A friend to pastors

David Johnson describes Larry Coates, his friend of more than 11 years and recently retired director of missions (DOM) for Tallapoosa Baptist Association, as a friend to pastors.
   
Johnson would know, as he is the pastor of Eagle Creek Baptist Church in Dadeville, Tallapoosa Association, and one of the pastors from the 49 churches that Coates served as DOM beginning in 1993.     He retired from his post Jan. 31, and it is his relationship with the pastors that Coates said he will miss most after years of working closely with them. “For the most part, I’ve learned that pastors are just like church members,” Coates said.
   
Just as church members look to their pastor for guidance and encouragement, the pastors looked to him.
Ralph Jernigan, pastor of New Beginning Baptist Church near Alexander City, said one of Coates’ outstanding characteristics is that he’s an effective counselor to ministers. “He’s a humble man, but he’s a consistent leader with a warm heart for people,” Jernigan said.
   
Coates was there to promote fellowship among the pastors, harmony among the churches and leadership training in accordance with the state convention. At times, he was called upon to preach and aid pastor search committees looking for prospective pastors or pastors looking for prospective churches.
   
Noted for being a well-prepared and effective preacher, retirement has not curbed Coates’ desire to continue ministering. He said he wants to preach as often as he can. Though he will be available for pulpit supply, Coates will not be able to serve as an interim pastor due to disability.
   
In some cases, this friend and counselor to pastors has been a pastor for a shorter amount of time than those he is counseling. Coates felt God’s call to ministry but did not graduate from college until he was 50. “[I] felt like the Lord was calling me that way, and I couldn’t find satisfaction doing anything else,” he said.
   
Coates worked in electronics for about 20 years, mainly with churches’ electronic organs. He said he enjoyed his job, but he still did not feel that he was doing what he needed to do.
   
In the same church where he became a Christian at the age of 21, Coates was licensed to the ministry in 1964 at Casey Creek Baptist Church, north of Spartanburg, S.C. 
   
He was ordained in First Baptist Church, Davie, Fla., a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, and attended the Baptist Bible Institute in Grace­ville, Fla., now known as The Baptist College of Florida. 
   
In 1971, Coates came to Alabama and began attending what was then known as Mobile College, now the University of Mobile. At this time, he also began his career as a pastor. Coates served St. John Baptist Church, Salem-Troy Association; Zion Chapel Baptist Church, Coffee Association; Lee Street Baptist Church, Coffee Association; and First Baptist Church, Chatom, Washington Association.
   
It was during his 12 years with First Baptist in Chatom that Coates first became interested in becoming a director of missions. Working with Richard Crowe, DOM for Coffee Association, Coates felt a new call. “I just became interested in it [the work of the DOM in the association] and felt like maybe the Lord would allow me to do that one day,” Coates said.
   
A friend submitted a resumé for him when the Tallapoosa DOM position became available, and after an interview with the missions advisory committee, he was voted on to be called.
   
Among his favorite memories of his time with Tallapoosa Association are the missions trips. Coates had the opportunity to travel with various people from the association to places around the United States such as Harrisburg, Pa.; Helena, Mont.; and Rapid City, S.D., to work on building projects and evangelism through events such as Vacation Bible School.
   
Coates and Carolyn, his wife of 42 years, live in Alexander City and are members of First Baptist Church, Alexander City. The couple has two daughters, two grandsons and one granddaughter.