John M. Hambright is no stranger to ministry, leading a church or missions. He has spent 40 years serving Alabama churches and 10 of those at Enon Baptist Church, Morris.
After marrying his wife, Linda, in 1965, Hambright was drafted to the U.S. Army and served two years in Germany during the Vietnam War. While he was away Linda became a Christian, and when he returned home she encouraged him to go to church with her. He reluctantly obliged, he said.
“I grew up in a Catholic home and we didn’t go to church,” Hambright recalled. “I got home (from Germany) on a Thursday, went to church on (that first) Sunday and got saved that night. It was the first time I (had) really heard the gospel.”
In 1972, Hambright became an ordained minister through First Baptist Church, Sayre, and became a pastor at his first church — First Baptist Church, Hayden. He later earned a bachelor of arts degree in pastoral theology from Southeastern Bible College in Birmingham, and a master of divinity degree and doctor of ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary in Lithonia, Ga.
Hambright served as pastor of North Gardendale Baptist Church, Gardendale; Trussville Southside Baptist Church; and Bluff Park Baptist Church, Hoover, before taking on the pastoral role at Enon Baptist.
Enon Baptist honored Hambright in the spring of 2012 for his years of service and presented him with a plaque, a watch and a diamond pendant for Linda. Hambright and his wife have two children and their son, David, was also able to attend the celebration.
When asked what was the biggest lesson he has learned in his years of ministry Hambright said, “I’ve learned through the years that being able to broaden the foundation of the church (is important). … The more people you have working (to serve the church), the stronger the foundation of the church is.”
Hambright said he does not know what the future holds for him in ministry but that he hopes to “finish well” and to serve the Lord wherever He leads.
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