Smiling through my tears as I remember my friend,
a man who worked today . . .  with eternity’s values in view

By Walt Brock, Co-founder of Ironwood

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever,” 1 John 2:17.

How does one express a great sense of loss while being joyful in that sense of loss? Two days ago I lost my good friend and partner in ministry to the inevitable march of time we experience daily. The joy in this loss is the sure knowledge that Chuck used his time, talents, and treasure wisely, pleasing the Lord and reaping eternal benefits. He followed our Lord’s words in Matthew 6:20 to lay up treasures in heaven—treasures that won’t fade, rust, or be lost. Chuck did that. How is that, you ask? Let me answer that question from the one side of Chuck that I know well, the side of his life that was involved in the Ironwood ministry. There were other sides to Chuck’s heavenly treasure building for he gave generously to the Lord through churches, mission projects, other camps, and many people in need of some assistance.

Our partnership in the Ironwood ministry started in the spring of 1973 when I decided to share a prospective property with a friend who had expressed interest in helping to start a camp one day. He was not at church that day, so I asked a group of men about him and they inquired why I was looking for him. When I shared the prospect with the men, one of them, Chuck, said, “Let me look at that; land is one of my hobbies.” Two weeks later I was in a car with Chuck and Sarah, his wife, driving to Newberry Springs, about a three-hour drive, to look at the property that the Lord eventually provided as the location for Ironwood.

For months we spent many hours together as we discussed the pros and cons, prayed for God’s leadership and wisdom, and prayed some more. The decision was made. Yes, we will start a camp ministry. Then the question had to be answered. Is this 185 acres with only one structure on it the place God has for us to do His will? We actually said no twice to the property, but after searching many other possibilities, the Lord kept bringing us back to this location. In saying yes to this property, the adventure of a lifetime began. In the 46 years since 1973, God has used this location as a tool for hundreds of thousands of campers to hear the preaching of the Word of God, tens of thousands to make decisions for the Lord, and many thousands to choose to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as their Savior.

So, in thinking about the great spiritual harvest Chuck is now enjoying in eternity, I do rejoice in the joy experienced by the Lord and Chuck at the entrance of this man into Glory. What a time of rejoicing that must have been when the Savior and the servant met face to face—at last!

Yesterday I began compiling a list of Chuck’s impact on this ministry, and I now have six pages of notes, with every line and margin filled. I’m sure there is more to remember and record, which I will do in more detail at another time. I do believe that Chuck had the spiritual gift of giving in a manner that promoted the cause of Christ and not the cause of man. Chuck made a significant commitment to giving over time, and I made a significant commitment to labor in this endeavor full time. When Chuck gave, he always gave enough, but not in abundance. It was enough when mixed with the giving of others and the labor of our family, our staff team, and many other volunteers during those pioneer days. Together we partnered as friends in this endeavor for the Lord, and it took 20 years before we knew for sure it was going to work. At Ironwood’s 20^th anniversary celebration, we gave out several silver belt buckles, and one went to Chuck. He was so emotionally affected that he could only sob in his tears of joy and gratitude for having a part in what God was doing here. Chuck always preferred to do his part in the background.

Chuck was not rich man in the sense of what the world calls rich, but because of his hard work, diligence, and responsibility, he rose from a poor farm boy from Arkansas raised in the midst of the Great Depression to a successful business man. He got his start away from the farm to a position in the Civilian Conservation Corps as a surveyor’s helper. His character opened a door for him to learn trigonometry and the necessary skills to be a surveyor, eventually becoming a civil engineer. He made wise investments in land, and his diligence continued to open doors for him in land development. He was generous in his giving and gave enough to make a difference, but rarely was it ever enough to do it all. Many times his giving made the difference between what we had and what we could do. I believe the Lord used that tension to grow us both in our faith in the Lord and that measured giving was the result of the wisdom of his spiritual gift of giving. He gave in a way that advanced the cause of Christ and the glory of God and not man. It is no mistake that our theme song at Ironwood is “To God Be the Glory”!

When I sit here and contemplate the loss of such a good friend and partner in ministry, there is in the pit of my being a huge sense of loss and a hole I know only God can fill. Chuck often went by his initials, “WC,” or “Dub,” for short. I first think of Chuck as a family man who had a phenomenal love for his wife and daughters. He was both my friend, my partner in ministry, and my mentor. He was kind, gracious, considerate of others, and very respectful of each person’s dignity and worth. His sense of responsibility and understanding of the worth of a child propelled him to success both in business and in the ministry of reaching young people for the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthening families, and serving churches, all to the glory of God.

Nothing aside from family brought him more joy than seeing kids have fun at camp and then hearing about all the spiritual results and decisions for the Lord shared at board and planning meetings. A couple months ago Sam and I visited him at the care facility and his eyes sparkled as we walked into the room, but you would have to see it to believe the hugeness of his smile when we shared how the Lord had blessed in children, teens, and adults making so many decisions for the Lord as a result of hearing the Word of God while at a camp or retreat during the previous year. I have no doubt as our board makes decisions in the future, we will all hear WC saying in our mind’s ear, “Remember the children. Reach them for the Lord. The time is ripe and very short!”

So, there is both joy in his gain and sadness in our sense of loss. What will I miss the most? I will miss his determined responsibility to keep every commitment and perform every duty. In the 40+ years he served on our board of directors, he only missed one board meeting, and that was due to the flu bug no one on the board wanted to catch. I do believe he might have come if it would not have been detrimental to the rest of us. I will miss his behind-the-scenes leadership. WC was always a leader, yet in ministry he was content to be a leader and influencer without a title. I will miss his push on us here at Ironwood to be good stewards of what God has given us. He would say, “Maybe what we have is not the best there is, but it is the best we have, and it is what God has given us now . . .  so take care of it right.” I will miss his pressure to be thankful for every gift, whether big or small, for a gift from the Lord deserves a thank-you both to man and to God.

I suppose what I will miss most with the loss of Dub’s presence is his wisdom, his understanding, his discretion, and his heart to obey the Lord in every aspect of his life. I will miss being able to just go and sit down and talk with him man to man and go away with more wisdom than I came with. Today is May 3, and I read in Proverbs 3 during my devotions. In that chapter, I found a great description of Chuck Chastain—husband, father, friend, and co-founder of Ironwood. If you didn’t know Chuck well and want to know him better, read and meditate on Proverbs 3.

I will miss you, my good friend and partner in the Lord’s work. Well done! You have accomplished in time that which will last forever . . . to God be the glory!