Fred Stone clearly remembers the moment when, as a young adult, he felt God’s tug.
Fred Stone, pastor of Pickens First Baptist Church and president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, remembers what it was like to be welcomed as a young pastor by convention leaders. He wants to extend the same encouragement to today’s younger generation of leaders.He was an administrative management major at Clemson University, and he had been asked to speak at a service called “Student Night at Christmas” at his church, Pendleton First Baptist. The topic: living the Christian life on a college campus.
Although he was baptized at 6 and “truly converted” at 17, it was the first time he had been asked to prepare a biblical message. As he stood before his church, he “really sensed that God was in that. It was like, this is what I was made to do: study Scripture and teach it” as a pastor.
Over the next six months, Stone applied himself to thinking and praying about what he felt was God’s leading. He started going to Baptist Student Union meetings at Clemson. He talked to friends and mentors. In time, he became certain that God was calling him to preach, a certainty that today still drives the pastor of Pickens First Baptist Church and president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
During the years of his preparation for ministry – which included supply preaching, serving part-time on church staffs and enrolling at Southwestern Seminary – Stone said he was challenged and encouraged by older ministers and by people his own age. Now, at 54, he likewise wants to serve as an encourager for younger leaders.
“I am thankful for the people and opportunities God placed in my life as a young man,” he said. “There were several veteran pastors who encouraged me and gave me opportunities to preach in those early days. My seminary experience was invaluable. After I graduated, I had a couple of older pastors who mentored me, and a few pastor friends my age who were like a mutual-support group in those early days.
“I believe every young minister would profit from that combination of formal theological education, informal mentoring, and supportive peers who are learning the realities of day-to-day ministry along with him.”
Since his election as SCBC president last November, Stone has spoken plainly about the need for the denomination to involve younger leaders in mapping the future of the convention. In a Courier op-ed piece published Feb. 18, Stone called on younger leaders to be involved in “transitioning our convention into a future you help shape, and then lead as our future key leaders.”
“It is my prayer that we, who are older leaders today, will welcome the younger generation to the table of convention leadership as warmly as we were [welcomed],” he wrote.
This spring, Stone is holding meetings across the state with younger leaders (under 40) for “fellowship and dialogue.”
While acknowledging that the Southern Baptist Convention is not growing or baptizing believers at the rate it once did, Stone is “impressed” by the younger generation of pastors. “They are theologically sharp, committed to the local church, and passionate about fulfilling the Great Commission,” he wrote.
Stone said he recognizes that the world has changed since he was a young pastor and that today’s younger leaders face challenges he couldn’t have imagined, like managing social-networking technologies and responding to e-mails – activities that can end up stealing more time than they save.
“Thirty years ago, pastors never seemed to have enough hours in a week to complete everything they needed, wanted or were expected to do,” Stone said. “Now, add in all the additional time technology seems to demand, and there really is greater time pressure on today’s younger – and older – pastors who take advantage of available technology.”
Stone is impressed by what he believes are the defining issues for today’s younger leaders. “Of the younger pastors I know best, I think theological issues are at the top of their list – staying focused on the gospel, fulfilling the Great Commission, planting churches locally and globally, and developing disciples.
“I think younger leaders are consciously seeking to glorify God in all things. They are also committed to applying theology in a culturally relevant and practical way.”
Stone is concerned that some younger leaders might “too narrowly” focus on one particular leader or leadership model. He said he would encourage them to become familiar with a “more diverse group of biblically sound, culturally relevant and time-tested” leaders.
“Some younger leaders only interact with the other younger leaders,” he said. “They would benefit from getting to know some of the older pastors and leaders in our state.”
To that end, Stone hopes his meetings with younger leaders will help pave the way for a passing of the torch that will signal a revival of Southern Baptist influence in reaching both South Carolina and the world for Christ.
When he was a young pastor, the transition of convention leadership from an older generation to his was “a peaceful and positive experience,” he said.
“We have a history of doing that in the South Carolina Baptist Convention,” he added.
SCBC President Fred Stone
Age: 54
Wife: Lisa, a public school music teacher
Children: David (with wife Amy and grandson Will), Michael
Church: Pickens First Baptist
Education: Clemson University (B.A.), Southwestern Seminary (M.Div.), Reformed Theological Seminary (D.Min.)
Hobbies: Golf, family activities
Quote: “I’m a recipient of God’s grace – not just in salvation, but in everything.”