NAOBC For Life Spotlight – Phyllis Null
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 Phyllis Null.
Q: Tell a little about yourself – family, occupation (if applicable), etc.
A: I made a commitment to follow Christ when I was ten years old, and that decision has been the most important decision of my life. I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Jim Null, for almost 49 years. We have four married children and 13 grandchildren. We were commissioned in 2003, by our home church, Faith Bible, to become independent North American missionaries. Our first assignment was in Longview, Texas. We lived there for three years, before moving to Louisville, KY, to join Crossroads Missions. I was responsible for a variety of administrative jobs while serving with Crossroads. We left Crossroads in 2013. Jim worked for a computer tech company and I was hired to work at Necole’s Place, the life skills center for the pregnancy crisis center in downtown Louisville. I became the administrative assistant for the GED program as well as a facilitator for Faith & Finances. There was no other “career”, other than being a full-time mom, where I felt completely centered in the Lord’s will until taking this position at Necole’s Place. I saw God move in miraculous ways nearly everyday. I was able to teach, mentor, and disciple. I thanked the Lord, for “allowing” me the privilege of serving at Necole’s Place. It was a time of great spiritual growth for me. I fell in love with the inner city and the challenges it brought in ministering to others. It was during that time, that Jim and I decided to become “urban missionaries”. This title was only to specify and identify the what and where of our mission work. We were in the process of deciding to move into the inner city of Louisville, when Jim had a serious bicycling accident, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. About a year into his recovery, he suggested we move back home to Cincinnati, where we could be closer to family and our home church. In June 2016 we moved back to Cincinnati. We told our home church and the missions committee that we did not come home to retire, but to be urban missionaries. The Lord placed us in Lockland, a small village outside of Cincinnati city limits, where we started the Metanoia Center. Metanoia is a greek word meaning “repent” or “transform”…a change of life. We work with alcoholics, drug addicts, impoverished, immigrants, and the homeless. The work is all you would imagine in a marginalized urban environment. The Lord has now allowed me a third season of sensing I’m right in the center of His will for my life and experiencing a great deal of joy in the midst of very difficult work.
Q: When did you attend NAOBC? What brought you to NAOBC?
A: We started attending NAOBC around 2013, and were there until we moved in June 2016. We had been attending a small Bible church since our move to Louisville in 2006. The church was a church plant. Although we were receiving solid, Biblical teaching, they struggled with leadership, location, and vibrancy. That’s when we decided to visit NAOBC. It was a couple miles from our house. We had attended an amazing Baptist Church while living in Texas, so we thought we would give Ninth & O a try.
Q: Where did you serve while at NAOBC?
A. While attending NAOBC, Jim and I served as lay marriage counselors. I served on the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team, and did some teaching in the youth department. We were active in our BFG, where we met many great people and remain friends after all these years.
Q: What memory from your time at NAOBC means the most to you still today?
A: What memory means the most? Our very first Sunday at NAOBC, Jaylynn Cook made a beeline to where we were sitting, introduced herself, asked questions, and made us feel like we belonged there. From that moment forward, we didn’t entertain visiting another church. We sensed that first Sunday the love and care that Ninth & O is known for and we felt right at home.
Q: What is one thing you loved about NAOBC?
A: We loved and appreciated the depth of teaching and preaching. How many churches are blessed with college and seminary staff who use their talents and abilities not only in the classroom, but on weekends with the church family? We also loved the variety of people who attended. Lots of students and their families, but also lifelong members who gave stability to the church. Our time there was such a blessing to our lives.
