When Stancil and Ina Clements were saved side by side at the altar May 14, 1954, they immediately embarked on a life of service and faith.
Now, more than 50 years later, fruit abounds where the couple planted seeds of truth throughout the years.
A longtime Alabama Baptist pastor, Stancil Clements was born July 22, 1927, six miles east of Duncansville. In 1937, Clements moved to Northport where he attended school and met Ina Carol Moore, whom he married Oct. 27, 1945.
The couple had been married about nine years when they first attended church together after Ina Clements’ sister urged them to come with her to a revival meeting.
Stancil Clements recalled that upon hearing the gospel, he was “under such conviction” he couldn’t sleep at night, and he was “miserable” all day as he worked at the paper mill in Northport. The Clementses accepted Christ together on the Wednesday night of the meeting, and he surrendered to preach a little over a month later.
“I had seen couples struggle when one was a Christian and one wasn’t,” Ina Clements said. “So I prayed we’d both be saved at the same time. I’m so thankful God heard that sinner’s prayer.”
According to him, both the couple’s marriage and lives changed completely. Since that turning point, they have devotedly served the Lord together and a string of Baptist churches in the state.
The Clementses first served at Enterprise Baptist Church, Cottondale, in Pleasant Grove Baptist Association for two years before moving to Evergreen Baptist Church, Vance, in Pleasant Grove Association in 1958, and several other churches after that.
They organized Pine Level Baptist Church, Pine Level, in Montgomergy Baptist Association, building a church building and pastor’s residence. The couple then served eight years at First Baptist Church, Boldo, in Jasper in Walker Baptist Association before Stancil Clements retired in 1993.
After his “retirement,” he served at New Haven Baptist Church, Greensboro, in Hale Baptist Association for two and a half years, then went to Gallion Baptist Church, Gallion, in Hale Association, for what he calls the best 15 months of his ministry.
“I’ve never seen a church grow in a short amount of time like Gallion Baptist Church did then,” Stancil Clements said. “It was amazing to watch what God did. We went from 125 in attendance to 248, and we’d have 10 saved at the time.”
The Clementses again served at Enterprise Baptist for one year, and Big Hurricane Baptist Church, Brookwood, in Pleasant Grove Association for two and a half years, during which they helped build a new auditorium.
“He’s never been at a church that he didn’t help build or renovate,” Ina Clements said of her husband.
Stancil Clements served as interim pastor until January at Hepzibah Baptist Church, McCalla, in Pleasant Grove Association, where he once served as director of missions (DOM) for two years. While serving as DOM, he led the association to build a new office in Brookwood.
The Clementses organized a jail ministry in Tuscaloosa. They arranged for Christian tapes to be played over the jail’s public address system, which they installed. The couple also coordinated a ministry preaching station at a cattle ranch in Greensboro to act as a halfway house to help prisoners return to life in society.
Stancil Clements gives God the credit for his ministry accomplishments, but he also notes his wife’s role. According to him, her main contributions are support through prayer and encouragement through writing.
He said she often sends encouragement cards to the sick and grieving, spending more than $300 on postage stamps one year.
“I am so blessed to have a wife who is dedicated and who prays,” he said. “She has always encouraged me and others, and we pray together about every ministry decision.”
Ina Clements said she has seen many preachers’ wives hurt their husbands’ ministries by being unsupportive and unwilling to follow their leadership.
“I’ve tried to never hold himback in his ministry,” she said. “I’ve always been willing to go everywhere the Lord leads us to go.”
She also expressed admiration for her husband. “Through discouraging times, when people haven’t been caring, he’s been faithful and strong. I’m so proud of him.”
Stancil Clements continues to fill in at churches, and the couple maintains an active daily prayer ministry.
“I still have lots of energy,” he said. “And I’ll continue serving the Lord as long as He sees fit.”
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