Pastor Appreciation 2017 Part 3

October has been recognized as “Pastor Appreciation Month,” and so I am taking a little time to recognize and honor some of the people that God has used as “pastors” in my life.  Those special people that God uses to spur you on to grow in your faith and be busy about the Great Commission deserve to be honored (1 Timothy 5:17).

In this post, I would like to take a little time to appreciate Dr. Curtis Ferrell.  Dr. Ferrell has recently retired from the Associational Missions Director position at the Calhoun Baptist Association in Calhoun County, Mississippi.  Curtis and his sweet wife are some precious folk.  They truly have a love for our Lord and passion to serve Him well.

When I came to Calhoun County some 4+ years ago, Dr. Ferrell was one of the first to come alongside of me.  He had the responsibility for looking out for some 46 churches in the county at that time.  I know that he poured countless hours into local ministers and churches.  He had a passion to see a Hispanic ministry take off in our county.  That might have been tied to the fact that he was the son of a missionary family in South America and also that his family served in South America as well.  Whatever the case, it was so refreshing to see someone with a passion for people that needed to experience the wonder of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I appreciated the ways in which this seasoned minister took time to listen to what was going on in my life and give some wise advice.  He would constantly ask me about how things were going both at church and at the house.  He truly had a heart for the county here during the time the Lord allowed him to serve here.

I will forever be grateful for the friendship that God gave me in this dear man (and his wife).  I know that God has big  plans for them as they will continue to serve Him in our state and around the globe.

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I'm Thankful: Day 5

Day 5: Mentors

As I think about things in my life that I'm thankful for mentors from my past rise to the top quickly. These are people that have taken time out of their lives in order to pour into me and shape me in my faith. These people did not have to take the time to help shape this hard-headed young man, but they did. For their investment I am eternally grateful.

Joey Savell - Joey was my youth pastor growing up. He was instrumental in knowing what it meant to be called of God into vocational ministry. After I shared with my home church about my calling, Joey was quick to take me under his wing and showed me some of the ropes. He gave me opportunities to preach and help plan events for our student ministry. As the apostle Paul was a spiritual father to a young pastor, Timothy, Joey has played that role in my life. I still to this day call Joey up when I need advice in ministry matters. Joey is currently serving as the Senior Pastor at Pineview Baptist Church in Harvest, Alabama.

Dan Perez - Dan was one of my first small group leaders as a teenager. Dan showed me what it looked like to live the Christian life on a daily basis. He constantly opened his home to me and my friends for fellowship and Bible studies. Dan has had a continual presence in my life through prayer, discussions, and other avenues.

Dr. Douglas Bain - Dr. Bain was one of my Bible professors at Blue Mountain College. He was a tough professor. His classes were very demanding. One thing that I quickly learned about my time at Blue Mountain College was that this man was one who was full of much wisdom. Though I didn't always excel in the classes that I took under Dr. Bain, the conversations that I had with him in his office or the student center were things that I will cherish forever. It has been so good to have someone that I can call up at pretty much anytime of the day and get a fresh wind of wisdom on situations.

Dr. Stan Lewis - I was introduced to Dr. Lewis in 2007 as I began my seminary journey with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He taught a couple of classes at the Pensacola extension center and supervised it. He quickly showed me how to take the knowledge learned about ministry and the importance of making it very practical. In 2008, I had the privilege to come on staff with Dr. Lewis at First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama as a student pastor. He always kept an open door to me. I would talk with him often about ministry things. Dr. Lewis was key in helping me understand and work through the transition that God has been bringing me through from student ministry to pastoral ministry (senior pastor).

These are just a couple of the mentors that God has blessed me with over the few years that I've lived. I have learned from them the importance of pouring your life into others. A legacy doesn't just happen... it has to be intentional. If you have been blessed by having mentor(s) in your life, thank God and let them know what they mean to you.

Who are you pouring your life in to?

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My Pastors

Over my life as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ I have had some great men play the role of pastor in my life. I wanted to take this opportunity to call them out and honor them.

Rev Joey Savell
This man is my father in the ministry. He was my youth pastor when God called me into the ministry. He has been there for me in times of great joy (doing our wedding ceremony) and times of sorrow (death of uncle and mother). He is one of the first people I call when I have questions in ministry. He is currently serving as Senior Pastor at Pineview Baptist Church in Harvest, Alabama.

Dan Perez
Dan was my Sunday School teacher and a mentor of mine when I was in high school. He did a great job of showing me what the Christian life looked like in an everyday context.

Dr. Stan Lewis
Dr. Lewis is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama. He had brought me on staff there after he got there to help with things. Before that, he was a professor of mine in my early days of seminary. He taught me how to relate to the people and when to just bite your tongue.

These are a couple of the great men that God has allowed to make an impact on my life. They have truly played the role of pastor well.

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