MacLaren to retire from SBOM; will still serve churches

At only 6 years old, John MacLaren professed his faith in Christ, and six years later, he was called into the ministry. Having no idea what God wanted him to do, MacLaren began seeking God’s will for his life and preparing himself for ministry work.
   
Through the years, he has held many titles, including registered nurse, pastor, director of missions and, most recently, director of the office of Cooperative Program and stewardship development for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), a position he has held for the past seven years.
   
Now MacLaren is preparing for the next phase of his ministry, announcing his January 2007 retirement from the SBOM after serving as special consultant, associate, acting director and office director over the past 30 years.
   
MacLaren’s ministry began 46 years ago as he served as interim pastor of Black Jack Baptist Church, Bainbridge, Ga., and attended nursing school, hoping to one day use his skills on assignment with the Foreign Mission Board (now the International Mission Board).
   
“Though that never fully developed like I thought it would, it prepared me for what I have done over the past number of years — that is, to promote the Cooperative Program as the way we support missions and our missionaries,” said MacLaren, a member of First Baptist Church, Wetumpka, in Elmore Baptist Association.
   
After nursing school, he moved back to his hometown of Lake City, Fla., and worked in a local hospital while serving as interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Branford, Fla.
   
Leading churches while working as a nurse was routine for MacLaren, who simultaneously attended Howard College (now Samford University) in Birmingham, worked at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham and led Wilkes Baptist Mission, Brighton, a mission outreach of Wilkes Baptist Church, Midfield, in Bessemer Baptist Association.
   
After earning a bachelor’s degree in religious education and journalism from Samford, he gained a master of theology degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, while leading Concord Baptist Church, McCall Creek, Miss.
   
Over the next nine years, MacLaren served as pastor of two Alabama Baptist churches, while working as a special consultant for the SBOM. From 1980 until 1995, he served as director of missions (DOM) for Elmore Association and then accepted the associate position in the office of Cooperative Program and stewardship development at the SBOM. 
   
“John is one of the best-known state missionaries, and Alabama Baptists have responded positively to his fruitful ministry,” said Rick Lance, SBOM executive director.
   
Jim Jackson, current DOM for Elmore Association, calls MacLaren a great leader and minister. “He has been willing to serve the Lord wherever He has led. … I have heard nothing but praise and words of appreciation for his work.”
   
In his work, MacLaren has helped congregations understand the importance of good stewardship and budgeting. “I have had the privilege of meeting and working with some of God’s best people in the world — Alabama Baptists,” he said. “In addition to that, I have been able to work with my counterparts in other state conventions.”
   
About six years ago, Mac­Laren began a new ministry. After losing Louisa, his wife of nearly 32 years, to leukemia, he married Judy Moseley, who was also widowed. Soon they began offering grief recovery conferences for those who have lost a spouse at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega.
   
After retiring, he plans to continue serving the SBOM and conducting Challenge to Build capital fund-raising campaigns. As the current interim pastor of Millbrook Baptist Church in Elmore Association, MacLaren also plans to continue filling interim pastorates.