WARRENTON – At 95 years young, pastor Bill Beard has had a long ministry of sharing the gospel. In fact, he just recently stepped down from sharing at Harton Senior Living in Warrenton, Mo.
“Bill would preach at Harton, which is across the highway from our church, during Sunday school,” Glenn Sparks, lead pastor of Fellowship Church, Bill’s church, said, “and then come and worship with us.”
Sparks had a lot to say about Beard and his work with the church.
“He helped start Fellowship,” he said, “he is a charter member. He has deep faith, and if he speaks, people stop and listen. He is so respected in our church and in the community.”
After serving the country in the Korean Conflict and in Germany, Beard returned to Missouri and in 1954 God called him to be a pastor.
“My first church was in Farber, Mo.,” Beard said, “and my first full-time church was in Fortuna. One of the teachers in my church suggested I apply for a teaching job at the school and I became a bi-vocational pastor when I got the job.”
In addition to being a pastor and a teacher, eventually Beard moved into school administration while pastoring churches. “We moved to Warrenton in 1967, and I spent two years as assistant principal in the High School and then, nineteen years as the principal of the Junior High. Other churches I pastored were in Jonesburg, Silex and Oak Grove.”
“I loved teaching English,” he said, “working with the students was so easy. I was not allowed to witness directly, but I could teach about Robert Frost and tell how he felt about God.”
In 1995, Beard retired from school and church pastoring. “That’s when I got into disaster relief,” he said. “I did so much with disaster relief, it is hard to list, but I did work the chain saw, I did some cooking and I served the chaplaincy.”
“After that, I started my ministry with senior living facilities,” Beard continued. “It fell into place, so I just kept doing it for fifteen years.”
Sparks agreed that the senior ministry was the next calling for Beard. “There is an openness and joy in the residents in their response to Bill. He is faithful to his ministry.”
“There is a solidness to his doctrine,” he added. “It is time tested and biblically based.”
Sparks also mentioned the great work of his wife, Verdia. “She is a greeter at our church,” he said. “She makes everyone feel warm and fuzzy.”
Beard also mentioned the service of his wife. “My greatest accomplishment,” he said, “is getting Verdia to become Mrs. Beard.”
According to Sparks, Beard still attends the associational pastors’ meetings. “Bill is a great encouragement to us all,” Bob Feeler, associational mission strategist (aka director of missions), said. “He is a joy to be around. He has spunk, zeal, and a love for Jesus.”
Sparks agreed. “Bill is an inspiration. I want to finish my ministry well like Bill,” he said.
Beard is not taking credit for anything. “I marvel at what God did in my life,” he said. “I didn’t go to high school, but God took me through advanced degrees and he let me serve Him.”