Pastor & Leaders

My philosophy of ministry is built around what I believe to be the scriptural charges given to all pastors.  I believe my role as pastor is to equip the saints to accomplish the work of building the kingdom of God.  In many ways I am an equipper, a trainer, and a cheerleader.  Although I have strong administrative skills, God has not called me to administer the church, but to pastor/shepherd the church.  I am to minister to the needs of the people God has given to me.  Three main areas shape my ministry: preaching and teaching, prayer, and discipleship.  The primary way I accomplish this ministry God has given me is through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.  I strongly believe in expository preaching and teaching.  Although many claim expository preaching, I find that they have a misconstrued understanding of that term.  For me, expository preaching is when I allow the passage from the Word of God determine my message.  I don’t go to the Bible with a message in mind and look for backup, but allow it to shape my sermons/lessons.  In practice, this usually involves a systematic, verse-by-verse (or thought-by-thought) study through a book of the Bible.  While I think there are times when topical preaching is useful (and you can be expository on a topic), the regular feeding of God’s people is accomplished as you work your way through a book and eventually through the Bible as a whole.  This accomplishes a couple of things. First, it opens the meaning of the text and allows people to see the truth for themselves.  Second, as you work through the Scriptures, people are able to see how God is moving through the Scriptures as a whole and as well, what He is communicating in the specific passage you are studying at that time.  Thirdly, it stops me from ignoring passages that are textually difficult or could step on my toes!  Lastly, it gives direction and structure to the preaching schedule.  I believe the pastor also equips the saints for the work of the church by being serious about prayer.  I am to intercede for people before God.  This means I set aside time, daily, praying for the church and its ministries and for the people.  As much as I value private prayer, I also value corporate prayer.  I believe in leading the people of God in real and genuine prayer during times of worship and during seasons of prayer throughout the year.  My job is to lead the people to the throne of grace so that they can find mercy and grace to help them in their time of need.  The other aspect of pastoral ministry that I believe to be crucial is ministering to people.  My preaching and teaching are only as effective as I know the people I am speaking to.  I am unable to minister the Word effectively if I don’t know to whom I am ministering!  I seriously believe in personal relationships within the church body that are authentic and deep.  Obviously, you cannot be as close to everyone as you are to some.  But, I believe in drawing around myself a few men and investing my life into them, and then, sending them out to do likewise.  This follows the principle in 2 Timothy 2:2 and is how we multiply ourselves in discipleship.  This principle of multiplication is the way that we minister to the church as a whole and witness to the wider community.

Paul grew up in West Blocton, Alabama, a small coal mining town.  Joined the USAF in 1954 right after finishing high school. Served in the military for a total of four years at several state side bases and abroad.  Eighteen months of that four years was at Naha, AFB in Okinawa. Due to his military training as a radar technician, he got a job at Redstone arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Worked there for ten years before transferring to Crane Naval base in Indiana.  By the grace of God and faithful evangelism of his co-workers and first wife Kathleen, he was converted and became a believer in 1962 at the age of twenty-seven.  After forty-seven years of marriage, his wife Kathleen died of Alzheimer at the age of sixty- seven in the year 2007.  God had a plan for Paul Boyd and Sharon Langley.  Sharon had lost her husband Bill suddenly and unexpectedly in the year 2004.  Both Paul and Sharon were members of White River Baptist Church when each of them lost their spouse.  The Lord brought them together and they were married August 23, 2008 and now continue to serve their Lord Jesus Christ together at White River Baptist Church.

Summary

Summary