B. F. Hawkins pastored Park Baptist Church from 1944–1958. Under Hawkins’s ministry, Park grew to over 500 people in Sunday School and 600 in weekly worship. He led the church to build the facility on Main Street, where it has stood since 1951.
When I became the pastor of Park Baptist Church in 2012, more than half of the membership had come to Christ under his ministry. The man was a spiritual giant. I prayed often in those early years that my ministry would bear similar spiritual fruit.
Shortly into my tenure at Park Baptist, however, the challenge was clear: our older members longed for church like it was under B. F. Hawkins, who preached his last sermon in 1958. I began to pray, “Lord, help our senior saints believe that the best days of Park Baptist Church are ahead of her and not behind her.” I wanted them to believe that God was not done with our church.
In those early years of ministry, I focused on shepherding faithful older members. I both failed and succeeded. Below are some lessons I learned along the way. May the Lord use these encouragements and admonitions to help you shepherd the flock
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