The Reverend

Jack Overton has been shepherding in Fayette County for 40 years. Imagine

that! This past weekend Fayetteville First Baptist Church honored Brother

Jack (as most know him) for his faithful tenure first as pastor the First

Baptist Church and then as pastor emeritus. Just think, Brother Jack began

serving in Fayette before John Kennedy was assassinated.

Brother Jack

has served as a good shepherd. No member of his flock ever had to doubt

if Brother Jack would be there in times of need, including death, sickness,

or personal crisis. Often times, Brother Jack would be at his member's

home before emergency services could arrive. It was not because he has

any sort of obsession to be needed, but he possesses a genuine shepherding

heart. He cares for people, rich or poor.

Today, the

church's pastor has taken on a corporate CEO air. It seems that budgets,

personnel issues, buildings, and long range planning consume the time

and energy of many pastors. But not Brother Jack. He has never pretended

to be a corporate executive (although he led First Baptist Church to become

one of Fayette County's largest organizations). He has demonstrated, however,

the consistent compassion so many people long for today. Just somebody

to care for them.

Ministry has

its share of burning bridges. Members leave churches and burn their bridges

behind them. Ministers do the same. Brother Jack, however, has always

sought to fortify bridges rather than blow them apart. If I have heard

it once, I have heard it a hundred times, "Everybody loves Brother

Jack." The reason for that is this: Brother Jack exemplifies the

unconditional love of his master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Brother Jack

probably has never done anything knowingly to harm another person. Wow!

When we ministers

look out and scope out our peers, we have the tendency to pigeonhole ministers.

He's a good shepherd of his flock. Or, he's a good preacher. Or, he's

a good administrator. Or, he's a good entertainer.

Brother Jack

embraced both the heart of a good shepherd and the head of an able expositor

of God's Word. I have sat and listened to Brother Jack on several occasions,

always coming away refreshed with his insights into scripture. For the

years in the pulpit, the members of the First Baptist Church received

some of the best theology and preaching available in these parts. Many

big name preachers today pale in comparison with Brother Jack's grasp

of profound truths in God's Word. And that's a fact, Jack!

So, on behalf

of my fellow ministers, we congratulate Jack Overton on four decades of

faithful ministry. Any of us would be so blessed to achieve the same.

Bridges intact and all!

The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor

of River's Edge

Community Church in Fayetteville.

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