By Leigh Pritchett
Correspondent, The Alabama Baptist
Mike Shaw, 70, of Pelham, has been in ministry 52 years. He is pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church, Pelham, where he was pastor for 35 years. He currently is interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Helena. A former president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, Shaw is on the board of directors of The Alabama Baptist and board of trustees at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Ministry description: Preacher
Church name: First Baptist Church, Pelham, Shelby Baptist Association
Life verse: “But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Q: Describe where you focus your greatest ministry efforts:
A: Sharing the gospel with people; helping believers to develop into disciples.
Q: Who was or is one of the most influential people in your faith life? Why?
A: I’d have to say that looking back, my parents were the most influential on my faith life. Then there were three men who played a huge part of who I am today. One was Ralph Feild; he was pastor of First Baptist in Center Point. A lot of books in my library came from his library. The other one at Center Point was Jack Lemmond. He is the one who encouraged me to go to New Orleans to seminary. He had just graduated from there. Jack and his wife Tiny were like another set of parents to me. Dr. Hudson Baggett asked me to serve on the board at The Alabama Baptist. I learned so much as a minister from Dr. Baggett.
Q: Tell about a “turning point” in your life and how God was involved.
A: I had been at (First Baptist) Pelham about 10 years. We were landlocked. We had only a small place. We had built so much on the land we owned that we couldn’t build anymore because we wouldn’t have a place to park. We had a tornado come through Pelham in 1990. Land became available (after that). Then began the greatest adventure of my ministry — to relocate a church that had been in one place for a long time. We relocated the church. We called it Vision 2000. We moved onto the property in February 2000. In 1990 we had no idea that we would be able to move that quickly. God is still using that property to draw people. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to lead in that (relocation).
Q: What has God been teaching you lately?
A: God has been teaching me lately we just need to wait on the Lord and sometimes we can wait too long. Isaiah (in Isa. 40:31) is counseling us to wait upon the Lord. There’s (also) a time to take action. God told Joshua to get up and go take the (Promised) Land. We should never use waiting on the Lord as an excuse not to do something. We need to be praying and seeking. And when He tells us what to do, we need to do it.
Q: If there were one thing you could tell your younger self about faith, what would it be?
A: It would have to be that we have to act in faith. Sometimes when we act in faith, we have to take a risk. If we don’t take the risk, we miss out on a blessing.
Q: Have you ever read a book or heard a song that changed the way you think about God and faith? What was it and what did you learn from it?
A: My favorite song is “Broken and Spilled Out.” Jesus went to the cross and was broken and spilled out for us. We need to be willing to take what we have, break it and spill it out for Jesus.
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