NAOBC For Life Spotlight – Colleen Heflin
When you are a member at NAOBC, no matter where God takes you, the love for NAOBC remains. It’s part of your DNA. Periodically we’ll spotlight women who were former members – see where they are today and what NAOBC means to them. Today we’re meeting Colleen Heflin.
Q: Tell a little about yourself – family, occupation (if applicable), etc.
A: First and foremost, I am the daughter of The King! Jesus Christ is truly my everything. I am a wife, a mother of two, and a grandmother of four adorable grandchildren, Katie, Caleb, Luke and Joy. My son, Eugene, is a math teacher at Little Flock Christian Academy and my daughter, Angel, is a nurse and the Director of Nursing at Seneca Place. I am now retired from Jefferson County Public Schools. In October, I will be married to my high school sweetheart, Wayne for 50 years. In 2019, I blacked out and wrecked my car in a 10 foot ditch. When I was found, I was stat flown to the trauma center at the University Hospital and my B/P was 54/42 on arrival. My testimony and life changed because of lessons learned from God in the car and during my journey during my healing process.
Q: When did you attend NAOBC? What brought you to NAOBC?
A: My family and I joined Ninth and O in 1984, when Dr. LaVerne Butler was the pastor, until 2004. We moved to Bagdad, KY. in Shelby County in 2002, but continued to drive the distance for 2 years. We are now members of Indian Fork Baptist Church. Our pastor is Bro. Steve Adams and he sat in classes at the Seminary taught by Dr. Cook and Dr. Betts. A kind friend invited me to visit. We joined the next Sunday.
Q: Where did you serve while at NAOBC?
A: I taught what we called Sunday School in the youth department. Then I was asked to teach the second graders with the Bus Kids Ministry. Every Saturday a team of us went out to visit. I was also the Secretary for the Ninth and O Academy for 10 years. When the church moved I continued to teach in the children’s department and served in AWANA and VBS. I sang in the choir, sang Solos and was part of the Women Ministry.
Q: What memory from your time at NAOBC means the most to you still today?
A: It was during a revival at Ninth and O that I surrendered my heart and life to Jesus Christ. Then during the time when we were searching for a new pastor, the committee had several different preachers lined up to preach for us until we found a pastor. One of the search committee members asked if I would be sure to keep them in prayer. One Sunday, Dr. Bill Cook came to preach for us. He was scheduled to preach again the following Sunday. Wayne was a Deacon and I remember telling him, “We have already found our Pastor.” He said that Dr. Cook is only going to be one of the interims. I told him that Dr. Cook and the committee should check with God, because I just had a talk with Jesus. The next week, Wayne came home and just shook his head at me and said, “I am not even going to ask”. I could only smile.
Along with Dr. Cook came the great expository preaching and teaching. I learned so much in my time at NAOBC and I will be forever grateful. Because of all the great wealth of teaching God has stretched my wings in ways I never dreamed that I would be doing.
Q: What is one thing you loved about NAOBC?
A: That’s a difficult question for me to answer. Because I loved and still love so many people and things about NAOBC. If I meet anyone that lives in the area of the church, I always highly recommend for them to visit. If I had to choose the one thing it would be that it is a family. When I became a Christian I was born into God’s family, but I also became united by the Spirit into one spiritual family called Ninth and O Baptist Church. It was very difficult to leave and find another church after having been a part of such a wonderful church family. When Wayne decided it was time to join the church we are part of now, I cried all the way down the aisle. I remember you always and lift you up in my prayers.
