Jerry Wilkins retired in early April after serving as director of missions (DOM) for Tuscaloosa Baptist Association for nearly 27 years.
The association celebrated with him in late March at First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, where Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, shared a message and Wade Hamner provided special music. Wilkins was presented with a plaque commemorating his years of service.
“It was a fantastic celebration and a meaningful time,” he said of the service attended by more than 200 people.
Called into the ministry in 1966 while attending Temple Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, Wilkins graduated from Samford University in Birmingham and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He served as pastor of several churches in Texas while in seminary before becoming pastor of Valley View Baptist Church, Leeds.
While serving as pastor of Oakwood Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tenn., Wilkins was contacted by Tuscaloosa Association about the DOM position.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to encourage and have influence over many churches rather than just one (church),” he said. “I appreciate all of the associational leaders and many volunteers who made so many good things possible over the years.”
Those leaders and volunteers appreciate him, too, and at the association’s executive board meeting April 18, Wilkins was named director of missions emeritus.
“I’ve worked with a number of DOMs through the years, and I would rank [Jerry] in the top,” said Gil McKee, associational moderator and senior pastor of First, Tuscaloosa. “Jerry really did a great job and was good with relationships and gave good vision and direction to the association.”
Wilkins led Tuscaloosa Association to grow from 59 churches to 87 churches, build a new associational resource center and start the Christian Ministry Center, Good Samaritan Free Medical Clinic, Neighborhood Missions Ministry and disaster relief.
He and his wife of 45 years, Carole, continue to reside in Northport and are members of Lakewood Baptist Church, Northport. Carole Wilkins recently retired from biblical lay counseling.
While Jerry Wilkins is finishing up his latest book, “A Practical Guide to Associational Missions,” he is available for interim pastorates and to help churches as a church conflict resolution consultant.
To contact him, e-mail jerryw@tuscaloosabaptists.org.
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