Ryan Whitley celebrates 25th anniversary as pastor of CrossPoint Church, Trussville

BIRMINGHAM METRO ASSOCIATION

Ryan Whitley says he’s heard it said that when it comes to parenting, the days are long, but the years are short. As an empty nester, he believes it.

And as Whitley celebrated his 25th anniversary as pastor of CrossPoint Church, Trussville, on Feb. 7, he said he feels the same way about serving the same church for that length of time.

“The same is true with loving and leading the same people for a quarter century,” he said. “Some of the days have been long, but all of the years have been short.”

Two years after coming to First Baptist Church, Centerpoint, as pastor in 1996, Whitley introduced the idea of starting a satellite campus. That campus, CrossPoint, began doing ministry in 2003, and in 2005, it became a mission church with Whitley as its pastor.

He said he’s grateful for the people who had such committed “volition to love me unconditionally” and to “pray for me fervently.”

It’s about them, he said. “I only wish every pastor could experience what I have experienced. If so, we would see more men serving a church for two or three generations.”