When Leon Westerhouse was a little boy, he led worship services from his front porch for some neighborhood kids. Before he was old enough to go to school he was already singing publicly, and by age 5 he had been recorded.
Westerhouse’s path of music ministry was seemingly set from the beginning. However, this story begins even before his birth.
His parents, who were devout Christians, lost their first son and prayed diligently for another one.
“They prayed, ‘If You’ll send us another son You can use his life for Your glory,’” said Westerhouse. “I was born to serve the Lord.”
Westerhouse, the first music evangelist in Alabama, blazed the trail for other Christians but it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Even though he knew his calling, Westerhouse said he resisted the Lord’s calling on his life.
“I wanted to see my name in lights,” he said, noting he was singing in churches occasionally at this time. “But I didn’t want to only sing about Jesus, I wanted to go to Broadway. I was not willing to go into full-time ministry for the Lord.”
Westerhouse pursued a secular music career but after a severe car wreck that almost cost him and his wife their lives, he asked the Lord to spare their lives. He also committed himself to full-time Christian service.
“What do you think about when you’re near death?” Westerhouse asked. “Not Broadway. All I thought about was Jesus and my wife, Patsy, and I asked God to save my wife and me. And He spared me for a purpose.”
In 1964 Westerhouse launched a new life as the first Southern Baptist music evangelist from Alabama.
“My life was finally counting for Him,” he said.
Over the course of 40 years Westerhouse has sung and shared the good news of Christ across the United States and around the world. He has led hundreds of retreats, revivals, church services and camps and has seen thousands of people saved.
Westerhouse, who also serves as president of the Alabama Evangelists, said he loves his job and calling.
“It’s a joy to tell people about Jesus,” he said. “I just want people to see and hear Him.”
When Westerhouse is not on the road ministering, he can usually be found serving at his home church, Huffman Baptist, in Birmingham.
“When I think of Leon Westerhouse, two things stand out in my mind,” said Tim Lovett, pastor of Huffman Baptist. “He has an incredible memory and such passion. He is wholly into whatever he does. His whole body gets into it.”
Westerhouse and his wife also prioritize time with their three children — Wendy, Wayne and Warren — and their five grandchildren.
Westerhouse said he has been able to incorporate his children and grandchildren into his ministry. They have all been recorded with him on various music CDs throughout the years and some of them sing with him during special events.
He also had the privilege of baptizing his 10-year-old granddaughter Samantha Feb. 1, in what he described as one of his most precious grandfather roles.
To Baptists across the nation Westerhouse is known for memorizing long passages, Scripture and songs. Besides singing, he has narrated many plays and musicals.
“Another thing about Leon that impresses me is his involvement in his local church,” Lovett said. “He’s very supportive of his home church and serves in many ways. He’s in choir, participates in visitation night and gives support to whatever is needed.”
Lovett said that the church will be honoring Westerhouse’s 40th anniversary this summer.
“He is a pioneer and we feel honored to have him in our church,” he said.
In addition to his church’s reception honoring his 40th anniversary in ministry, Westerhouse’s music career will be celebrated in other ways.
One of his songs, “Tell Them Now,” will be published this fall in the Senior Musician magazine published by LifeWay Christian Resources, and his biography will be written later this year.
Although he is celebrating many years of work, Westerhouse is adamant that this is not signaling his retirement. “I’m coming down to the end of my road but I want to finish well,” he said. “I’ll probably go down singing one day.”
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