Age will not deter Missouri pastor from ministering, visiting Romania

By Bob Baysinger
Managing Editor

August 12, 2003

OSCEOLA – Age was no factor when Durward Scott began thinking about a trip to Romania.

"I’ve had some people tell me I was too old to go, but I don’t agree," said Scott, 78, who is in his 11th year as pastor of Vista Baptist Church, located south of Osceola.

"I first heard about the opportunity to go to Romania in The Pathway. I talked about it to the church and the people have been very supportive. They will be helping me."

Scott is one of 30 Missouri Baptist pastors who have committed to travel to Romania on Sept. 22-30 to meet with Romanian Baptist pastors and also preach in Romania Baptist churches. Roy Dameron, who is working in the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) evangelism department to coordinate the Romania trip, said several pastors are considering the trip but Aug. 21 will be the deadline for plane tickets.

"I have never been to Romania, but my wife and I did take a 21-day trip overseas the year I was graduated from seminary at Midwestern," Scott said. "I wanted to go see some of the places we had been studying about in archeology."

Sightseeing will not be the purpose behind this trip, however.

"I will be preaching on Sunday and spend three days with the pastor," Scott said. "The reason we’re going is to spread the Good News."

Scott’s daughter, Winnie, is on staff at South Haven Baptist Church, Springfield, and several times has represented Missouri Baptists in Belarus.

Missouri pastors interested in going to Romania should call Linda Stockton at 1-800-736-6227, extension 621.