LOUISIANA, Mo. – Fifty years as pastor in the same church is quite an accomplishment! Though some pastors have been in the ministry for 50 years, not many stay in the same congregation for half a century. Charles Moore, who is 87 years old, was honored on his 50 year anniversary by his church, association and friends earlier in August.
Noix Creek Baptist Church, Louisiana, organized the celebration which was a surprise to Pastor Moore. Churches in the area and the Salt River Baptist Association pitched in to hold the celebration on Saturday morning, Aug. 5.
LOUISIANA, Mo. – Charles Moore was honored on Aug. 5 with a party, recognizing 50 years that he has served as pastor of Noix Creek Baptist Church here.
Pastor Moore began ministry at Noix Creek in 1972. It was his first pastorate. He said he had been raised in the Clarksville area, a Mississippi River town southeast of Louisiana. He had surrendered to preach at the First Baptist Church, Clarksville, earlier that year. “God just laid it on my heart,” Moore said. In the subsequent 50 years, he said he’s had opportunities to leave but God has always said no. So he stayed there and continued to serve as pastor.
The church runs about 15 in attendance, sometimes 30 on a big day, Moore said. The name Noix is pronounced “Noy” and is of French derivative.
Moore said he loves serving the church. It seems the congregation and the community love him too. One 100-year-old lady who attends church in Louisiana told him, “I pray everyday that God doesn’t call you away from that church.”
Frank Welch, the director of missions for the Salt River Baptist Association said Moore “is a stronghold. He’s an older gentleman, full of wisdom.”
Welch added, “Younger pastors go to him for help. He’s still going out and doing mission work. If he hears of a family needing a roof, he will get some men together to organize a roofing project. I can’t keep up with him.”
Moore has always been a bivocational pastor, holding other jobs such as golf course landscaper, mechanic at a landfill, house mover and other roles. He said he has always tried to balance ministry, vocational work and family. When he worked on the golf course he was putting in 12 hour days and trying to visit people in the church in the evenings. His young son said, “It’s kind of like not having a dad at all.” Moore said that hurt. He had to cut back a little. But he added, “We get that balance ‘by the power of God.’”
Asked what kept him in the same church and pulpit for 50 years, Moore said, “I find in ministry sometimes pastors get discouraged. They want to leave. But God is always working. He says, ‘Wait on me.’ God supplies the needs to sustain you.”
He said the little church has grown some over the years. They have expanded their building to accommodate for more people. Some people said they couldn’t afford the project, but Moore urged them to move forward in faith. Volunteers came forward to work on the addition. The money came in a little at a time. They even put up suspended ceiling grids and didn’t have the funds to purchase the ceiling tiles. But the next day a man put the money in the hand of the preacher so they could proceed.
Moore has been through some rough times, surviving two rounds of cancer. But, after three years of treatment, there is now no sign of cancer. His wife, Marie, whom he has been married to for 64 years, helps him with the ministry. She has a ministry of sending greeting cards which she makes on her computer. She keeps track of many people, sending them notes of encouragement and birthday greetings.
The church organized the party and kept it a secret from Moore. Frank Welch called him and asked if he could pick him up on a Saturday morning. Moore said he had heard something about some preachers getting together, but he didn’t think too much about it. When he walked up to the church, there were people there from the church, the association and his friends and neighbors from way back. Some recalled a Sunday school class he used to teach in Clarksville. He said there were men there far more qualified than him to teach (some of them school teachers) but they wanted him to teach the Bible class.
Moore said he ran from God early in his life. He enlisted in the Navy to learn a trade. He came out a welder but decided there might be too much travel involved. So he settled down, got married and began working in various jobs—he called himself a “jack of all trades.” At age 36 he was serving in church and he thought the church should start a Wednesday prayer meeting. So he suggested it to the pastor who turned to him and said, “Well, then you start it.” He did and that led to other opportunities to serve and preach.
At age 36 he committed to serve in ministry and that same year was called by Noix Creek. He’s still there 50 years later.
Asked if he has advice for younger preachers, Moore said, “No matter what comes up, wait on God. He has a plan. Proclaim the truth and the complete truth. Tell people of God’s love and share that message.”