In some ways, pastor Shannon Long has come home to First Church, Whitmire.
“Invest in your own spiritual growth. And, as a part of that, be more relaxed in your ministry. God has called you there, and he’s in charge.” – Shannon LongIn September, Long will celebrate his fifth year as pastor at Whitmire where he first pastored about 40 years ago on the journey to being an international missionary, pastor, and a director of missions.
Preaching now from the same pulpit where he began, he has advice for younger pastors.
“Invest in your own spiritual growth,” he said. “And, as a part of that, be more relaxed in your ministry. God has called you there, and he’s in charge.” He also encourages young pastors to take more time with family and invest in family.
Speaking as a retired director of missions (Laurens Association), he encourages pastors to lead their churches to support their local associations, the state convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention.
“As a missionary and a director of missions, I’ve seen those special offerings come to life in ministries to people,” Long said. “Local associations are great places for churches and pastors to come together for support, and we all need that relational support.”
It is unusual, he said, for a pastor to “finish” in the same pulpit where he “started,” but it’s been a joy to reconnect with people who loved him and wife Lorraine then and continue to love them now.
“It is funny,” he said. “Some of the things we may have fussed over back then, we laugh about those times now.”
In 1961, Long, a freshman at Presbyterian College in Clinton, had preached “once or twice” in area churches when he was contacted by First Church, Whitmire. The church was without a pastor and asked Long if he would provide pulpit supply. He preached for them three times a week for about four months.
“They called a pastor, and about two months later asked if I would serve as the youth pastor,” Long said. He served in that position until 1964 when he graduated from Presbyterian College.
He and Lorraine, his high school sweetheart, moved to Louisville, Ky., where Long studied at Southern Seminary. After graduating, the Longs knew they wanted to be international missionaries, but while waiting on that assignment they were contacted by Whitmire First.
“They asked if I would be their pastor, and I told them that our goal was to be missionaries,” Long said. “They said, ‘Well, I guess we can stand you (until that happens).’ ” He served as the church pastor from 1970-1973.
For the next 16 years, the Longs served as international missionaries to Chile. Following his missionary service, Long served as the pastor at Park Church, Rock Hill, and then at Isle of Palms Church, Isle of Palms. From there, he accepted a call as the director of missions for Laurens Association. He served in Laurens for 14 years and retired there at age 65.
“One Sunday, after retirement, Whitmire First called and asked if I would come fill in for them,” he said. “After that, they just asked me if I would stay on and be their pastor. It’s been a great homecoming. The people are just wonderful, and just like family to Lorraine and me.”
His first Sunday back at Whitmire was exactly 33 years to the day that he resigned to serve in Chile. – SCBC