At the invitation of one of my Belmont friends this last weekend, I attended the worship service at Forest Hills Baptist Church...the congregation has a new pastor, Dr. Sam Boyd and this was his first full Sunday on the job.If first impressions mean anything at all, FHBC has a winner on their hands. There are several qualities that I like to see in a pastor/shepherd and I saw glimpses of all of these in Dr. Boyd's message:
- He is a teacher - well prepared and Biblically focused
- He is approachable and engaging - he asked the congregation Sunday to share their quiet time thoughts on his ministry. I like that.
- He is no nonsense when it comes to evangelism - there is no doubt that he has a passion for leading people to Christ and encouraging his flock to do likewise.
- He has a heart for missions and isn't afraid to say that next-door neigbors should be in the mix along with far-away ministries.
- He is a prayer warrior...I sense it in everything that he said Sunday morning.
Welcome to Middle Tennessee.
Of course, we (as Baptists) know that the true measure of a Baptist minister is his/her preferences at the dinner table. To be completely successful, one needs to have an intimate knowledge of BBQ, banana pudding, coleslaw, and sweet tea (or where to find them). I'm guessing that Dr. Boyd's knowledge is not lacking in this area although his waistline may say otherwise.
