it.

Aaron Tomes: 18:06

Give it freely. Right. Yes. Give it generously.

Katy Reed Hodges: 18:08

Yeah. K. Pause. Michael, we could stop now. There's so much truth in what has just like, what's going on in your

Michael Glenn: 18:15

Yeah. I there there are so many things in terms of parenting, Aaron, but as you were just talking, I think about, you know, we we we get nervous as parents when we talk about discipleship or our inadequacies or I do. I

Katy Reed Hodges: 18:29

do. I do. I'm an ordained

Aaron Tomes: 18:30

minister. Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 18:31

I do.

Aaron Tomes: 18:31

Right. Too. Yeah. Yes. Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 18:33

Because it's high it feels high stakes.

Aaron Tomes: 18:34

Absolutely. I'm gonna mess up my It

Michael Glenn: 18:35

is high stakes. Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 18:36

I mean, it is.

Katy Reed Hodges: 18:38

But I get I mean, Ryan, I am married to an ordained minister. Right. We are we should be the parents. Right? Mean, in in some measure, but we still get, teach us.

Katy Reed Hodges: 18:47

You know?

Michael Glenn: 18:47

No. Sorry. But in the same way, like, if he's not calling us to be perfect. He's calling us to pointers to him. You know?

Michael Glenn: 18:54

And so Yeah. If we can remember that, we can remember those principles that y'all have laid out in the Tom Zone, man. Right. It's it's it's it's about him. It's about us pointing our kids to him and and modeling that to not just, in teaching that, but in also the way that we live.

Michael Glenn: 19:10

And so

Aaron Tomes: 19:10

That's true.

Michael Glenn: 19:10

What a powerful testimony of a family Right. That that's following Christ and and loves him and pursuing him.

Aaron Tomes: 19:16

And we would be the very first ones to say, we have definitely not been perfect parents by any stretch of the imagination. Thousands and thousands and thousands of mistakes, but God is merciful and God is gracious. If the trajectory is right and if the aim is godly and if the consistent path is in his will, somehow, in god's great mercy, those mistakes don't mess your kids up for life. It's really amazing the way god allows those things to not

Katy Reed Hodges: 19:49

Well, okay. I've got, like, eight follow-up questions. Mhmm. But I think I might have cut you off pretty early in your No. Like, we talked about the the verse that you kinda prayed for the kids and the boys.

Aaron Tomes: 19:58

Yes. That's right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 19:59

Is there more to that? I mean, I think I cut you off is what I'm trying to admit.

Aaron Tomes: 20:03

That's great. I think the point was you just

Katy Reed Hodges: 20:06

There's so much.

Aaron Tomes: 20:06

You have to be intentional, and it sounds so obvious, but I think we take for granted. We we want to build a Christian home. Surely, it will just happen. I think every parent, particularly every dad, needs to make the choice, as for me and my house, Joshua Joshua 24, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. And you make that part of your daily conversation.

Aaron Tomes: 20:32

You instill that in your in your children, not just by the way you live, by the way by the way you speak every single day. You talk about it. That's like the scripture says too. When you wake up in the morning, when you're having your meals, when you're driving them to school, when you lay them in bed at night, I mean, it's all about God. It's all about Jesus.

Aaron Tomes: 20:50

What did the Lord teach you today? Did you learn anything about Jesus today? Did God show you anything in the sky today? I mean, all those things, it's all about Jesus.

Katy Reed Hodges: 20:58

These are great questions.

Aaron Tomes: 20:59

And before long, the questions are the the questions are the same, what did God show you today? But the answers are much, much deeper

Katy Reed Hodges: 21:08

And richer.

Aaron Tomes: 21:08

And richer and life changing. My son and my son, Josiah, and I were up late last night. Neither one of us were thinking we were gonna do this, but it happens often. He's headed for bed. I'm headed for bed bed.

Aaron Tomes: 21:23

We just happened to sit down on the couches together drinking our last drink of water before bedtime, and the conversation starts. And before you know it, you know, you're an hour in on a conversation that truly, legitimately, no kidding, is a life changing conversation, but those conversations can happen one? Because 21. 21. Those conversations can happen because you did it when they were three.

Katy Reed Hodges: 21:49

But say, don't you

Aaron Tomes: 21:49

When they did it when they were four.

Katy Reed Hodges: 21:51

I mean, this is what I hope So for particularly the father son relationship. There there is no replacement. There's no replacement for moms. We know this.

Aaron Tomes: 21:58

Right. Mhmm. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 21:58

Good dads.

Aaron Tomes: 21:59

Oh, I mean Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 22:00

Good moms, we gotta be there.

Michael Glenn: 22:01

Right. Yes. We got to. That's true.

Katy Reed Hodges: 22:03

But good dads, they're kinda rare maybe, and it's just I'm thankful to be married to one Right. Every day. Right. Every day. Yeah.

Katy Reed Hodges: 22:09

But this is what like, Aaron, we are sitting at your feet because I'm like, I want Ryan Hodges and Ben Hodges Mhmm. To be having late night conversations with no pretense Absolutely. When he's 21

Aaron Tomes: 22:21

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 22:21

And either living at home or just at home. Like, Lord, hear my prayer. Right? Right. Like, you want that for Hudson?

Michael Glenn: 22:28

Oh my gosh. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 22:29

It's kinda all we want Yes. Is to just be able to forge a friendship

Michael Glenn: 22:33

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 22:33

In Christ.

Aaron Tomes: 22:34

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 22:35

And I mean it, not just best friend, not pal Sure. But a a parental friendship to guide them to Christ Absolutely. And then be a companion on that and to see it.

Michael Glenn: 22:45

That's the prayers that you even as you talked about prayers that you don't even know that you can utter. It's mental image. For me. Yeah.

Katy Reed Hodges: 22:51

I know for us, this is just more, my I'm contributing for a second. I won't be the interview. I'll put the hat on. I I pray a lot. There's this verse that I've always liked and been attracted to.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:01

It's Luke twelve thirty two. Fear not fear not, little flock

Aaron Tomes: 23:04

Mhmm.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:05

For it's the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Mhmm. I've just always liked it. I like the imagery. I love the little phrase, little flock.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:12

I've just always been attracted to that. Well, then I had triplets.

Aaron Tomes: 23:14

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:15

And it's just seared in my mind.

Michael Glenn: 23:16

There you

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:16

It's just seared in my mind. And I pray through that verse a lot for my kids.

Aaron Tomes: 23:20

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:21

Fear? What what might they fear right now? What might they fear later?

Aaron Tomes: 23:25

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:25

The idea of this flock, this brotherhood, what that can be for them Mhmm. Like the unique bond of brotherhood

Aaron Tomes: 23:32

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:33

That that you know, I don't really have that with my sibling. I mean, I'm a girl, but you know what I mean? Like Mhmm. The the the secure place that that could be for each other.

Aaron Tomes: 23:41

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:42

All of it. I mean, you don't you don't have to you can think through, but there's so much in that verse

Aaron Tomes: 23:46

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:46

That, you know, if you're not little thought first, the father's good pleasure, what does that mean to delight in that and and just live in that to give you the kingdom?

Aaron Tomes: 23:53

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 23:54

And what does that prioritization of your life look like? Wow. I find myself just praying that like, if I'm not sure, I get stuck. I get stuck a lot.

Michael Glenn: 24:01

Mhmm.

Katy Reed Hodges: 24:02

I have an active mind and it gets me stuck sometimes. Right. But if I can pray through a scripture Mhmm. Whatever word sticks out, whatever image, whatever part of their day or their personality, my fears for their future Mhmm. My fears for my own adequacy for their future.

Katy Reed Hodges: 24:17

Mhmm. I just end up that verse has so many theologically rich images for me

Aaron Tomes: 24:23

Mhmm. Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 24:24

That I just go back to praying. And it's it's Luke twelve thirty two. It's the Sermon on the Mount, but in Luke, so it's Sermon on the Plain. And then after that, it's basically, like, fear not. Get get everything in prioritization.

Katy Reed Hodges: 24:33

Now sell everything you got and give it to

Aaron Tomes: 24:34

the poor.

Katy Reed Hodges: 24:34

I mean, that's the next so it's this it's this Right. It's a great grounding scripture in my life, but now I'm just that's kinda my that's the way I have figured out to pray for my kids. Absolutely. And there's so many jumping points from that. Anyway, let's

Aaron Tomes: 24:52

Oh, yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 24:52

Back to y'all.

Aaron Tomes: 24:53

You know, I would I would say that the time that you have with your young, young boys right now and the time that you have with your children is very, very precious. You know, you're just starting to raise your children and instilling in them the values of knowing God, loving God, serving God, and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus even at their young age. Every season of our children's growing up years, we've always thought, this is so precious. If we could just stop the clock Yes. Right here and enjoy this forever, this is just so precious.

Aaron Tomes: 25:34

But I would tell you, I would encourage you, as they grow, we have felt that way literally at every stage of our children's growth, and the conversations we have now with our children as adults are just as precious as the conversations we had when they were sitting at our feet as young children, but it's such a blessing to be at this stage where you know your children want to follow Jesus because of their upbringing, because of God's grace, because of God's mercy in their lives, and I would tell you, any parent that's out there that might possibly be struggling right now, it is worth the fight. It is definitely worth persevering.

Katy Reed Hodges: 26:16

It's

Aaron Tomes: 26:16

good. Even if you make mistakes, go through those mistakes. Stay true to the path, and the blessings in the end will be beyond measure and definitely worth it.

Katy Reed Hodges: 26:26

That's

Aaron Tomes: 26:26

good. Another thing that I would want to say, Katie and Michael, is, you know, you all see us at church. Some people we we've always grown up with people looking at the Tom's family as well. They did everything right, so look at them. They're so blessed.

Katy Reed Hodges: 26:41

Put together.

Aaron Tomes: 26:41

Oh my goodness. Yes. Looks really good outside. Fit. And so they they people tend to think they must not ever have any struggles.

Aaron Tomes: 26:48

I would tell you, we've had our share of struggles.

Katy Reed Hodges: 26:51

Everything. No. Just kidding. I said don't do it.

Aaron Tomes: 26:53

I mean, what I what I would say to everyone, though, is when you do things God's way, and that doesn't mean you're perfect. It just means you're you're attempting to do things the way God wants you to do it. Mhmm. By by no means does that mean that you're not going to ever have difficulties or struggles in your life. Preach it.

Aaron Tomes: 27:12

They will Preach it. Come. It's part of life. It's part of the human experience. It's part of being a family.

Aaron Tomes: 27:18

Mhmm. And as parents, we will face those difficulties in our life.

Katy Reed Hodges: 27:23

I don't like you're in this place.

Aaron Tomes: 27:24

They're coming, but God is always faithful, and I would tell you Preach it. That when we try to raise godly families, when that's our aim, there is a gigantic target on your family. The enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy everything you're trying to build. So as parents, it's part of our job to pray spiritual protection over our family, and you mentioned that spirit spiritual protection over our children in particularly unparticular. Mhmm.

Aaron Tomes: 27:54

But our enemy wants to tear us apart. Right. Because if he can, that's a slight on the kingdom. It's a slight on the name of Jesus. It's a slight on the name of God.

Aaron Tomes: 28:03

Mhmm. And

Katy Reed Hodges: 28:04

so it's our responsibility. The family unit is to disrupt everything.

Aaron Tomes: 28:08

Forget to pray for spiritual protection over our children and over our families. And, Michael, I think as dads, as fathers, as husbands, that's our job primarily. First and foremost, that's as leaders of our home, as shepherds, as the priests of our home, that's our job in particular in particular. So but, again, god is so faithful, and he does protect when we ask him to do that. And through the difficulties, no matter how serious they are, God always remains faithful.

Aaron Tomes: 28:41

Always, always, always. And train your child in the way he should go. When he's old, he will not depart from it. That's true. Even when your children stray and get off of the path, God is always faithful to bring them back to the upbringing, and we've experienced that in our own home.

Aaron Tomes: 28:58

Praise his holy name. God is a God of his word.

Katy Reed Hodges: 29:01

He

Aaron Tomes: 29:01

keeps his promises. So parents, hang in there. Keep going. It's worth the battle. It's worth the fight.

Aaron Tomes: 29:07

It's worth the struggle to

Katy Reed Hodges: 29:09

Well, Michael, we came to parenting class.

Michael Glenn: 29:11

Amen. I one thing. Can I ask one question? Mhmm. Is that okay?

Katy Reed Hodges: 29:16

Nope. Sorry. This is my podcast.

Michael Glenn: 29:17

So this is Kate's podcast. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 29:19

Oh, I'll shut up.

Aaron Tomes: 29:19

Yeah. Cool.

Michael Glenn: 29:20

What what I what I love about everything you just said is that just an awareness Mhmm. Of the target that you that you talked about, that there is a spiritual war, there's battle going on. Right. And I think the obviously, the consistency of that, you talked about thirty eight years of marriage Right. You know, between you and Allison, like, what if you could pick one thing, because I think we're all like, we've talked about parenting, and we could continue talking about that for another hour probably.

Katy Reed Hodges: 29:46

But I do have other categories.

Michael Glenn: 29:47

Oh, yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 29:48

But I don't care if we don't get to them. Well, I I mean, we may not get there. I want y'all to share just your vision for worship at First Rebbe John because

Aaron Tomes: 29:55

it's it's

Katy Reed Hodges: 29:55

rich, and y'all are very gifted in these seats. But

Aaron Tomes: 29:58

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 29:59

This is I'm not gonna cut this short.

Michael Glenn: 30:00

Yeah. And I was just gonna say, like

Katy Reed Hodges: 30:02

We can have y'all back if we don't get there. This is yeah. This is golden.

Michael Glenn: 30:06

In terms of, like, marriage, like Right. What would you share? Because, I mean, we've looked at the divorce rate numbers. We've seen them. They are I don't know if as of today, they are still rising, but they've been rising.

Michael Glenn: 30:19

And so what would you say is you may not be able to pick one thing, but in terms of you know, I think about Mark Wade. Mark Wade talks a lot about just solitude. And what does that look like in a marriage relationship and seeking the Lord together? You know? What does that look like over thirty eight years of marriage between you and Allison leading a family together?

Michael Glenn: 30:38

Because you can't parent, you can't pour out of a cup you don't have, and so, obviously, individually seeking Jesus together. Right. But or sorry. Individually seeking Jesus, but how are you doing that together? What have What's maybe one principle or a few principles that you have found to be extremely helpful to keep you guys disconnected?

Michael Glenn: 30:54

Absolutely.

Aaron Tomes: 30:54

Love it. Well, I mean, it goes without saying that anytime you marry anyone, you've married another human being, and they have married a human, and humans have faults, and none of us are perfect. So I would say for moms and dads, for married people, for husbands and wives, obviously, deep abiding love. Mhmm. But I would even narrow that focus down to the word forgiveness Mhmm.

Aaron Tomes: 31:17

Because K. We'll all make mistakes. Mhmm. And I think that's where a lot of marriages fall apart fall apart way too early is a mistake is made, a sentence is said, a thought is given, an action is done that shouldn't have been done, and they tend to just say, well, obviously, we married the wrong person or we weren't meant to be married in the first place. This is all falling apart.

Aaron Tomes: 31:42

It's falling apart. This this is not supposed to happen. I can't take it anymore. It becomes about us and us being slighted, and so we give up.

Michael Glenn: 31:51

And

Aaron Tomes: 31:52

it is difficult to learn true forgiveness. It is not easy to learn to look over someone's faults, but the scripture does tell us to forgive even as God has forgiven us, and that love covers a multitude of sins. And if you're married long enough, there's going to

Michael Glenn: 32:14

be a multitude

Aaron Tomes: 32:15

of sins that love needs to cover on both sides. Yes. So I think the ability to learn to genuinely love through forgiving your partner and forgiving your children when they make mistakes small and when they make enormous mistakes. Are you still going to love them? That's the number one question they're going to look for.

Aaron Tomes: 32:36

Do you still love me? And the answer always, always, always has to be, of course, I still love you. Our love is unconditional for each other. In a family, unconditional love is of utmost importance.

Katy Reed Hodges: 32:52

Michael.

Aaron Tomes: 32:52

Love without bounds.

Katy Reed Hodges: 32:54

Did you think that was the answer he was gonna give?

Michael Glenn: 32:56

I did not. I did not.

Katy Reed Hodges: 32:58

What did you think? I mean Right. I'm thrilled to hear it.

Aaron Tomes: 33:02

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 33:03

I thought it might be more of an ethereal principle

Michael Glenn: 33:05

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 33:06

Instead of a call to forgiveness Yes. Which I Right. I love it. I mean

Aaron Tomes: 33:11

Well, life tends to get

Katy Reed Hodges: 33:13

You know? Nitty gritty. Thought you might quote and I don't mean this trite, and I hope it doesn't sound like that at all.

Aaron Tomes: 33:18

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 33:18

Maybe a verse that's guided y'all, but, no, you're saying, hey, if you wanna stick it out, you have to love like Jesus loved. Absolutely. You have to stick with each other, and you have to show forgiveness like you mean it.

Aaron Tomes: 33:28

Right. That's exactly right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 33:29

Pretty good. I mean, I I'm I'm Well I'm humbled by it.

Aaron Tomes: 33:32

And it even goes beyond husband and wife because when our children observe us forgiving each other Mhmm. They know that when they slight each other Mhmm. That they're You're modeling. You're modeling something. The same.

Aaron Tomes: 33:46

And now that our children are beginning to get married, they see how that relationship works with husband and wife and how the difficulties come sometimes when you live very, very close with another person in in a new experience, newly newly married.

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:00

Right. And, you know, all the things that come with that. Absolutely. Yep.

Aaron Tomes: 34:02

So critically important, would think. So good. Yeah. That's it. Gracious.

Michael Glenn: 34:07

I could have a million marriage questions,

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:08

but Oh, go.

Aaron Tomes: 34:08

I mean,

Michael Glenn: 34:09

I know. I'm a marriage podcast, so

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:10

It's different. Is whatever we want it to be. I do I do gosh. I don't know. Do we wanna just keep it on the family, or do we wanna talk about worship worship ministry?

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:20

I I I'm indifferent. Is really good either way.

Aaron Tomes: 34:23

Wow.

Michael Glenn: 34:24

I wanna hear more about personally

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:26

Just go. I wanna I mean, we've never had you in here.

Aaron Tomes: 34:28

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:29

In in the 200 episodes almost. Aren't we almost there, Edison? We're we're coming up on 200. Wow. There'll be 200 more.

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:36

We'll get to we'll have you all back. Let's just let's just ride this train. How's that? Yeah. I love it.

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:40

Okay.

Michael Glenn: 34:41

I just wanted to hear more about in terms of Aaron's journey. Like, I think sometimes we we look at and we just assume that you've always been the the minister of plastic worship here at First Office, Arlen. Yes. Yes. For those that have, you know, come in the last five years.

Michael Glenn: 34:56

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 34:57

But You've at church seven?

Aaron Tomes: 34:59

Seven years.

Michael Glenn: 35:00

At

Aaron Tomes: 35:00

Easter? April 1 would have been seven years. Okay.

Katy Reed Hodges: 35:03

I mean

Aaron Tomes: 35:03

So just over seven years.

Katy Reed Hodges: 35:05

That's good. That's good.

Michael Glenn: 35:06

So take us from obviously, you went to Southwestern.

Aaron Tomes: 35:08

Let's talk

Michael Glenn: 35:09

to us about maybe just your ministry journey.

Katy Reed Hodges: 35:11

Yeah. So from Oklahoma Baptist

Aaron Tomes: 35:13

Yes. Southwestern? That true? That's right. Okay.

Aaron Tomes: 35:15

That's exactly right. Well, it's interesting. I think the thing I should say first is that I have always felt called to ministry. Didn't know how that would work out. When I was middle school, high school, I pictured myself on the mission field, but God allowed me to do that in different ways.

Aaron Tomes: 35:36

But my calling was so unique, at least in my eyes. I think God knew that I would need an unmistakable calling moving forward. So when I was 17, I was on a mission trip in Colombia, South America, and they had asked me to come as a 17 year old to play piano for worship experiences. And the very first night, I watched in this tiny village as all these people came to this not so large church made out of concrete with no windows, no glass windows. There were holes in the wall, but no windows.

Aaron Tomes: 36:13

And I watched all day as people walked, some of them literally barefoot, some of them with sandals Mhmm. To come to the worship service because they didn't typically have this opportunity. And long story short, when the worship started, room was full. People are hanging out the windows. People are hanging in the windows.

Aaron Tomes: 36:30

People are standing at the door. People are outside just listening because there's no more room to get in. Yeah. And it struck me how to what great lengths these people came to worship god. They really wanted to worship god.

Aaron Tomes: 36:40

When they started What did you all in Spanish, of course, but just knocked the roof off. I mean, just really strong worship. And in the middle of a worship song, I felt this tap on my shoulder. I mean, I thought it was a physical tap. It was that

Katy Reed Hodges: 36:58

much.

Aaron Tomes: 36:58

And I heard a voice saying, this is what I want you to do for the rest of your life. Wow. Lead in worship. It was so strong.

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:05

Yeah. You said you wanted a you wanted a real, know, a tangible calling that you couldn't deny.

Aaron Tomes: 37:10

I actually heard about

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:12

it. Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 37:12

See who was speaking to me. Wow. And,

Michael Glenn: 37:14

of course,

Aaron Tomes: 37:15

nobody was there.

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:15

Which makes sense why earlier when you said Alison had a voice from behind her, like, it a person just for you to know.

Michael Glenn: 37:20

That's right. Because for this one That's it.

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:22

It was God. Right? It's the voice of God.

Aaron Tomes: 37:24

So I was already obviously very involved in music, but now I knew how God wanted

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:29

me from a musical family?

Aaron Tomes: 37:31

Yes and no. My mom was actually the, drum major

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:36

Do I could do real.

Aaron Tomes: 37:38

Harden Simmons University.

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:39

I believe that. Nice. So It's a horse. Go horses.

Aaron Tomes: 37:43

Yes. That's right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:43

It's my it's a pony And my Mustang.

Aaron Tomes: 37:46

Yes. That's right. At Harden Simmons.

Katy Reed Hodges: 37:48

Okay. So, yeah. Mean, in that way

Aaron Tomes: 37:50

So yes. That's right. But siblings, I'm the only one that has anything to do with music. So but, anyway, now I had my direction. Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 37:57

So god led me to Oklahoma Baptist University, which just really helped a lot in my development. Mhmm. And then Southwestern Seminary was a given at that point in Mhmm. History in our generation. Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 38:11

If everyone went in church, it was Southwestern Seminary. Yeah. In this part of the country anyway. So graduated from Southwestern. And while I was at Southwestern, Travis Avenue Baptist Church called me to be their associate.

Aaron Tomes: 38:25

Mhmm. Bill Pearson was there, one of my strongest mentors ever.

Katy Reed Hodges: 38:29

Right.

Aaron Tomes: 38:29

Praise god for building

Katy Reed Hodges: 38:30

that was a great place. Learning experience

Aaron Tomes: 38:32

for you. I've told him many times he taught me as much or more than I ever learned in any classroom in any school.

Katy Reed Hodges: 38:38

He was amazing. Grateful.

Michael Glenn: 38:40

I'm very

Katy Reed Hodges: 38:40

grateful for these people in our life. I've got them too.

Aaron Tomes: 38:42

Gave me the opportunity to do so many things. So that's where I learned how to direct an orchestra. The concert master of the Fort Worth Symphony was sitting right there every time I'd be just

Katy Reed Hodges: 38:53

It shaky a little bit.

Aaron Tomes: 38:54

Right. Exactly. From day

Katy Reed Hodges: 38:56

one. Wow.

Aaron Tomes: 38:56

So learned a lot there. So I was there five years and then went to North Worth Baptist Church. Yes. That's on 820 And I 35 in Fort Worth.

Katy Reed Hodges: 39:04

Okay.

Aaron Tomes: 39:05

As my first full time job as worship pastor there. Mhmm. And then after twelve years there

Katy Reed Hodges: 39:11

That's a good step.

Aaron Tomes: 39:12

We love church. Still a great church. Yeah. After twelve years there, we went to Harrisburg Baptist Church Mhmm. In Tupelo, Mississippi, stayed there eighteen years, and absolutely loved every minute.

Aaron Tomes: 39:24

Such a great church. Great people. Still

Katy Reed Hodges: 39:27

And that was really influential in terms of a time period for your Your kids. Right? It's home based for

Michael Glenn: 39:32

your kids.

Aaron Tomes: 39:32

Right. They helped raise our kids. Such a great church community to help raise our children

Katy Reed Hodges: 39:38

wherever ever. Lifelong friends from there.

Aaron Tomes: 39:41

Come here all the time to visit.

Katy Reed Hodges: 39:42

Come to what the weddings and Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 39:44

They come to all kids' weddings, and they come to visit at the church. Two Sundays ago, we had some of our young people from our youth choir here. They come to visit and catch up, and it's just a it's a real blessing. Yeah. And that's actually

Katy Reed Hodges: 39:58

thankful for that, but I'm also thankful that we got you. Oh, my Great. I'm glad you had a good stint there, but I'm glad you didn't retire there.

Michael Glenn: 40:03

Absolutely. Yeah.

Katy Reed Hodges: 40:05

Absolutely. Yes.

Aaron Tomes: 40:06

Wow. Well, I will say that being here after Harrisburg Baptist Church coming here has been the greatest blessing of our lives. I always tell people God saved the best for last for me because this is like icing on the cake. I mean, as a musician

Katy Reed Hodges: 40:23

What do you love about it?

Aaron Tomes: 40:24

And as a worship person, this church is just awesome. The people want to worship. They come with great anticipation, wouldn't you say, worship? And they sing. Yes.

Aaron Tomes: 40:37

First Baptist Church Arlington is a singing congregation.

Michael Glenn: 40:40

They want

Aaron Tomes: 40:41

to be part of the worship, which is so great, especially this day and time.

Michael Glenn: 40:46

And and

Katy Reed Hodges: 40:46

for me, outside looking in, you also have just I mean, this sounds worldly, but talent.

Aaron Tomes: 40:51

You've got some talent

Katy Reed Hodges: 40:52

in the mix.

Aaron Tomes: 40:53

Just the

Michael Glenn: 40:53

Absolutely. The musicianship.

Aaron Tomes: 40:55

Off the charts everywhere.

Michael Glenn: 40:56

Yes. Crazy.

Katy Reed Hodges: 40:57

So It has to be fun. Absolutely. I would imagine.

Aaron Tomes: 41:00

Very fun.

Katy Reed Hodges: 41:00

It's very fun. You get the ceiling's high for what you get to do and play with.

Aaron Tomes: 41:04

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 41:05

You know?

Aaron Tomes: 41:05

And if people don't know, I lead classic worship, is the choir and the orchestra. Michael He's good. Contemporary worship, which is the band and all of those things, all those musicians. And both genres are just packed, power packed with musicians that It's fine. Can bring it.

Aaron Tomes: 41:24

But what I love most about it, Katie, is we have the musicians to lay the foundation Mhmm. But those that support that foundation are just as engaged as those who lay that foundation. Wouldn't you agree? Like, every volunteer we have is fully committed. Mhmm.

Aaron Tomes: 41:42

In our con in our congregation, the 08:30 crowd, I mean, they'll start getting here at 07:15 in the morning, and they're ready. I mean, they go get their folder. They find their place in the orchestra pit or the choir loft.

Katy Reed Hodges: 41:52

So you're not gonna brag on you, so I'll Yes. Name it. It's not bragging. It's just maybe let's just thank god for this. But when you came, it wasn't there wasn't nothing.

Katy Reed Hodges: 42:02

I don't mean to characterize it like that, a good legacy, but it was mostly senior folks or at least aging that way.

Aaron Tomes: 42:10

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 42:10

Not a lot of young folks. And just numbers wise

Aaron Tomes: 42:12

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 42:12

Not where we are now.

Aaron Tomes: 42:14

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 42:15

So and that was pre COVID. I mean, when you inherited it, and, of course, it barely got to know our body and then COVID hit.

Aaron Tomes: 42:21

But Yes. True.

Katy Reed Hodges: 42:21

You've taken it from what to what. Right. I mean

Aaron Tomes: 42:25

Mhmm. So here's what I

Katy Reed Hodges: 42:26

would yes. Here's what would say. On yourself a bit.

Aaron Tomes: 42:29

Well

Katy Reed Hodges: 42:29

Let me help you brag on you.

Aaron Tomes: 42:31

I'll I'll brag on God in this way.

Katy Reed Hodges: 42:32

It is God. Yes. Absolutely. The

Aaron Tomes: 42:36

my calling, in addition to worship ministry, has been to rebuild. Literally, every congregation that I've been to, I've been a rebuilder, and I've known it up front. And that's part of the calling. Mhmm. So, yes, you're called to lead God's people in worship.

Aaron Tomes: 42:52

Yes, you're called to develop called to develop musicianship. Yes, you're called to disciple, but part of my ministry as well has been the call to rebuild, and I've been aware of that since my very first church. So coming here was a great pleasure. I knew what the church had been through in previous years, and was very glad To rebuild. To step in because I believe that's what God I love it.

Aaron Tomes: 43:16

God's gifted me to do. I love it. So I'm very grateful, I guess, to have those gifts and to be able to encourage people who have been through some difficult circumstances.

Katy Reed Hodges: 43:24

As are we.

Aaron Tomes: 43:25

So but that's that's been the joy. And it's really it's really cool to watch God watch to watch God work when there's a group of people that are engaged and genuine and really want to worship god. It's so I don't know if this is the right word or not, but it's so attractive to other people. Mhmm. They want to be part

Katy Reed Hodges: 43:44

of that

Aaron Tomes: 43:45

kind of ministry as well. Mhmm. And one of the things we prayed, we love senior saints by all stretch of the imagination. I am one. So They uphold this church.

Katy Reed Hodges: 43:56

Oh my goodness. Just name

Michael Glenn: 43:58

that. Strength.

Katy Reed Hodges: 43:59

In every We yeah. Are not diminishing. I

Aaron Tomes: 44:01

mean Absolutely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 44:02

Wanna be a part of diminishing them at all.

Aaron Tomes: 44:04

But because we love them so much, I really wanted to put things in place where the classic worship service would not just survive, but would absolutely thrive, that there could be no question that it's growing, it's healthy, it's thriving.

Katy Reed Hodges: 44:19

It's valuable.

Aaron Tomes: 44:20

Valuable.

Michael Glenn: 44:21

Yes.

Aaron Tomes: 44:21

And that it would last because our generation our generation really values those things.

Michael Glenn: 44:29

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 44:29

And

Aaron Tomes: 44:29

praise God, he has done that in us in the last seven years. Mhmm. And the good part about it is, I think Michael and I would both say, even after seven years, even after two years, I think we would both say, we still feel like we're at the beginning stages Amen. Of what God is doing.

Michael Glenn: 44:46

Would you agree? Amen. I just

Aaron Tomes: 44:47

I think we both have this sense that we haven't even scratched the surface yet Mhmm. Of what God wants to do in the worship ministry Mhmm. And in the life of the think that's proud reason that's I that's

Katy Reed Hodges: 45:06

we're

Michael Glenn: 45:12

similar context that we do of a traditional service and a contemporary, a modern, a classic, whatever wording you wanna use. And the usually, the minister of traditional worship and the minister of contemporary worship, they may not get along super well.

Katy Reed Hodges: 45:27

May not.

Michael Glenn: 45:27

It's it's maybe a weird way to say this.

Katy Reed Hodges: 45:30

May Hypothetically. That's right. Is that what I'm hearing?

Michael Glenn: 45:32

And I can just simply say, and you know this, so I don't even have to tell you this. But the how refreshing it is to know that I'm in the boat with you

Aaron Tomes: 45:42

Absolutely.

Michael Glenn: 45:43

Every single week Mhmm. To lead this worship ministry together Mhmm. Has truly been a blessing to me. And to watch and you talked about our church not just to survive Right. In terms of classic worship, but to thrive.

Michael Glenn: 45:58

Right. And in my short two years, I've gotten to see that. And so I think Katie and I would both testify and say amen that we were seeing that we seeing Right. That the classic service is not just the, you know, our our our senior states that where they attend service. We were seeing young people in their

Katy Reed Hodges: 46:15

city. It's not dwindling Absolutely. Yes. In any No. Measure by any measure.

Michael Glenn: 46:20

No. Right. Yeah. It's just a beautiful expression.

Katy Reed Hodges: 46:22

For those I mean, again, outside looking in, those that don't know y'all. So you're telling me y'all get along? Yes.

Michael Glenn: 46:29

Very much so.

Aaron Tomes: 46:31

Would definitely claim brotherhood.

Michael Glenn: 46:32

Yes. Very much so. Definitely.

Katy Reed Hodges: 46:33

It's not a competition for resources or people or attention?

Aaron Tomes: 46:37

Not at all. Praise god.

Katy Reed Hodges: 46:39

It's a collaboration.

Aaron Tomes: 46:41

Yes. Definitely a holy collaboration that we both enjoy very much. Mhmm. And, Katie, I think that's what makes me most excited about what's happening at First Baptist Arlington. That's why it feels like it's at the beginning point

Michael Glenn: 46:55

Mhmm. Yeah.

Aaron Tomes: 46:55

Because Yeah. It's so unusual.

Katy Reed Hodges: 46:58

And y'all are just hitting stride. I'm like, we're celebrating your two year anniversary tomorrow? Yeah. We think twenty second.

Michael Glenn: 47:04

I forget what day it is. But yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:05

I think it I

Aaron Tomes: 47:06

mean very soon.

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:06

So it's, I mean, that's in ministry life. That's relatively new.

Aaron Tomes: 47:09

Well Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:10

You're at First Baptist. That's relatively new.

Aaron Tomes: 47:11

Definitely. Yeah.

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:12

Right. Just to get the trust built Mhmm. And the visions aligned and then go. Right?

Aaron Tomes: 47:16

But for God to choose to bring this kind of a team together along with the musicians that we've mentioned and the anticipation of our church, I just feel like God is definitely doing something. And if you layer on top of that things like the Korean group that's saying yesterday

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:36

Which we didn't even and we won't. It's time. I mean, not this one, but how about it? I mean

Aaron Tomes: 47:41

Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:42

Thank you for leading them. Thank

Aaron Tomes: 47:43

them Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:44

For their investment. By all means. Thank God for bringing them here. I mean, all of it. Right?

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:48

He's just

Aaron Tomes: 47:49

doing so much, and it's so unusual, and it's so beautiful, and it's

Michael Glenn: 47:52

so hell.

Katy Reed Hodges: 47:53

Wanna miss it, and we don't wanna miss it. Absolutely. We wanna fan the flame.

Michael Glenn: 47:56

That's the first thing, what you just said. We don't wanna miss it. When Aaron and I went to we went to breakfast to a brunch my first day here Mhmm. I sat in the back seat of his Hyundai. And

Katy Reed Hodges: 48:07

Love it.

Michael Glenn: 48:08

I it wasn't just picture.

Katy Reed Hodges: 48:09

It was was both arms. It's important.

Aaron Tomes: 48:11

There are people

Katy Reed Hodges: 48:12

in this. This is important to

Aaron Tomes: 48:12

note. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 48:13

It was like, we don't know each other well. Could you please sit in the back? Yeah. Thank you. Yeah.

Michael Glenn: 48:17

Aaron was my Uber that day. No.

Aaron Tomes: 48:18

Right. We we we all

Katy Reed Hodges: 48:19

Like, a crew went to brunch.

Michael Glenn: 48:21

Okay. I sat in the back, and as we began to just think and dream about what the future was gonna look like at First Baptist Arlington, I said, Aaron, you know, I just I don't wanna miss it. Yeah. Right. I don't wanna miss what God's doing.

Aaron Tomes: 48:31

It's

Michael Glenn: 48:31

true. And him and I were just in such agreement on that we were gonna be committed to following the spirit of God, to following the direction he's leading to us, us together, not the worship wars of old Yes. But a commitment to the leading of the spirit of God, fully focused on what he is is leading us to do as a church. And so, man, I'm just honored Yes.

Aaron Tomes: 48:52

To serve with you.

Michael Glenn: 48:53

It's it's it's a blessing. I can't say it enough. So Yes.

Aaron Tomes: 48:55

I think overjoyed. We both feel privileged to work with each other. You know Michael is extremely gifted. He's proved it over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Katy Reed Hodges: 49:06

I

Aaron Tomes: 49:06

do. His musicianship, his leadership, but more than anything, his

Michael Glenn: 49:12

heart. See

Katy Reed Hodges: 49:12

it. I believe it.

Michael Glenn: 49:13

Is what I trust it.

Aaron Tomes: 49:14

Gives great value to his ministry and everybody sees.

Katy Reed Hodges: 49:18

Everybody knows. I mean, yes and amen. I guess again, like, people, even invested church members that are listening and watching, but you're not here every day.

Aaron Tomes: 49:26

Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 49:27

So you could think Right. They're good on stage.

Aaron Tomes: 49:29

Right. Sure.

Katy Reed Hodges: 49:30

They're playing friends. We don't know. I'll just say from my experience working with both of you Mhmm. Godliness, giftedness, humility, what's the right word, hunger, work ethic. I mean, you've got it.

Katy Reed Hodges: 49:46

And we're and it's and it's it's hard to find. We don't wanna have to go look for it ever again, so I wanna keep y'all as long as we And it's it's a joy to be at the table with y'all, I mean, literally right now. But not every church gets to experience this. Right. And we know it.

Katy Reed Hodges: 50:03

And we, again, you don't wanna miss it and you wanna name it. It's kinda like those little seasons with the kids that you just wanna freeze because you think, god, this

Michael Glenn: 50:11

is this is So good.

Katy Reed Hodges: 50:13

Good, and and we wanna guard it. So Right. I'm thankful to have both of you in the seats that you're in. Thank you. And I think I speak on behalf of a lot of people when I say that.

Aaron Tomes: 50:22

So you. Yes.

Katy Reed Hodges: 50:23

We didn't get to everything I wanted today, but this was really good. This was really good. I'm very grateful. Aaron, thanks for being so vulnerable. I was on just an open book.

Katy Reed Hodges: 50:31

And but, yeah, thanks for give and just literally thank you for giving us an hour of your time in the midst of Sure. A busy week. Anytime. Careful what you say because we'll have feedback

Aaron Tomes: 50:40

when we both Right.

Katy Reed Hodges: 50:41

So I say we'll do this again at some point. This has been very fruitful, and I and I I'm guessing really meaningful for our people.

Aaron Tomes: 50:46

So

Katy Reed Hodges: 50:47

thank you both for being here. And to the listener, thank you for making it thus far. Thanks for listening to the Tell Me More podcast today. You can subscribe to this podcast on your app of choice, or you can visit us at fbca.org to find out more information about the podcast and our church. Thanks for listening.

Katy Reed Hodges: 51:09

Have a good day.