Southside Baptist Church, Decatur
Morgan Baptist Association
Favorite Verse: Ephesians 3:20
Favorite Hymn: “Victory in Jesus”
Hobbies: Reading, working with computer
Family Status: Husband of 34 years to wife, Sonya; daughters, Jennifer Carr and Ashley Andrews; three granddaughters
Ben Hayes, 53, of Decatur, has been in ministry 33 years. He has served as a pastor in Louisiana and in Alabama from Gulf Shores to Decatur. He is pastor of Southside Baptist Church, Decatur. He also is moderator of Morgan Baptist Association and leads a Bible study for Morgan County Mental Health Association. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Mobile College (now the University of Mobile), as well as a master’s degree and doctorate from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Q: What influences in your life pointed you to Christ at the beginning of your faith journey?
A: My father was a bi-vocational pastor. But it was not until I was 16 that I made the decision to accept Christ as my Savior. On a youth trip my friend was upset. We went outside and he said he was lost. I told him the plan of salvation and realized I had never accepted Jesus myself. At a service after the youth trip, I accepted Christ as my Savior.
Q: When and how were you led into your ministry?
A: I felt like from an early time in my teenage years that I was going to be a preacher. After I had made that decision to trust in Christ, I still felt called to the ministry. I have been preaching since I was 16.
Q: What does your ministry demand?
A: Loving the people of Southside, attending to their needs, taking care of administration at the church, working with the association.
Q: What do you get from your ministry?
A: The satisfaction of knowing I’m where God wants me to be, doing what He wants me to do. I get tired sometimes but it is a good tired. I just have satisfaction knowing I’m doing what I was created to do.
Q: How do family members support you?
A: My girls are grown and gone but they’ve always been supportive. My wife walks beside me every day. She is my prayer partner.
Q: How do you see yourself involved in this in the future?
A: I can’t see myself doing anything else. I can’t imagine ever being retired from the ministry.
Q: What difference will this ministry make for you in the future?
A: I think it will help me to grow as a minister, to grow stronger in my faith and give me the opportunity to lead a lot of people to Jesus.
Q: What difference has Jesus Christ made in your life?
A: All the difference in the world. From the time that I trusted Him as my Lord and Savior until today, I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without Him. He gives me hope; He gives me vision. He has totally transformed my life, my heart, everything about me.
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