Long-tenured pastors in San Antonio area recognized

San Antonio Baptist Association recently recognized 19 pastors who have served 25 or more years at the church where they minister now, including six who have served 30 years or more.

At its 164th annual meeting, the association honored the long-tenured pastors whose combined years of service in their current churches total 547 years.

“This kind of service gives us stability to build upon,” said Darrell Horn, executive director of San Antonio Baptist Association. “Without them, we wouldn’t have gotten this far.”

Each pastor’s wife received a white rose corsage symbolizing loyalty, Horn noted. In proper San Antonio fashion, a mariachi band played at the associational celebration.

The association honored two pastors who have served more than 40 years at a single church—44 years for Dennis Wall at The Hills Church and 42 years for Jack Stevens at Riverside Baptist Church.

“I can attribute my longevity here to the grace of the Lord and the patience of the church,” Stevens said.

Four additional pastors have served 30 years or more at the church where they currently minister—Jerry W. Dailey, 37 years at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church; Brent Bryant Sr., 34 years at Redeeming Grace Christian Church; Robert Campos, 31 years at My Redeemer Lives Church; and Alfonso Flores, 30 years at Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana.

Ten other pastors have served more than 25 years at their current church—Douglas Diehl, 29 years at Crossroads Baptist Church; Jesse Grice, 29 years at True Vine Baptist Church; Carlos Navarro, 29 years at Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville; Ray Still, 29 years at Oakwood Baptist Church; Steve Branson, 28 years at Village Parkway Baptist Church; Jeff Harris, 28 years at Grace Point Church; H. Statt Riddlebarger, 28 years at Pearsall Road Baptist Church; Robert Welch, 28 years at Parkhills Baptist Church; Fermin Flores, 26 years at Capilla Bautista El Buen Pastor; and David Lindow Jr., 26 years at First Baptist Church, Universal City.

Another three pastors have served 25 years at the church where they minister now—Jerry Cosper at Southeast Baptist Church, Gary C. Patterson at Berean Baptist Bible Fellowship and Adam U. Perez at Iglesia Bautista El Jordan.