FIND AN OBITUARY
Service information is posted on our website only with approval from the family.
If you are seeking information not listed below, please contact us.
Reverend E. Nile Fisher
07/10/1918 — 07/10/2007
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Amity, Oregon
Reverend E. Nile Fisher
Born July 10, 1918, McMinnville, Oregon, Rev. E. Nile Fisher died on his 89th birthday in Richland, Washington.
Pastor Fisher and his wife, Edna, moved to the Tri-Cities in 1944 where he was the founding pastor of the First Baptist Church of Richland. In 1955 he moved with his family to Dayton, Ohio, where Pastor Fisher served Emmanuel Baptist Church for 35 years. In 1990 he retired and returned to Richland.
Pastor Fisher is survived by his wife, Edna; three sons, David of Brooklyn, NY, James of Los Angeles, CA, and Paul, also of Los Angeles; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be at Einans Funeral Home Friday, July 13th from 6:00-8:00 PM. A memorial service will be held at Grace Baptist Church in Kennewick at 2:30 PM Saturday, July 14th.
Mrs. Fisher and family,
My deepest sympathy to your family. The Livengood family loved Pastor Fisher. I fondly remember the fun we had during the fellowships at your house when I was in the Youth/College Age group. I know that Pastor Fisher is where he longed to be – at Home with his Lord and Savior.
The GREATEST neighbor anyone ever could ask for.altho he was my “senior” by a few years, many the time that he plowed or shoveled out our driveway and walks. We missed he and Edna when they moved recently…but, of course will miss him even more. Such a comfort and joy to hear Nile’s prayerful words on Aleene’s behalf during her illnesses. To Edna and sons, please know that we pray for you. In Christ, The Bushes
Thanks for your ministry to us
We received the Lord on Feb 6,1955 under Nile’s Preaching.
We were greatly blessed by Nile and Edna’s ministry to us for many years. May God comfort all the family in this time of great loss.
Ed & Elaine McCord
The Lord lent Bro & Mrs. Fisher to us at Emmanuel Baptist for a while. It was a blessing and would alter the rest of our lives. we loved their ministry so very much.
We remember Dave, Jim and Paul, Jim and Paul being the same age as our Cheri and Diana.
We love you, are praying for you and wish we could be with yiu.
Tom and Lee Bailey
Mrs. Fisher,
Belinda, Angela, Andrew, Jennifer and I want to express our deepest and most profound sympathy and prayer for you upon the home going of Pastor Fisher. He was and always will be the most profound influence upon my life in the ministry, and the most outstanding expository preacher of any I have ever known. Our hearts and prayers are with you always.
One of Gods choice servants is now at home
..and we shall miss him here! My husband and I have a very high regard for Pastor Fisher and respect him a great deal. We appreciated sitting under his ministry after he and Mrs. Fisher returned to Washington upon retirement, and also benefited from his wisdom in certain circumstances. Pastor Fisher had a real influence in the lives of my parents Maynard & Clearsie Edens who were members of First Baptist in Richland for many years and started there under his ministry. The ongoing ministry of that church today is a testament to his very gifted Bible teaching and capable administration that settled the church on a strong foundation. Our hearts go out to Mrs. Fisher and the family. Although Gods promise that one day we will meet our loved ones again is comforting, its still a great loss for us while here on earth. Our sympathy and blessings to you all
.Dave and Ruth Dollar
It is for certain with fondest memories that I remember my brother in Christ and fellow pastor. My years of knowing Nile and his dear wife, only brings delight.
Brother Fisher was a great preacher and most who heard him would attest to that gift from the Lord.
To Mrs. Fisher and all the family you have our love and prayer.
In the Bond of Calvary,
Jerry and Sabra Locher
G-4172 Brown Street
Flint, MI 48532
Phone 810 720-1091
My selfish heart aches, and my giving heart rejoices as I know that yet one more individual who prayed for me daily has gone to be with His LORD.
Nile Fisher was indeed occupied by Christ…see my brother’s blog…breusswane.blogspot.com/2007/07/nile-fisher-be-occuppied-with-christ.html
…he was our family confident along with very few others.
I cannot imagine the pain my parents feel at his departure.
Nile Fisher was at the center of the heritage that my parents have left with me.
Janie Bresson – Winning
Nile Fisher was to me a true gentleman, a good friend, and a fine pastor. He did not seem to be concerned that much with what people said of him. Of course, by the time we met he was a very senior pastor and had many years past made his case. He was standing his ground and rather firmly. God was sovereign and could not be surprised. Knowing that, Nile submitted to His will and therein found his strength.
His influence on my life was significant. I was asked to follow in his footsteps and so I studied at his desk, held his office and loved his church. I worked with his deacons and buried many of his friends as a young yet senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist.
The most difficult task was facing his pulpit week after week, knowing that these people had heard for years what I was yet struggling with. I was young and Niles shadow was huge, it wasnt fair, but what is in life? His church wouldnt have guessed it, but even the great preacher, Nile Fisher, felt the relentless pressure of preaching, of that I am certain.
I wanted his church to find in me what they loved in him and so I clumsily attempted to be as much like him as I could. Some of his flock would say after a sermon you remind me so much of Nile Fisher. But being Nile was not easy.
There was one Nile Fisher, a true gentleman, a good friend and a fine pastor. Nile Fisher was
kind. There it is. Simple.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. Col 3:12
All of the Fremont family loved and respected Pastor Fisher. We knew him personally only on furlough, but we heard many of his tapes in our home in Hong Kong. My husband and I were married by him at Emmanuel Baptist in Dayton in July, 1985. We remember his dry sense of humor and kind, thoughtful ways, but most of all his preaching. We are blessed to have a preacher in our home church in the States who preaches much like Pastor Fisher did. You don’t hear that kind of preaching much these days. Loving greetings and our sympathy to “Mrs. F.” and the family.
God clearly sent Nile Fisher into the Dayton scene in 1955 with manifest gifts that focused upon the congregation and going far beyond, tocuhing my life in my formative years. His pulpit gifts are beyond dispute but certainly not linited to Bible exposition. I, along with my wife, Mary Lou, count it as one of our greatest blessings to profit from so much about his life and ministry. We still listen to his tapes! One of the gifts he communicated so well was the pure humility so seldom achieved.
We send our love and prayers to his family, especially to Edna.
I was a Pastor outside of Dayton, OH during the time that Nile ministered and I was a part of his pastor’s fellowship group. We are so grateful for his many years of faithful ministry to his flock and we are grieved and yet rejoicing of his home going. Praise our Lord for his commitment to sound doctrine. Pastors like this are rare today. We are praying for his friends and family.
As a young married couple who had just moved into the area in 1954, we were very fortunate to have found such a fine church with a Godly man who loved God and preached the Word. For such a young man he knew the scriptures and we were blessed by his preaching.
We enjoyed many times of fellowship with Pastor and Mrs. Fisher. After we left in 1962 for Kansas City – on trips to the East coast to visit Ginny’s parents – we would stop on a Sunday to visit Emmanuel church. and hear Rev. Fisher and visit with them. He will be greatly missed and we send our love to Mrs., Fisher and family.
Love and prayers
Jim and Ginny O’Neal
We fondly remember Pastor Fisher as one who was faithful in preaching the Word bodly and with compassion. God taught me much for godly living through his ministry. Nile and Edna were like my spiritual parents. How I praise God for their impact on my life. When we Dick and I moved to Cedarville we enjoyed fellowship and sharing with them as a couple. Thank you Lord for using people in our lives!!
Dick and Cathy Durham
PASTOR FISHER BAPTIZED JANE WHEN SHE WAS 16, HE MARRIED JANE AND JERRY IN 1961. RANKS AS THE FOREMOST BIBLE SCHOLAR WE HAVE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING UNDER. PLEASE KNOW EDNA AND BOYS THAT OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU IN THIS TIME OF TEMPORARY SEPARATION. DEATH CANNOT KILL WHAT NEVER DIES. ALL OUR LOVE — JANE AND JERRY
We extend our Christian sympathy to Mrs. Fisher and the family. Pastor Fisher was deeply loved and appreciated. We are thankful for the 17 years we were under his ministry. He helped us grow, learn, and serve the LORD.
He was a special Sheppard to our family and Emmanuel Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio.
In Christian Love, The Drozd Family
Irene Charles passed on 5/20/1999, sons Chuck, David, and Don
Proverbs 3:5-6
I Peter 5:7
Dear Fisher family,
I fondly remember Pastor Fisher as a man who loved the Lord and taught the Word liked he lived it. I hope that my ministry will some day impact others as much as his did. He was a wonderful example to me as a youth growing up at EBC. As I have read the notes from so many people from the years gone by, I am truly amazed at the impact Pastor Fisher left behind. He certainly obeyed II Tim. 2:2. May the God of peace be with you and comfort you. Love, John Shirley
Our sincere sympathies to the Fisher family. We are on a tour of Alaska and heard about his death from our dear friends who also knew him. Pastor Fisher was the pastor in Richland when I became a Christian and I attribute my early spiritual grounding to him. Our sincere sympathies and prayers for Edna and sons.
Ivamarie Edensand Bill Douglas
We appreciate yours and Niles’ ministry in Ohio and the OARBC thanks you. We would also like to send you a copy of our WIT, a small newsletter, Widows in Touch. Please forward your mailing address.
May the Lord be your Comfort in the coming days!
Dave and Pat Warren
OARBC State Representative
We express our deepest sympathy to Mrs Fisher and family.
We were privileged to sit under Pastor’s preaching for many years and were also privileged to have had him unite us in marriage. He baptized Diane and also our daughter Rhonda. We always thought highly of Pastor Fisher but with the passage of time saw even more clearly what a devoted and faithful servant of the Lord he was. He was a dignified man with even a touch of stateliness about him. But he was humble. He would usually say that the Bible said such and such “in the original language” not in the Greek or Hebrew. I believe that he used this expression because he felt that to say in the Greek or Hebrew sounded pedantic and his desire was to call attention to the Lord and not to himself.
Pasor Fisher had a sense of humor. We once had the Fishers in our home for dinner. During the conversation I Ron talked to Pastor Fisher about the tax aspects of corporate spin-offs, split-ups and split-offs. He remarked “Oh my, that sounds like Baptist churches!” He was not given to small talk but was accessible. We were blessed to have known him.
Mrs. Fisher, I have meant many times to drop you and your husband a note to update you on Karl and Marion Luyben. I never managed to do that, but take the opportunity now to greet you and tell you how much you both meant to my parents over the years … especially the breakfasts and fellowship at Bob Evans and in your home and church at Dayton. They have been living with my husband Tom and me since the hurricanes in 2004 when they lost their treasured little mobile home.
Marion is almost 90. Both are quite weak and don’t get much correspondance done any more, but they were moved in learning of Nile’s homegoing and your loss. They have loved you dearly; I thank you for all you meant to them over the years and for the people you are. We trust God is giving you great comfort at this time. In His love, Marie
for Karl and Marion Luyben.
Mrs. Fisher and family,
My deepest sympathy to your family. The Livengood family loved Pastor Fisher. I fondly remember the fun we had during the fellowships at your house when I was in the Youth/College Age group. I know that Pastor Fisher is where he longed to be – at Home with his Lord and Savior.
The GREATEST neighbor anyone ever could ask for.altho he was my “senior” by a few years, many the time that he plowed or shoveled out our driveway and walks. We missed he and Edna when they moved recently…but, of course will miss him even more. Such a comfort and joy to hear Nile’s prayerful words on Aleene’s behalf during her illnesses. To Edna and sons, please know that we pray for you. In Christ, The Bushes
Thanks for your ministry to us
We received the Lord on Feb 6,1955 under Nile’s Preaching.
We were greatly blessed by Nile and Edna’s ministry to us for many years. May God comfort all the family in this time of great loss.
Ed & Elaine McCord
The Lord lent Bro & Mrs. Fisher to us at Emmanuel Baptist for a while. It was a blessing and would alter the rest of our lives. we loved their ministry so very much.
We remember Dave, Jim and Paul, Jim and Paul being the same age as our Cheri and Diana.
We love you, are praying for you and wish we could be with yiu.
Tom and Lee Bailey
Mrs. Fisher,
Belinda, Angela, Andrew, Jennifer and I want to express our deepest and most profound sympathy and prayer for you upon the home going of Pastor Fisher. He was and always will be the most profound influence upon my life in the ministry, and the most outstanding expository preacher of any I have ever known. Our hearts and prayers are with you always.
One of Gods choice servants is now at home
..and we shall miss him here! My husband and I have a very high regard for Pastor Fisher and respect him a great deal. We appreciated sitting under his ministry after he and Mrs. Fisher returned to Washington upon retirement, and also benefited from his wisdom in certain circumstances. Pastor Fisher had a real influence in the lives of my parents Maynard & Clearsie Edens who were members of First Baptist in Richland for many years and started there under his ministry. The ongoing ministry of that church today is a testament to his very gifted Bible teaching and capable administration that settled the church on a strong foundation. Our hearts go out to Mrs. Fisher and the family. Although Gods promise that one day we will meet our loved ones again is comforting, its still a great loss for us while here on earth. Our sympathy and blessings to you all
.Dave and Ruth Dollar
It is for certain with fondest memories that I remember my brother in Christ and fellow pastor. My years of knowing Nile and his dear wife, only brings delight.
Brother Fisher was a great preacher and most who heard him would attest to that gift from the Lord.
To Mrs. Fisher and all the family you have our love and prayer.
In the Bond of Calvary,
Jerry and Sabra Locher
G-4172 Brown Street
Flint, MI 48532
Phone 810 720-1091
My selfish heart aches, and my giving heart rejoices as I know that yet one more individual who prayed for me daily has gone to be with His LORD.
Nile Fisher was indeed occupied by Christ…see my brother’s blog…breusswane.blogspot.com/2007/07/nile-fisher-be-occuppied-with-christ.html
…he was our family confident along with very few others.
I cannot imagine the pain my parents feel at his departure.
Nile Fisher was at the center of the heritage that my parents have left with me.
Janie Bresson – Winning
Nile Fisher was to me a true gentleman, a good friend, and a fine pastor. He did not seem to be concerned that much with what people said of him. Of course, by the time we met he was a very senior pastor and had many years past made his case. He was standing his ground and rather firmly. God was sovereign and could not be surprised. Knowing that, Nile submitted to His will and therein found his strength.
His influence on my life was significant. I was asked to follow in his footsteps and so I studied at his desk, held his office and loved his church. I worked with his deacons and buried many of his friends as a young yet senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist.
The most difficult task was facing his pulpit week after week, knowing that these people had heard for years what I was yet struggling with. I was young and Niles shadow was huge, it wasnt fair, but what is in life? His church wouldnt have guessed it, but even the great preacher, Nile Fisher, felt the relentless pressure of preaching, of that I am certain.
I wanted his church to find in me what they loved in him and so I clumsily attempted to be as much like him as I could. Some of his flock would say after a sermon you remind me so much of Nile Fisher. But being Nile was not easy.
There was one Nile Fisher, a true gentleman, a good friend and a fine pastor. Nile Fisher was
kind. There it is. Simple.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. Col 3:12
All of the Fremont family loved and respected Pastor Fisher. We knew him personally only on furlough, but we heard many of his tapes in our home in Hong Kong. My husband and I were married by him at Emmanuel Baptist in Dayton in July, 1985. We remember his dry sense of humor and kind, thoughtful ways, but most of all his preaching. We are blessed to have a preacher in our home church in the States who preaches much like Pastor Fisher did. You don’t hear that kind of preaching much these days. Loving greetings and our sympathy to “Mrs. F.” and the family.
God clearly sent Nile Fisher into the Dayton scene in 1955 with manifest gifts that focused upon the congregation and going far beyond, tocuhing my life in my formative years. His pulpit gifts are beyond dispute but certainly not linited to Bible exposition. I, along with my wife, Mary Lou, count it as one of our greatest blessings to profit from so much about his life and ministry. We still listen to his tapes! One of the gifts he communicated so well was the pure humility so seldom achieved.
We send our love and prayers to his family, especially to Edna.
I was a Pastor outside of Dayton, OH during the time that Nile ministered and I was a part of his pastor’s fellowship group. We are so grateful for his many years of faithful ministry to his flock and we are grieved and yet rejoicing of his home going. Praise our Lord for his commitment to sound doctrine. Pastors like this are rare today. We are praying for his friends and family.
As a young married couple who had just moved into the area in 1954, we were very fortunate to have found such a fine church with a Godly man who loved God and preached the Word. For such a young man he knew the scriptures and we were blessed by his preaching.
We enjoyed many times of fellowship with Pastor and Mrs. Fisher. After we left in 1962 for Kansas City – on trips to the East coast to visit Ginny’s parents – we would stop on a Sunday to visit Emmanuel church. and hear Rev. Fisher and visit with them. He will be greatly missed and we send our love to Mrs., Fisher and family.
Love and prayers
Jim and Ginny O’Neal
We fondly remember Pastor Fisher as one who was faithful in preaching the Word bodly and with compassion. God taught me much for godly living through his ministry. Nile and Edna were like my spiritual parents. How I praise God for their impact on my life. When we Dick and I moved to Cedarville we enjoyed fellowship and sharing with them as a couple. Thank you Lord for using people in our lives!!
Dick and Cathy Durham
PASTOR FISHER BAPTIZED JANE WHEN SHE WAS 16, HE MARRIED JANE AND JERRY IN 1961. RANKS AS THE FOREMOST BIBLE SCHOLAR WE HAVE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING UNDER. PLEASE KNOW EDNA AND BOYS THAT OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU IN THIS TIME OF TEMPORARY SEPARATION. DEATH CANNOT KILL WHAT NEVER DIES. ALL OUR LOVE — JANE AND JERRY
We extend our Christian sympathy to Mrs. Fisher and the family. Pastor Fisher was deeply loved and appreciated. We are thankful for the 17 years we were under his ministry. He helped us grow, learn, and serve the LORD.
He was a special Sheppard to our family and Emmanuel Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio.
In Christian Love, The Drozd Family
Irene Charles passed on 5/20/1999, sons Chuck, David, and Don
Proverbs 3:5-6
I Peter 5:7
Dear Fisher family,
I fondly remember Pastor Fisher as a man who loved the Lord and taught the Word liked he lived it. I hope that my ministry will some day impact others as much as his did. He was a wonderful example to me as a youth growing up at EBC. As I have read the notes from so many people from the years gone by, I am truly amazed at the impact Pastor Fisher left behind. He certainly obeyed II Tim. 2:2. May the God of peace be with you and comfort you. Love, John Shirley
Our sincere sympathies to the Fisher family. We are on a tour of Alaska and heard about his death from our dear friends who also knew him. Pastor Fisher was the pastor in Richland when I became a Christian and I attribute my early spiritual grounding to him. Our sincere sympathies and prayers for Edna and sons.
Ivamarie Edensand Bill Douglas
We appreciate yours and Niles’ ministry in Ohio and the OARBC thanks you. We would also like to send you a copy of our WIT, a small newsletter, Widows in Touch. Please forward your mailing address.
May the Lord be your Comfort in the coming days!
Dave and Pat Warren
OARBC State Representative
We express our deepest sympathy to Mrs Fisher and family.
We were privileged to sit under Pastor’s preaching for many years and were also privileged to have had him unite us in marriage. He baptized Diane and also our daughter Rhonda. We always thought highly of Pastor Fisher but with the passage of time saw even more clearly what a devoted and faithful servant of the Lord he was. He was a dignified man with even a touch of stateliness about him. But he was humble. He would usually say that the Bible said such and such “in the original language” not in the Greek or Hebrew. I believe that he used this expression because he felt that to say in the Greek or Hebrew sounded pedantic and his desire was to call attention to the Lord and not to himself.
Pasor Fisher had a sense of humor. We once had the Fishers in our home for dinner. During the conversation I Ron talked to Pastor Fisher about the tax aspects of corporate spin-offs, split-ups and split-offs. He remarked “Oh my, that sounds like Baptist churches!” He was not given to small talk but was accessible. We were blessed to have known him.
Mrs. Fisher, I have meant many times to drop you and your husband a note to update you on Karl and Marion Luyben. I never managed to do that, but take the opportunity now to greet you and tell you how much you both meant to my parents over the years … especially the breakfasts and fellowship at Bob Evans and in your home and church at Dayton. They have been living with my husband Tom and me since the hurricanes in 2004 when they lost their treasured little mobile home.
Marion is almost 90. Both are quite weak and don’t get much correspondance done any more, but they were moved in learning of Nile’s homegoing and your loss. They have loved you dearly; I thank you for all you meant to them over the years and for the people you are. We trust God is giving you great comfort at this time. In His love, Marie
for Karl and Marion Luyben.
Newly married in 1972, we moved to Dayton, Ohio and
attended Emmanuel Baptist
Church. We quickly realized
that we were hungry for the teaching and preaching provided by Pastor Fisher.
We spent 10 years under his
expository BIBLE teaching.
Part of who we are and what
we believe were formed during
those years under Pastor and
Mrs.Fisher. We are most grateful. One cute memory is
that of our two sons, Matthew and Michael who used to play church on our poster bed. Matt always played Pastor Fisher-preaching using the ball on the poster bed as a microphone and Michael always played Lennie leading the singing. These
rolls fit their personalities
to this day. Pastor ad Mrs.
Fisher visited us after we moved to Lexington, SC. and
got to see our new little daughter, Elizabeth.
We have always missed our church family and the teaching and preaching we received there at Emmanuel.
Love, Don and Teri Beres
Dear Mrs. Fisher and family,
We have thanked the Lord many times for your part in our lives and ministry. May God comfort each of you during these days. We are on furlough and Lord willing plan to return to Brazil on November 6th.
Lovingly,
John and Karen Swedberg
Pastor Fisher is my spiritual father! He helped shape my life as a Pastor probably more than any other man. He was a tremendous influence and godly example. I was priveleged to know him!
Pastor Fisher’s ministry is remembered with great appreciation. He was an example of a Pastoral preacher. To visit his study was to see why he was such a good expositional preacher. I will always remember a message he preached on the Sealing of the Spirit at the Particular Baptist Fellowship meeting at Jarvis Street Baptist Church. I have the tape and have listen to it again a number of times. He was truly a choice servant of the Lord. In a great measure his ministry through the years will continue long after his departure.
This is an emotional time for Dick and Marlene. This has been a difficult week.
Illness, finances and distance kept us apart these past few years. Our hearts ache that we never got to be with them in WA.
And as one thinks back of the “man”… Here are some characteristics that I remember.
1. He was very disciplined. I used to tell people that he was so disciplined that he made me sick! He did the Canadian Air Force exercises every a.m. He had been told to stay in shape and his vocal chords would never give out. He was rigid in his study routine… 4 hours without helps and 4 hours with helps.
2. Thursday afternoon was his time for personal affairs… haircuts, mow lawn, meet with me regarding retirement, I used to tell people if you are going to die or get hurt do it on Thursday afternoon! He could see you then!!
3. His library! Don’t mess with his books nor his system! Dave became the beneficiary of an institution!
4. He was a misunderstood and lonely man. But even his “enemies” respected him and revered him as a “Man of Integrity” and a “Man of God.” He had the same reputation among his peers as did the good Doctor Martin Lloyd Jones. I think that is why there was a mutual respect.
5. His friends became my/our friends and he walked in some impressive circles…just one example Robert Culver, Hermon Hoyt, Alva Maclain, John and Ernie Reisinger and the list never ends with multitudes of close friends of preachers and missionaries.
6. His love for Marlene’s deserts! He never had “one” but would just say “yes” to the choice before him and he never put on weight!
7. Many funny times shared with them on vacation…they were TRULY a hilarious couple to travel with. We had some great times together.
8. They would come to our house for dinner and our kids would remark after they would leave…”it is like having GOD coming to your house!
9. I can remember going to Frisch’s on Sunday nights after church or having them out to the house. Nile was always ready for a BIG BREAKFAST after church on Sunday nights!
10. I tell this on many occasions when talking about the qualifications of an Elder…”to be above reproach” and that he was. I tell people that I knew the man for 30+ years, worked with him, vacationed with him… I knew he was a “sinner” and I looked under every rock and in every crevice of his life and never found a sin!!! He had an impeccable reputation, totally incredible.
11. Another attribute or characteristic that is memorable is the way he introduced his guest speakers. He was always conscious not to “brag up the man” but to declare the importance of the Lord in his life.. I tell people no matter how prominent the man was here on earth and what were his vast accomplishments, Nile would open in a prayer of dedication of the service or sermon and then introduce the man….”We welcome in our pulpit today, “xxxx” a servant of God. No Accolades.
12. No he wasn’t a perfect man. He was a preacher of the gospel extraordinare. Probably his main fault was probably a weakness in administrational skills, but that is not a significant qualification listed in the qualifications of an Elder.
13. He was a man who was sensitive to his congregation. The Fishers would refuse vacations and gifts if there were men in the church who were laid off. He would say, I can’t do that when I have men and families hurting here at this time, it would not be fair. Not many men “of the cloth” think in those terms.
14. His work ethic was incredible. Actually, this is a continuation of a discussion of his personal discipline. His routine in later years to take two weeks vacation but only miss one Sunday. He never wanted to be out of the pulpit on two consecutive Sundays! He felt that gave the congregation stability. He also prepared his sermons months in advance. What he preached on this Sunday he polished during the week, he had done the preparation prior to that. He showed me his sermon schdule one time and how he was progressing toward a series, research now, then exegesis, the the breakdown and writing of his sermons and then the memorization. Then the incredible part of this is the fact that for years he didn’t bat an eye at the fact that he preached Wednesday nights, and three times on Sunday, not counting any special meetings that he held! He normally had two book studies and one topical study going in paralle.
15. One last Memoire, I saw him angry a couple of different times and as I sat there in a deacon’s meeting one time, I thought, I sure never want to be on the receiving end of his anger. His righteous anger was big time and of course both times I observed it, it was over the violation of a Biblical issue.
Finally, God blessed our family with a heritage that is unique and to be envied. I can remember one time that I intentionally chose unemployment over a promotion and relocation to keep my children under the ministry of this man. I do believe that God honored that decision. It wasn’t so much a loyalty to a man as a loyalty to his commitment to preaching and good doctrine and his commitment to be in the pulpit Sunday after Sunday. He was a rare commodity and it did not go unnoticed or unappreciated by Dick and Marlene. That was a ministry we WANTED for our children. We have two son’s in the ministry today and much of their influence came from spending years under the expository preaching of Nile Fisher.
We miss him today…but will see him tomorrow! To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Well done Nile, you were a good and faithful servant!
“Mom” we love you and ache as you ache. Boys, take care of your Mom! She too is a precious servant of God!
With Love, Dick and Marlene Bresson
Dad Fisher had more impact on my life than any other person, other than my real Dad and Mom.
While Dottie and I are sad for Mom Fisher, we rejoice in the fact that Dad is home with his Lord.
He often said that no matter the text he was preaching about, he always headed straight for the cross. Well, on July 9th, he went to sleep and sometime during the night, he headed straight for his Savior.
Guestbook for
Reverend E. Nile Fisher