Twenty-five years ago today, on June 14, 1998, I was ordained to the Gospel Ministry by our home church, First Baptist Church (FBC), Orangeburg, South Carolina. That May, I graduated from the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (BTSR) and that July I began my first pastorate at New Highland Baptist Church in Mechanicsville, Virginia (formerly East Highland Park Baptist Church in Henrico County). Three major milestones within that summer!
On this anniversary of my ordination, Melanie and I reflect fondly on those days in Orangeburg where we first lived after we got married in June 1990. I was a claims adjuster for S.C. Farm Bureau Insurance and the company assigned the counties of Orangeburg and Bamberg to me. We lived in an apartment within sight of the Lizard’s Thicket restaurant and Duke’s Barbeque! What more could one ask for?
Soon after we were married, we visited FBC and never visited another church. We felt at home right away and loved our pastor, Dr. Bill Coates. Within a year or so, Melanie and I were asked to teach youth Sunday School. We taught 11th and 12th grades for four years and still keep in touch with some of them to this day. It was through teaching our youth that I began to sense a call to ministry. Dr. Coates was instrumental in helping us to discern call and said that if he were to attend seminary at that time, he would go to the “new one” in Richmond, referring to BTSR. Well, in August 1995 Melanie and I quit our jobs, sold our house and moved to Richmond where we would begin our lives anew. Melanie worked full time to support our family while I attended seminary.
Dr. Coates helped me to assemble an ordination council. The members were as follows: Dr. Bill Coates (pastor), Billie Smith (Chairwoman of Deacons), Mary Lou Haddox, David Choi, Cheryl Wooten (Youth Pastor), Dr. Marion Aldridge (the pastor who married us and Coordinator of CBF of S.C.), Rev. Lloyd Till (a retired pastor), and Rev. Phillip Bryant (pastor of the French Huguenot Church in Charleston). The council did its work and recommended me for ordination. The church held a special service of ordination the night of June 14, 1998. I can vividly remember kneeling in the front of the sanctuary as church members, friends and family laid hands on me in prayer as I was set apart for the ministry of the gospel.
FBC presented me a special ordination Bible from which I preach on special occasions. Inscribed inside the front pages are the following words from Dr. Bill Coates:
To Bob Lee,
Whose gifts and calling from God
are obvious;
Whose love for the Lord and all
the Lord’s creation is genuine;
Whose heart is focused on service.
The psalmist said, “They looked unto Him and were radiant.” (Psalm 34:5)
Keep your eyes on Christ, the Light of the World. As my pastor wrote to me upon my ordination, “Keep your face to the sun (SON) and the shadows will fall behind.”
The Lord bless you and keep you,
Bill Coates
It is with thanksgiving in our hearts that we reflect on these 25 years in ministry. We have made some wonderful friends. God has enabled us to wall upon holy ground as people have invited us into their lives.
The Lord bless you and keep you all,
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