Liz Fike

Children's Minister

How did you come to know Christ? Why do you follow and put your faith in Him?

I am blessed to have come from a heritage of believers. I have never really questioned God or His existence. I do not know how to make any sense out of life without God being the author and creator of this world. I fell in love with Jesus as a college student under the teachings of Jim Woodruff at the College Church of Christ in Searcy, Arkansas. Growing up I had learned a lot about the church but I had little understanding of Christ and what it meant to have a relationship with him. I experienced a “new birth” at age 20 and have been growing in my relationship with Christ since that time.

How has Christ changed your life?

 Following Jesus has given me purpose and focus. Without Jesus, I do not understand why people choose to get up every day. I do not understand the purpose to life if there is not something beyond what we experience in this present world. With Christ the focus of my life has become growing in love. Loving as Jesus did is a tall order and one which I will never perfect, but it gives me a focus and a direction to strive for. 

What have been your greatest struggles being a disciple of Christ?

  My greatest struggle as a follower of Jesus is the church. I am constantly longing for MORE…more holiness, more discipleship, more love, more passion, more Christlikeness….in myself and in the church as a whole. 

What builds your faith and gives you hope?

 In spite of my longings for MORE, that which gives me the greatest hope and encourages my faith is the church at work. In the church I continually see the glimpses of Christ that shine through the church in spite of its imperfections. Where else but the church can His love be found? Where else can one find Hope? Where else can one find Faith? The Faith, Love and hHope of Christ are truly found in the church in spite of our messiness. When I see that being fleshed out in the lives of believers it is truly a beautiful thing.

How would you describe your calling?

 The call upon my life is the same as that on every believer’s life. It is to be a person that reflects the love of the Father to all that I come into contact with. It is to be a person that reminds others of the faith that we can have because of the Father’s love and to be a reminder that with Christ there is always HOPE. That sounds easy but living out in the day to day is far more difficult than I would like to admit. Self gets in the way on a regular basis. God is continually at work on me, though, giving me opportunity after opportunity to be growing in loving people.

What is your primary area(s) of ministry and how has God equipped you to serve?

  As the director of the Mother’s Day Out and a co-children’s minister for the congregation, I find myself blessed to be serving families.  Encouraging parents to be involved in the faith development of their children is something that I am passionate about due to my own experiences of raising children. There is nothing more wonderful than sharing faith with your children as they grow and mature into young adults. I hope and pray that every family in our congregation will know this great blessing. 

How do I see God at work in the Clear Lake Church of Christ?

 I see God in the hearts and lives of people. There is diversity among us but still a great love and concern for one another. I am aware of the desire that our leadership has to allow Jesus to “lead” the church.  I see a willingness on the part of our leaders to make hard decisions based on convictions rather than considering what will appeal to the most people. 

I see individuals growing in the spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, Bible study and service. I see individuals sacrificing to show care and love to those that are hurting. I sense a desire to consider what is best in terms of really helping people rather than simply doing the easiest thing.

Tell us about your family. 

I have been married to Byron Fike for almost 29 years. He has been a wonderful husband and father and has taught me much about the love and care of God through his example as well as his teachings. We have three grown children who love God and are seeking first the kingdom in their own lives    Jeremy and his wife, Adrienne, live in Dallas, Texas where Jeremy is in dental school and Adrienne works for Communities in Schools. Ben is in theology school in Abilene, Texas and preaches in Maryneal, Texas every Sunday. Elizabeth is married to Jaime and they reside in San Antonio where Jaime teaches geography and coaches football while Elizabeth is finishing her social work degree.  

What are your hobbies and interests? 

I love spending time with my family and good friends.  

What is your education and work background?

I graduated from Harding University in 1980 with a degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. I stayed at home raising our children until 2006 at which time I began working as the Clear Lake Church of Christ Mother’s Day Out and Preschool director. In 2008 I began working as the co-children’s minister partnering with Jana Layman in serving the families of our congregation.