January 26, 2015
MARSHALL NEWS MESSENGER (1/24/15) - Almost 38 years after he joined Central Baptist Church as pastor, Wallace Watkins bid adieu to his flock to warm wishes and fond memories.
"There's a friend of mine who said, Wallace Watkins is not a famous pastor but probably should be," said Patrick Adair, Central's new pastor. "From my perspective it was a tremendous honor and blessing to be able to follow in Wallace's footsteps."
Watkins retired from his pastorship on Jan. 1 but the church held a service on Jan. 11 to say farewell.
"During the service, (Wallace's wife) Susie and my wife and I all got together on stage and Susie gave a bouquet of flowers to my wife and he gave me a large print Bible and said he hoped I would serve at the church until I needed a large print Bible," Adair said. "He gave me a large baton signifying the handing over of the church. It's a tremendous blessing to be affirmed that way, for him to do it publicly in front of the congregation was really special."
Watkins pastored Central from 1977 through 2014, leaving for a 15 year interlude pursuing other ventures.
He left Central in 1995 to serve as vice president of spiritual development at East Texas Baptist University where he worked with ministry students, served as the university chaplain and taught some classes for 10 years before he left to serve in intentional interim ministry where he helped churches that were in a turbulent time. He enjoyed that work for five years before receiving a call from Central.
"Things were going well and I expected to continue that work for some time," he said. "Central Baptist had been going through a difficult time in its life, and while I never expected to serve as pastor there again, I received as clear an impression from God as I have ever received about anything. I needed to make myself available to go back to Central and see if the Lord could not use me to help them move back to focusing on those things for which they were established in 1943."
Over the last five years he has worked with church leaders to stabilize the congregation and prepare for the next chapter for the church.
"I'm 75 years old. We were trying to find a younger pastor to come in and about nine months ago we welcomed in Patrick Adair and his wife Jenny to work alongside me with the intention to become the senior pastor."
Watkins has been instrumental in implementing numerous programs within the church and the community including the Faith Clinic, Mission Marshall, Central's intercessory prayer ministry, the volunteer chaplaincy program at Good Shepherd Medical Center - Marshall, and many more.
As for the future, Watkins said he hopes to become involved with intentional interim ministry again as well as enjoy his time with his children and grandchildren.
"I do not see myself ever serving as a full-time pastor again, but I pray I will serve the Lord in some manner that will advance the kingdom for as long as I live. Susie and I plan to travel quite a bit in 2015."
Wallace said he and his wife, Susie, will remain members at Central, and he's looking forward to the new perspective.
"I think I will enjoy being out in the pew," he said. "It will be so nice to have a pastor."