Jim SpencerJIM SPENCER began duties Aug. 1 as pastor of Brushy Creek Baptist Church, Easley. Since 1993, he had been pastor of Second Baptist Church in Lancaster. Prior to serving in Lancaster, Spencer was pastor of Lake Wateree Baptist Church in Ridgeway for three years. He also was minister of youth at Jonesville Baptist Church during the summers of 1987-88, where he was ordained to the ministry. Spencer, a former school teacher and coach, graduated from Newberry College and Southwestern Baptist Seminary. He earned his doctor of ministry degree from Trinity Seminary in Newburgh, Ind. He formerly served on the Committee on Committees for the South Carolina Baptist Convention and is a trustee of The Baptist Courier and Southwestern Seminary. He and his wife Ethel have two children, Shelby Lee and Savannah Claire.
Ryan GoodroeRYAN GOODROE began duties Aug. 1 as pastor of First Baptist Church in Hartsville. An installation service was held Aug. 6. Goodroe formerly was pastor of Cedar Shoals Baptist Church, Enoree, for three years. He is a member of the Committee on Committees for the South Carolina Baptist Convention and a trustee of The Baptist Courier. An honor graduate of Clemson University, he pursued a career in engineering before his call to the ministry. He graduated in 2003 from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth. Goodroe, son of Jim Goodroe, director of missions for the Spartanburg County Network, grew up in Camden and Sumter where his father was pastor of First Baptist churches. He and his wife Andrea have a 17-month-old son, Samuel.
CAREY HEDGPETH has been called as interim pastor for First Baptist Church in Greer. He began duties Aug. 6. Hedgpeth of Greer, a former pastor, is the founder and president of Faith at Work Ministries Inc., an evangelistic ministry that focuses on missions and church planting.
Rob WhiteROB WHITE assumed duties Aug. 1 as senior minister of Trinity Baptist Church, Cayce. Previously, he was on the staff of the South Carolina Baptist Convention serving in the church multiplication group. White has also been pastor of churches in South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana. He is married to the former Sandy Simril of Atlanta, Ga.
PAUL WELCH began serving as interim pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Clinton, July 2. A graduate of Mars Hill College and Southern Baptist Seminary, he was pastor of churches in Kentucky for 28 years before coming to South Carolina. Most recently, he was pastor of Fairview Baptist Church, Greer. Welch and his wife Kathy have three adult sons and two grandchildren.
Todd LynnTODD LYNN is serving as pastor of Parksville Baptist Church, Edgefield Association. He is a graduate of Carson-Newman College and Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary. Previously, Lynn, his wife Joice and their five children lived in Juneau, Alaska, where he was a bivocational pastor of a mission point in Tennakee Springs.