In an interview with Senior Pastor, Bill Purvis, we wanted to address some of the questions; issues and thoughts to help you get better acquainted with the pastor. We hope you find this beneficial.

God has blessed us with tremendous growth. At every level of growth, we have to adjust the internal working structure of the church. There are times this causes me to be further away from the contact I’d like to have with everyone. I struggle with that. I believe you make “insiders” by giving them inside information. I hope these answers will reveal my heart to you.
Yours because of Calvary,
Bill

What’s the role of a Pastor?
To provide leadership in the ministry of the local church. This means that he is responsible for seeing that the church is in alignment with the great commission. (The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:19-20.)

What are the sacrifices that the members have to make to keep the church focused on obeying the great commission?
I wouldn’t use the word “sacrifices” in our situation (considering that the early believers were beaten, stoned, crucified, and thrown to lions all because they were committed to Christ). I don’t think giving up a comfortable seat, a close parking place or working in the nursery falls into the same category as “sacrifices.” We have yet to make any sacrifices to reach people that have really cost us.

What’s the hardest part of ministry for you personally?
The calling of staff ranks pretty high for me. We have a large staff, but the key to effectiveness is a “unified” one. You can have 2 staff with division or 50 with unison, so the number is not as important as the “oneness of heart” issue. It’s not easy to find team players.

Are there other ministry difficulties that you experience?
Sure. One is the expectation of people. I cannot be everywhere at all times and respond to every need. Nor do I know everything going on in the church. It’s probably better that I don’t.

How do you handle these challenges?
By surrounding myself with excellent people. We have both competent staff and great lay-leaders. They do a better job in their areas than I ever could. I trust the staff and people to do what God’s called them to do.

I’ve noticed that the name “Baptist” is being phased out of some of the printed material. Is this intentional?
Yes. We are still Baptist in doctrine, but in order to expand our witness into the world, we found that the label “Baptist” was a barrier. We removed the barrier.

Rumors and jealousy are often directed at you or the church. How do you deal with those?
The rumors are hilarious. We have heard it all from showing your W-2 upon joining the church to charging for parking and many more... They are all untrue. I can’t imagine anyone actually believing the absurd things some people spew out. Jealousy is a weird sin to me. When a person is threatened by God blessing another, it reveals the little faith they have that God would do the same for them.

What drives you?
Souls. There are over 100,000 people in our surrounding area who have no religious affiliation. They’re not Buddhist, Baptist, or Believers.

What makes you angry?
Apathy, hypocrisy and laziness.

What encourages you?
Effort, authenticity and commitment.

Does it bother you when people question your motives?
No, it reveals their own motives.

Could you please explain that?
Titus 1:15 says, “unto the pure all things are pure, but unto those who are defiled is nothing pure.” This means that those whose hearts are free of greed, pride, and such, assume that others are free of these too. Those who struggle with those things are quick to search for it in others.

Who are your favorite authors?
Leonard Sweet, John Maxwell, Phillip Yancey, Lee Strobel, Swindoll, Spurgeon, C.S. Lewis and several others.

How often do you read?
I really enjoy reading, so I try to read one or two books per week.

Do you have any regrets or unfulfilled dreams right now?
None. How could I? I’ve never deserved one single thing in my life. God has shown me mercy and grace in every area of life. No regrets, just praise to Him.

Describe your home life. What’s that like?
I’ve been blessed. The Purvis home is a place where laughter is always louder than anything else. Even my dog has learned to smile.

I’ve heard that. Is that because you enjoy humor?
I don’t know. We just enjoy each other. Each person in the home brings a different set of eyes and perspective to every conversation. We still have some serious moments, but almost every conversation ends with something funny. We probably need to get counseling, because it’s not the norm or so I’m told.

Tell us about your wife, Debbie.
She’s the love of my life. Twenty-five years of marriage and I’m still the luckiest man I know. She was a homecoming queen who was very selective in dating. I prayed hard for her.

Does she give you balance?
She’s the “E.F. Hutton” of our home. She’s very comfortable in who she is as a person. She likes her privacy, loves being a mother, and she’s the voice of reason for me. I value her judgment and opinion more than anyone else’s. She is the most balanced person I know.

Did Debbie and you naturally hit it off or were there adjustments you had to make?
We’ve grown together. We’ve communicated well so that was a plus. I’m not a good “reader” of people. I trust people too easily. She is “keyed in” to people who are authentic, so she protects me. I’m the visionary, risk-taker; she’s the analytical and detailed one. We recognize each other’s strength and play to the one that is needed at the time.

Do you “get along” easily?
Yes. We are each other’s best friends. I can’t relate to people who struggle a lot in marriage because for us, it’s a good fit.

Tell me about your boys.
Debbie and I are blessed with 3 sons. They are all 2 years apart in age and have never given us a moment of trouble. They are different in their strengths and personalities but are very close to each other. We enjoy watching them interact. B.J. is the oldest, Brent is the middle child and Blake is the youngest.

What are they like?
B.J. looks like I did at his age. He is graduating from Auburn University in December. He wants to go to law school next. He likes to surf and can be found in California, Costa Rica or somewhere by a beach when he has a free time. He’s the boy who loves to have fun and he’s a blast to be around. Brent is a natural born leader. He’s in his second year of college and already owns a growing business. He has his mother’s organizational skills and his dad’s passion. Blake is a “people person.” He just graduated from high school and is going to aviation school to be a commercial pilot. He just completed his solos’ and it’s in his blood. All three boys have good character and we’re proud of them.

What are your favorite memories with the family?
Vacations are great times since we get uninterrupted days together. We’ve taken cruises, flown to special spots, do the wave runner/four-wheeler weekends, rent movies and hang out—you know just the things that people do. Debbie and the boys are especially close. I am amazed at the things they talk about so openly. I never talked as openly with my parents at their ages as they do.

What are your strengths?
Leadership and communication.

You wouldn’t consider evangelism your gift?
No. Evangelism is more of a command than a gift. I personally make evangelistic visits each week, not because I’m gifted, but because it’s a command for a believer to share his faith.

How does the gift of leadership work for you?
I must see action. I love to see people and things progress. Rest for me is activity. I enjoy challenges, pursuits, and forward movement.

How does this help you as a Leader/Pastor?
Unless someone knows my heart, my leadership style hurts me because I may seem “pushy.” Once we get past this, I think it helps the church to get away from comfort and into the business of reaching people. I’d go “nuts” hanging around without a purpose.

What encourages you most as a pastor of a growing church?
Approximately 500 people pray for me, so that’s a “lifter.” I enjoy hearing the testimonies of people whose lives have been changed by this ministry. Some of their stories are absolutely incredible.

Let’s talk about Cascade Hills Church. Tell me how you feel about the church.
I think Cascade Hills is the greatest church in America. If I didn’t, I’d be at the one that was. The majority of our members have stood with me in open fields, adversity, and faith adventures that only God could have led us in. Through it all, they’ve honored me with love, support and Christian kindness. I love these people. They are the best members any pastor could have in my opinion.

The recent changes in the style of worship, has it helped you or hurt you as a church?
This may sound surprising, but I’m not necessarily “hip” on every change we have made. The mission of reaching an unchurched generation is so heavy on my heart that I am willing to do whatever it takes to build a church for tomorrow. We could have continued doing things the way we were, but we were drawing people with a lot of religious baggage. They church-hopped around town and dropped into our place. We were clearly missing the 19-35 year olds, so we geared worship to the unchurched again and God has blessed us for it.

Has this cost you?
In attendance? No. In fact we’re higher now than ever. In finances? Not at all. Again, it’s at an all time high. Did some people leave because they didn’t agree with the changes? Yes, and for everyone of them I sincerely wish them well. You don’t have to go to Cascade Hills to be a Christ-follower. I’m healthy enough to be a friend to anyone who leaves us.

That’s what we’ve noticed. It really doesn’t bother you if a member leaves the church does it?
It shouldn’t should it? I really love people. I want them happy. If they can be happier somewhere else, then I don’t really love them if I try to keep them here do I? I hope all who start this journey will stay with us, but if God has other plans, who am I to argue?

What does a church go through as it grows?
Constant change. You can count on this. At every level of growth, we have to change again. If we can handle this and see it as the norm, then we’re healthy and mature.

I’ve heard you say that the church in America today is a different church than it was 20 years ago. Can you explain this?
Society is different. Today we have more broken homes, latchkey kids, blended families, and a battle with the god of recreation and money and a host of other problems. This is not our father’s “Oldsmobile.”

What are the values that drive the church?
We believe that people who have never met God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ need His life-transforming salvation. People matter to God.

What are the barriers to growth for Cascade Hills?
Our traditional culture. Several years ago we became a Mega-church. The problem is that, in this area, there are no other Mega-churches. The level of ministry that God has given us is very different from other churches around us. The senior pastor can no longer do everything. In Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and most growing cities, there are hundreds of Mega-churches. A church that operates like a large church is totally understood in these cities.

What is the biggest misconception some members have about you?
That’s easy. I hear it often. Some people assume that I make every single decision or at least know about every decision made in the total ministry of the church. I don’t. We have a large staff. I don’t even know some of them. We have almost 7,000 members now. If only 30 staff members make 10 decisions per day, potentially there are 1,500 decisions in a 5-day week that I know nothing about. However, I get blamed for all of those decisions that aren’t popular. On top of this, we have lay-leaders who make decisions they feel best for their ministry. I don’t stand over them and approve every move they make. I will always stand behind the decisions of staff and lay people. It’s a lack of integrity and loyalty not to, but often times I’m defending a decision that I never knew was made. That’s part of the job, and I understand that.

What is the purpose of the church?
The church is a rescue boat not a cruise ship. We are in the sole business of working to keep people from hell. Sometimes people think we’re to be sipping tea under the sun and enjoying fellowship on the top deck all the time. Our job is to be concerned for a dying world enough to get out of the comfort zone and invest our lives in saving lost people.

Let’s talk about your staff.
All the way through our church, you’ll generally find staff that are the best at what they do. In a church the size of ours, the most unappreciated people are often staff. Some are qualified way beyond what they’re recognized for. For example, some of the largest congregations in the country are always trying to hire them away because of their skills.

Specifically, tell me about your Associate Pastor Gene Boyd.
Pastor Gene Boyd is responsible for taking care of all pastoral needs such as hospitals, funerals, weddings, etc. He is gifted and performs with much more anointing than any of the rest of us in these areas. He has more experience. That’s his passion.

He could be a Senior Pastor right?
Certainly. He has been. He was the pastor of a large church before and has more years of experience than I do. We are very fortunate to have someone of his caliber here.

What are the greatest dangers that a church faces?
Several. One is when it turns inward. This is the most common disease in most churches. The church exists primarily for those outside it. Now, convincing a religious person of that is like trying to paint the moon. Jesus said He came to seek and to save the lost. He told us to “go into the world” (as a church) and reach them. Once a church gets contaminated with the “disease of me,” it loses its salt, its effectiveness, its power and ultimately the very presence of God. God won’t be a part of a fellowship that doesn’t care about lost people.

What are some other dangers?
When a church leaves the fundamentals of the Christian faith—belief in the inerrancy of scripture, the deity of Jesus Christ, the necessity of the cross, the filling of the Holy Spirit and the mission of obeying the call to evangelism—it spells death.

Does everyone who comes into the church “buy- in” to the purpose?
I wish they did, but the answer is no. Some come because they are hurting, some for friendship, some just enjoy the provisions. I hope that in time, after healing or other things happen, that maturity will reach a point so that the purpose of the church will be their priority. For a lot of our members, they are already there.

Lately, you’ve been reworking your public invitation at the end of each service haven’t you?
Yes. We still give the appeal to make a profession of faith publicly by coming forward at the end of the service. However, we also offer another method for people to let us know they want to follow Christ. Attached to the Sunday handout is a guest card. On the guest card people can check a box that says, “I prayed that prayer.” We have a staff member who is responsible for setting up appointments and following up with these people.

When will you feel the burden lifted?
When every person in our area has heard the gospel.

Don’t you think they have?
Not even close. I proved this on video recently. 19 out of 22 people in Columbus had never heard the gospel or didn’t know how to get to heaven. You’d think with the enormous number of churches here, it would be clear, but it’s not. There is no shortage of churches in Columbus, but there is a huge majority of people who need Jesus.

What churches do you think are “doing it right?”
Several come to mind: Willowcreek Community Church in Barrington, Illinois (they raised the bar for all of us); Saddleback Community Church in California is hot; and, Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas is on the cutting edge. These are just a few. They all represent churches that are truly making a real impact in their cities. They have targeted lost people and are hitting the target.

You seem to be aware of what’s ahead for the church. How’s that?
I study the church horizon, the culture ahead and look for the leading of God on how to merge our message with their world. The changes we are making today are very significant for our future, but I also see another change in the next 7-8 years

I know you have plenty of new ideas ahead. Can you tell us any?
There are some things that I sense God is putting in my heart today that He keeps confirming everywhere I turn. I’m not eager to go there yet because of the personal cost to me, but I’m about 75% sure that He’s preparing me for our next step of faith. When I’m sure, I’ll say something about it. I keep asking, “how?” and I know that’s the wrong question. I know the “why’s,” but He’s responsible for the “how’s.”

If the church doesn’t change, does it die?
Certainly. Although death in a church is often slow, people don’t see it until it’s almost there. The church has always been 25-30 years behind the culture in most things. The next generation is not always as patient with us as the previous ones. They will write us off and fill their lives with false gods if we don’t learn the times and adjust the sails. It’s our responsibility to get the message of the cross into the hearts of people in our world.

What are the most important decisions a person will make in life?
Obviously, to be a follower of Jesus Christ is the top one. Apart from that, all other decisions mean nothing for eternity. Another priority would be who you marry. This is too important to take lightly. Career, the friends you choose, and your values would be high on the list.

What does real faith in Jesus look like?
It produces a change in a person’s life. It is seen and expressed by example primarily in the home. The overflow of authenticity empowers the church. It’s not perfection, but progression.

When you speak of a crowd and a church, what do you mean by that?
The starting place is a crowd. The goal is to develop the crowd into a church. Then the process is to move each member of the church into becoming ministers, so that every person is doing ministry in line with their gifts. From there the lay ministers are reproduced into other ministries. The crowd is not bad, it’s just that the crowd is not to be an end. You need all of these levels I just mentioned if a church is to be healthy.

When you speak of “deeper-life” churches I sense the lack of respect in your tone. Why?
You’ve read it right. Let me set the context. Firemen are expected to put out fires. Doctors are expected to help cure sickness and the church is expected to do what? I see churches that gather in their huddles just to talk about religious experiences as irrelevant. They take up space, waste time and money doing nothing. What’s so pathetic is the delight they take in spiritual “learning” while being blind to the world perishing around them. They resemble a group intrigued with rearranging deck chairs on a sinking Titanic.

What’s your view of discipleship?
When Jesus modeled it and taught it, the end result was a soul-winner. Don’t take my word for it, take His, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). If you follow Him, you become a fisher of souls. Biblical maturity is when a person has developed a relationship with Jesus that results in fruit bearing. To disguise discipleship under the cloak of knowing Biblical terms, explaining Biblical truths, or speaking in a religious manner, is like paddling your feet and pretending to be swimming..

You’ve been at Cascade Hills for 20 years now. Is retirement or a move in the plans for you?
Not at all. I’ve spent these years investing my life, my money, my time, tears and daily prayers into this work. He called me to it so clearly that I know I’m in His will. At this point, I see our future as incredibly fantastic! The journey has just begun. I have said “no” to some awesome opportunities because I know God has called me here.

Last question, how can Cascade members help you as we grow?
I’m glad it’s the last question, but I think it’s a good closer too. If the people understand the purpose of the church; pray for me and my family; recognize that we are all human and can’t bat 1,000 all the time; accept the ministry of the staff and lay-leaders as from God too—it will make a huge difference in our effectiveness for Christ. Someone once said to Spurgeon, “But I don’t love the lost?” and he replied, “You don’t have to try to love the lost, just love the Lord and you’ll find that you love the lost.” We cannot be with Jesus and not pick up His heart. That’s the way to help the pastor.