Billy Hunt retired as the St. Clair Association’s director of missions. But then he turned right around and reported to work the next business day, just like always, assuming the post of interim director of missions.
Maybe it’s because pastors never really retire; they just move into a new phase of ministry.
At any rate, he returned posthaste to the ministry to which he was called 47 years ago.
In addition, Hunt is preaching at Hopewell Mission in Etowah Association, which is a ministry of First Baptist Church, Ashville, and First Baptist Church, Pell City.
“Once you’ve been a pastor, you always have a pastor’s heart,” he said in explaining his decision to preach at the mission.
Originally a church, Hopewell was given to Etowah Association when it closed. It reopened as a mission the first Sunday in February. Hunt said that ministry is “going real well,” with 20 in Sunday School and 40 in the worship service each of the first two Sundays in February.
Hunt intends to serve as the St. Clair Association’s interim director of missions until a leader is named or until July. Then, he said he will retire to join his wife, Shirley, who already has retired.
For more than 20 years, Hunt has been the association’s leader and frequently ministered to the pastors.
The latter responsibility Hunt took quite seriously because pastors sometimes feel they don’t have someone to whom they can turn when they need a pastor, he said.
“I’ve really tried to be a pastor to the pastors,” said Hunt. “I tried to be there when they needed me.”
A heart for others
Hunt’s own pastor for more than seven years, James Sampley of First, Ashville, said, “He has served as my pastor on occasions. … I felt good turning to him.” Sampley added that Hunt has a heart for Jesus, pastors, churches and missions. “Billy Hunt is probably one of the finest directors of missions I’ve ever worked with.”
In calling attention to the leadership Hunt gave the association, Sampley said, “He brought us so far in the 20 years he’s served.”
When Hunt became the director of missions in October 1983, there were approximately 12,000 members in the churches of St. Clair Association. That number has grown to 23,000. In that time frame, a few churches and one mission began. In addition, Camp Sonshine near Pell City was acquired and can accommodate about 100 people per night. Many, Hunt said, are the people who have come to know Christ through events at the camp.
The association built a new structure about eight years ago to house its office, which is located in Ashville. And local missions work has been a priority. “We’ve been involved in migrant work all the way through,” said Hunt.
Now, the association has teamed with Etowah Association to address that missions field. It is part of a north Alabama regional coalition that ministers to Hispanics and Riverside Baptist Church has a ministry to Hispanics.
“We’ve had growth in every phase of church life,” from Cooperative Program giving to missions involvement, noted Hunt.
Missions has been an emphasis. In fact, the association established a residence for missionaries on stateside assignment in what used to be the home for the director of missions, said Hunt.
Having this home for missionaries “has been a blessing for our association,” explained Hunt. “It gives us hands-on (contact) with missionaries who’ve been involved in international missions.”
It has had an added benefit. Two retired missionary couples have settled in the area after having lived in the house, said Hunt. As a 10-year-old, Hunt asked Jesus to come into his heart and be his Savior. When Hunt was a senior in high school, he felt called to preach. He went to Howard College (now Samford University) and did graduate work at Jacksonville State University.
He was pastor of a mission of First Baptist Church, Fairfield; Mulberry Springs Baptist, Sulligent; Artesia Baptist, Artesia, Miss.; First Baptist Church, Gurley; and Tates Chapel Baptist, Centre.
He left a six-and-a-half-year pastorate at Pepperell Baptist Church in Opelika to become director of missions for St. Clair Association.
While fulfilling those duties, he was pastor of a mission in Leeds for several years and, for more than a decade, has had a weekly radio program broadcast at 7:30 Sunday mornings on WURL (760 AM) in Brompton.
God, Hunt said, entrusted him with the spiritual leadership of the association and gave him the opportunity to work with churches. The smaller churches hold a special place in Hunt’s heart.
“I love the small church,” said Hunt, who grew up in Paint Rock Baptist in Tennessee River Association. “To me, it seems like they have more needs than the larger churches.”
As Hunt, father of three and grandfather of seven, looks back over his 47 years in the ministry, he says, “It’s been a joyful trip.”
Although Hunt has retired once and will retire again soon, he plans to continue to teach Bible studies, preach and participate in missions.
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