Warren R. Neely, pastor of David Street Baptist Church, Greenville, was presented the Small-Church Pastor of the Year award recently at White Oak Conference Center.

Pictured, from left: Don Matthews, Warren and Jeannie Neely, and Ken Hemphill. Neely, pastor of David Street Baptist Church, Greenville, was recognized Oct. 22 as the Small-Church Pastor of the Year.

The award was presented by Jim Austin, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and Don Matthews, SCBC director of church health and revitalization, at a banquet held Oct. 22. The banquet was part of the South Carolina Baptist Bivocational and Small Church Leadership Network annual retreat. Those attending the Church Planter and State Missionaries Conference were also present.

Neely was recommended by Ron Davis, director of missions for Greenville Baptist Association. “There is a significant population of homeless in the area, and David Street feeds approximately 100 people several times each week,” Davis said. “Pastors like Warren Neely are my heroes. He and his church are making a difference in their community in the name of Jesus.”

Neely works as an electrician. He and his wife Jeannie are also raising several grandchildren.

Guest speaker for the banquet was Ken Hemphill, former president of Southwestern Seminary, who currently works with the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. He challenged bivocational pastors and missionaries to realize the power of the local church. “We underestimate the power of the church and need to realize that God wants to show himself through the church just as he did through Christ,” Hemphill said. – SCBC