Strong inducted into administrator’s hall of honor

The late Charles Strong, former associate pastor and business administrator of First Baptist Church, Bay Minette, in Baldwin Baptist Association, was inducted into the Southern Baptist Church Business Administration Association’s Hall of Honor July 13 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville.

Strong’s two sons — Chuck Strong, of Olive Branch, Miss., and Mitchell Strong, of Collierville, Tenn. — accepted a plaque on his behalf.

Strong was chosen for induction due to his leadership, according to Jane Dickson, a member of First, Bay Minette.
At the time of his death in 2007, he had served the church for 18 years and was known as an authority on tax laws and insurance requirements for churches, she said.

“He was very dedicated to his job,” Dickson said. “He studied and really kept up with all of the laws. He went to classes all of the time.”

Strong started working at First, Bay Minette, after owning a department store in the area.

“He said he felt he wasn’t happy unless he was at the church,” Dickson said.

So Strong went to seminary so that he could become the business administrator. “He said he was happier than he had ever been when he became a church administrator,” Dickson said.