In Eddie Hilderbrand’s 20 years at University Baptist Church, Huntsville, he’s learned a thing or two about having a sustainable ministry. Chief among them is that “everything can be handled by God.”
Take his own ministry path, for example. When he was 20 years old, Hilderbrand knew God had placed a call to ministry on his life. But it took eight years for that call to come to fruition.
When the Lord led him to University Baptist, he joined the staff as minister of education and children. Eventually, God shifted Hilderbrand’s position to associate pastor of education and senior adults.
“The change in my position came as a combined sensing of God’s direction in my life and in the life of our youth minister at that time. Both of us simultaneously sensed God changing our ministry directions,” he said. “Our youth minister felt God leading him to a more comprehensive ministry … [and] I felt God leading me to minister with senior adults.”
For both men, the Lord had each situation well in hand and paved the way for His will to be done by working in each of their hearts to shift their passions.
Other lessons Hilderbrand has learned include the importance of being flexible, supporting the pastor, never saying “never” and being willing to be the peacemaker.
Hilderbrand holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg and a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
He and his wife, Becky, have two children and two grandchildren. (TAB)
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