Sammy Taylor was 26 when he took his first pastorate — Mountain View Baptist Church, Phil Campbell, in Franklin Baptist Association. He answered the call expectantly.
But he had no idea he would stay 40 years and end up being the longest tenured pastor in the association’s history.
On Jan. 14, Mountain View Baptist honored him for four decades in the ministry there.
“It’s been an amazing journey,” Taylor said. “I’m blessed to serve.”
A lot has happened in the time since Taylor and his wife, Judy, came to the church. He’s watched youth grow up and get married, have children and even grandchildren. He watched the church build a new building in 1995, pay it off in 2010 and then saw it destroyed in April 2011 by the tornadoes that ripped across the state. But they built again and they have no plans to slow down now.
Neither does Taylor.
“The Lord has blessed us; we’ve had a good ministry over the years,” he said. “We’re just going to carry on.”
Terry Welborn, worship leader, said Mountain View Baptist “couldn’t ask for a better pastor.” (Grace Thornton)
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