NAOBC For Life Spotlight – Julie Largent

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 Julie Largent.

Q: Tell a little about yourself – family, occupation (if applicable), etc. 

A: I’m currently a homeschool mom of only two now. I also serve in different ways at my church, Ridgeline Community Church, where my husband, Gibson, is the pastor. I have four children. Kennedy is a senior in college, Ellie is a freshman in college, Grayson is a Junior in high school, and Lily is in seventh grade. We have been involved in our homeschool group called Classical Conversations for 13 years now where I direct 11th grade. The Lord called us to plant Ridgeline 10 years ago. It doesn’t seem possible it’s been that long, but the Lord has been faithful throughout the hard beginnings and still today as we are more established and have a precious church family.

Q: When did you attend NAOBC? What brought you to NAOBC?

A: We started attending NAOBC in January 2009. I wish I could say it was for a spiritual reason, but to be honest, it was because my husband had Dr. Cook for a class and enjoyed him so we visited one Sunday. After that, Gibson started working the third shift at UPS and going to school full time, so often on Sunday nights I was taking my girls by myself. Ready for the ‘spiritual’ reason? I know how to drive there. That’s it. Having said that, the Lord knew exactly where we needed to be. NAOBC.

Q: Where did you serve while at NAOBC?

A: While at NAOBC, I was blessed to serve in the nursery, on the worship team with Barry Joslin, in the choir, and in the Thursday morning Women’s Bible Study.

Q: What memory from your time at NAOBC means the most to you still today?

A: Many memories flood my mind when I stop and reflect on my time at NAOBC. We had moved from our home church in OKC where Gibson and I had both been on staff, where we had our first two girls, and where we lived within minutes of ALL of our family. I had walked through a difficult season of a public divorce of my parents and at the time didn’t know how much I needed to heal from some things. Moving away was part of His plan to allow that healing. I specifically remember sitting in the Thursday morning Bible study and the Lord was doing a work in my heart. For the first time in a long time, nobody around me knew the details of my parent’s divorce. I was able to just be me, Julie. Yet, that was a part of my journey with the Lord and what He was teaching me. I had to consciously be willing to be vulnerable and share. The Lord used that time to bring healing and help me see His truths fresh and apply them to my brokenness. I’m forever grateful.

I also remember walking in to Bible study and my friend, Heather Payne, nonchalantly whispered, “Hey, I’m pregnant, but don’t say anything.” What??!! You’re telling me this as we literally are walking in the door to bible study??!! Not cool, Heather.

Another Payne family memory is sitting in on one of my first BSF (what BFG was previously called) Sunday morning groups where Brian Payne was teaching. The lesson was on dispensationalism. He wrote it on the board and I have not idea what he said the entire time because I spent the whole class trying to pronounce that word in my mind. It was obvious I had much to learn.

    Another sweet memory for me is walking into church one day during the week and I had not met the staff or many people yet, but I knew who Dr. Cook was simply from seeing him preach each week. I don’t even remember why I was there, but I do remember seeing Dr. Cook vacuuming the nursery. The pastor. Man with his PhD. Professor at Southern. Published author.  Nobody was around to see him. He was simply serving in humility. I knew I wanted to be under his teaching. 

But probably the sweetest memory from my time at NAOBC, was meeting my precious friend, Amanda McLean. We’d both moved to Louisville at the same time. She had two boys the same ages as my two girls. We did everything together. I told her she’d probably regret giving me her phone number when I first met her because I called a lot :-). We even had our third babies one day apart and not on purpose named them Grayson and Greta. Too cute, right? The Lord took the McLean family on a long journey with their young son, Nathan, who had been diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma. Walking with them along that journey and witnessing His church BE the CHURCH was seared into my mind on how to love the broken and hurting well. The Lord used that season in my life because I’m a fixer and I didn’t want to see my friend hurting, yet she was. I didn’t want to watch her young precious son hurt, yet he did tremendously. I could do nothing to prevent that. The Lord showed me my lack of prayer and how much I relied on myself. He showed me my arrogance in thinking I could do something that only He could do. He showed me the power of just sitting with Amanda. Not speaking, just sitting. Then at times, laughing. Then at other times, crying. What an honor to walk with her. The Lord allowed that friendship to grow because He led us both to NAOBC. I’m forever thankful.

Q: What is one thing you loved about NAOBC?

A: So much of what I’ve already talked about are things I love at NAOBC. But in addition to that, I appreciated how NAOBC was very intentional with the surrounding community. They knew and acknowledged they had a revolving door of seminary students that would come and go every few years, but they wanted to impact and reach the people in the community with the gospel. I always loved that.