2008 Woodie Awards
SBU professor fills in at local church
Liz Hood
Issue date: 11/11/04 Section: Feature
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Some Southwest Baptist University students have the privilege of attending one of Rodney Reeves classes throughout the week. Other students can attend services at Bolivar's First Baptist Church to hear him preach as the interim pastor.
Reeves, the dean of SBU's Redford School of Theology, has been serving as interim pastor at First Baptist since the third week of August. The position became available when church's former pastor and SBU Board of Trustees member, Ray Leininger, retired after nearly 20 years of service.
Upon Leininger's retirement, the church formed a personnel search committee and asked Reeves to be the church's interim pastor. After "prayerful concern," Reeves agreed to take the position. His duties include delivering the sermon for the Sunday morning service with other staff members covering the Sunday evening service.
This is not Reeves' first time being an interim pastor. While teaching at Williams Baptist Church in Arkansas, he served some of the area churches on a interim basis. He was also a full time pastor at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ark.
Reeves says it is "a joy to speak at churches. I consider it an expression of my calling."
Reeves' family supports him in everything he is involved in. His wife, Sherry, is a speech pathologist. The couple has three children.
To most people balancing a family, teaching, serving as Dean of the Redford School and being a pastor might be difficult to do, but Reeves does not have much trouble.
"I don't find it difficult at all," Reeves said. "I've been doing this for quite awhile."
This is Reeves fifth year of teaching at SBU and his first year as Dean.
"It's very fulfilling relating to students on a variety of levels," he said, referring to teaching and being a pastor.
A teacher of New Testament History at SBU, Reeves says, "I'm getting sermon notes all the time."
With his church still searching for a permanent pastor, Reeves will continue his ministry and service in the FBC pulpit.
Reeves, the dean of SBU's Redford School of Theology, has been serving as interim pastor at First Baptist since the third week of August. The position became available when church's former pastor and SBU Board of Trustees member, Ray Leininger, retired after nearly 20 years of service.
Upon Leininger's retirement, the church formed a personnel search committee and asked Reeves to be the church's interim pastor. After "prayerful concern," Reeves agreed to take the position. His duties include delivering the sermon for the Sunday morning service with other staff members covering the Sunday evening service.
This is not Reeves' first time being an interim pastor. While teaching at Williams Baptist Church in Arkansas, he served some of the area churches on a interim basis. He was also a full time pastor at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ark.
Reeves says it is "a joy to speak at churches. I consider it an expression of my calling."
Reeves' family supports him in everything he is involved in. His wife, Sherry, is a speech pathologist. The couple has three children.
To most people balancing a family, teaching, serving as Dean of the Redford School and being a pastor might be difficult to do, but Reeves does not have much trouble.
"I don't find it difficult at all," Reeves said. "I've been doing this for quite awhile."
This is Reeves fifth year of teaching at SBU and his first year as Dean.
"It's very fulfilling relating to students on a variety of levels," he said, referring to teaching and being a pastor.
A teacher of New Testament History at SBU, Reeves says, "I'm getting sermon notes all the time."
With his church still searching for a permanent pastor, Reeves will continue his ministry and service in the FBC pulpit.
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