Thirteen years of pastoring in the Cortez community will soon draw to a close for First Baptist Church minister Dan Rhodes.

As of May 28, Rhodes will begin shepherding a flock in Dodge City, Kan. The First Baptist Church there has been seeking a new pastor since a schism in 1998, according to Agnes Harris, chair of its pulpit committee.

The rift resulted from a disagreement as to whether the church should declare itself Independent Baptist, or remain under the auspices of the American Baptist Churches. Harris said that the former pastor left as a result, taking two thirds of the church’s membership with him. (First Baptist of Dodge City remains an American Baptist Church).

The committee members selected Rhodes’ profile, because "(we) felt he was the only one across the pike who the Lord wanted," Harris said.

Harris also praised Rhodes for his deep concern and interest in people, and said that "(with) the direction we received from God, there was never a doubt in our minds but that he was the person." The committee also selected him because he had the necessary skills to heal the "severe church split" and encourage growth in the church.

Simple? Yes, and no. It turns out that Rhodes had withdrawn his profile from the database a year before the Dodge City church selected it. Concerned with the health of his father, who lives in Missouri, Rhodes had initially placed his qualifications and interests into the database. After much soul-searching on the part of him and his wife, Susan Rhodes, the family reached a decision to stay in Cortez.

According to Rhodes, the Dodge City church had gone through all the potential matches in June of 1999, and were not quite satisfied with the prospects. At the time, his name did not appear. In September, the pulpit committee again examined their options, and, mysteriously, came up with Rhodes’ profile, even though it had been purged from the database.

Rhodes resisted the entreaty of Dodge City Baptist at first because he was comfortable in Cortez. Ultimately, however, he agreed because, "ministry is a calling...I feel that God has called me to Dodge City."

The Dodge City congregation will be the fourth in Rhodes’ career as a minister. He is hopeful that God will lead that church to growth through him.

"Every church that I’ve been to, it seems like we grow...churches seem to double in size, and then I end up moving to another church." Rhodes credits higher powers for this success. "Any achievement is because of God."

His plans for Dodge City Baptist include evangelism and outreach. The church seats 600, he said, and there are "many unchurched people" in Dodge City. He is especially eager to reach the town’s significant Hispanic and Vietnamese populations, as it is his understanding that there is little outreach by any denomination to these groups. Overall, Rhodes said that he wants to help all the people in Dodge City "catch a vision for God."

Rhodes announced his resignation to his Cortez congregation several weeks ago, leaving hardly a dry eye in the church.

Church member Stan Cropp praised Rhodes as "everyone’s best friend...I’ve never seen so many people agree." Although Cropp understands that Rhodes must answer a calling, he said that it has been "a real emotional time...we won’t just miss him as a pastor, but on a day-to-day basis."

According to Cropp, it is not only the members of Cortez First Baptist who will miss Rhodes.

"You can see it from wherever he’s been, because they come here (to visit), he said. "They just can’t get Dan out of their hearts. (Rhodes) has done a great job, but it’s the kind of great job he does anywhere he goes."

Longtime Cortez church member Betty Miller said the most remarkable thing about Rhodes’ tenure as pastor has been "his energy and his concern for people. He’s always been a visiting pastor, has visited his congregation, and has been there when they were ill or when they had a problem." Although she will miss him, Miller said that " we would want him to go where he feels he’s needed the most. That was his feeling when he came here; that this is where God wanted him, and now he feels led to move on."

Miller’s husband, Herb, concurs. "He’s up and above most pastors, very outgoing, very caring, and wants to please everybody. Anytime you get somebody in a church that everybody likes that well, it’s a big loss (when he goes). To me, he’s just a real good friend besides being my pastor... and he’s very sincere in preaching the Word."

The move will be hard for the Rhodes family as well. Dan Rhodes’ three younger children, Marc, Paul and Eric, were raised in the Cortez community and will miss their friends. His daughters, Shelly and Christy, graduated from area schools, and Susan Rhodes has worked as a nurse at the hospital, in home health, and at local schools.

"I feel like I’ve been very involved in the community," Dan Rhodes said. Rhodes has a ministry at Madison House, serves (on rota) as hospital chaplain, nursing home chaplain, and also serves the fire department in a ministerial capacity. Additionally, for the past 12 years, Rhodes has been the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dolores. Currently, he oversees the summertime ministries at Mesa Verde National Park.

"When I resigned...several people in the community said they would miss me. It made me feel good," he said.

Rhodes said he is also grateful for the support his congregation and the community as a whole have shown him through the years.

"We have wonderful pastors and churches in the community, and I pray that God will continue to bless this community."