Hillside Baptist Church, Wetumpka
Elmore Baptist Association
Favorite Verse: Romans 1:17
Favorite Hymn: “Amazing Grace”
Hobbies: Gardening, volunteering and teaching
Family Status: Married to Johnnie for 63 years; three children, Angela, Amelia and Steve; six grandchil-
dren; and four great-grandchildren
Retired Pastor Howard Golden served for more than 50 years in various churches throughout Alabama and Indiana. Some of his Alabama pastorates included Lincoln Baptist Church and Calera Baptist Church. After completing seminary in 1952, Golden began teaching at the Samford Extension. This program trains men who could not attend college to become preachers. Golden also started a teaching extension with the maximum security prisons in Talladega and has continued this work in the state for more than 27 years. In addition, he is a Sunday School teacher at Hillside Baptist.
Q: What influences in your life pointed you to Christ at the beginning of your faith journey?
A: My mother was a very godly person, and when I was 15, I accepted Christ.
Q: When and how were you led into the ministry?
A: When I was a senior in high school I felt like Christ was calling me to serve. I went to Howard College (now Samford University) where I met my wife and then went to the seminary after.
Q: What does the ministry demand?
A: First of all, faithfulness and love for God’s Word and love for the people. [Also] love for studying God’s Word and preaching God’s Word.
Q: What do you get from the ministry?
A: I recently saw seven couples that I married in my first year that have been married 50 years now. God has been wonderfully, wonderfully good to me and blessed me beyond measure. I’ve learned without Him I can do nothing, but with Him all things are possible.
Q: How do family members support you?
A: They are all very supportive and I’m very proud of the support I get from my family. They are all active too, and I’m proud of that.
Q: How do you see yourself involved in this ministry work in the future?
A: I hope to continue teaching at the prison. There has been a consistency in my class attendance. The people in my class are consistent about their study and staying with me.
Q: What difference will this ministry make for you in the future?
A: He’s my everything … with Him all things are possible. Without Him I can’t do anything.
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