Over the years, Larry Hughes served in a number of Alabama Baptist churches, as well as serving as an IMB missionary in Western Europe for five years.
“Pastor Jeff served our church with unwavering devotion, compassion and humility. His love for God and for people was evident in every sermon he preached, every prayer he prayed and every conversation he shared.” —FBC Opelika staff/deacons
After serving as youth minister at four First Baptist churches, Butch Henderson served as director of World Changers and as church community missions specialist for Birmingham Metro Baptist Association, then founded Metro Changers.
For 63 years, Finklea served as a pastor, including spending 25 years at FBC Brewton. He retired in 1999, and the church named him pastor emeritus. After retirement, he served 24 more years as pastor of a small country church in Sepulga.
Tom Whatley thought he would have a career in military, but he couldn’t resist God’s call to ministry. Over the years, he served several Alabama churches, including spending 27 years as pastor of Woodward Avenue Baptist in Muscle Shoals.
Kevin McCreless, longtime pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Rainsville, died Oct. 16. In February, Broadway Baptist honored McCreless and named him pastor emeritus as he retired from 33 years of ministry there.
David Smith, pastor of New Home Baptist in Pisgah, died Sept. 7 after a cancer battle. He previously served as pastor of Calvary Baptist in Bridgeport; Bethel Baptist in Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Roaches Cove Baptist in Fackler.
In his more than a half century of ministry, Stephen Brown served five Alabama Baptist churches in a minister of education role and served for more 40 years with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions in the office of Sunday School.
