Chandler Mountain Baptist Church, Steele
St. Clair Baptist Association
Favorite Verse: John 3:16
Favorite Hymn: “A Child of the King”
Hobbies: Working in yard; helping neighbors
Family Status: Wife of 19 years, Mary; wife of 38 years until her death, Dot; late children, Jimmy Lee Gilliland and Barry Neal Gilliland; stepchildren, Amy Murphree and Bryan Beard; two step-grandchildren; one step-great-grandchild
The Alabama Baptist caught Lee Gilliland, 78, just as he was about to spruce up flowerbeds at his church before a homecoming celebration. A deacon, chairman of the house and property committee, chairman of the church’s cemetery committee, bus driver for senior citizens’ trips and choir member, Gilliland is a servant of God and country. He has been a Sunday School teacher, Discipleship Training director, team member of St. Clair Baptist Association Disaster Relief’s chainsaw unit and a member of a pastor search committee. He also served eight years in the Alabama Army National Guard. Gilliland retired after 31 years with the Alabama Department of Transportation.
Q: What influences in your life pointed you to Christ at the beginning of your faith journey?
A: My father-in-law and mother-in-law, my dad and mother, my uncle Fred Rogers and my wife Dot. I was saved when I was 30 years old. I wasted a lot of years that I wish I had not wasted. I’ve been serving the Lord since. I’m so happy.
Q: When and how were you led into ministry work?
A: I was led into a lot of it by a young preacher whose name was Lewis Haney. He had a strong influence on me as a new Christian. I served in another church as a youth minister for about nine years. That church was Steele Baptist Church.
Q: What does the ministry work demand?
A: It demands that I be faithful to my church and faithful to the Lord. Therefore I give a lot of time to my church.
Q: What do you get from the ministry work?
A: I just get a great big blessing. I don’t receive compensation for anything I do. But I’m so blessed to have health and be able to do what I do.
Q: How do family members support you?
A: They do help me. My wife prays for me.
Q: How do you see yourself involved in this in the future?
A: As long as the Lord gives me good health and strength I want to stay involved. [While I am still in good health and able] I would like to teach the younger people to do the work that I do.
Q: What difference will this ministry work make for you in the future?
A: It’ll give me a lot of peace of mind when I get older to know that I served God to the best of my ability.
Q: What difference has Jesus Christ made in your life?
A: All the difference. All the difference in the world. Before Jesus, I was just floundering around on this earth in sin. Since Jesus, I’ve been trying to dedicate my life to His ministry and point people to Christ.
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