One word can be used to describe Broadus Moody at his recent retirement reception – beaming. Maybe it had something to do with the brand new Ford F250 truck with the bright red bow sitting just outside the door, or perhaps it was the steady stream of well-wishers lined up out the door waiting for a handshake.
Retiring Piedmont Association DOM Broadus Moody.Moody, 68, recently celebrated his retirement at Geer Memorial Baptist Church in Easley after serving for 13 years as director of missions for Piedmont Association.
“It’s been an exciting journey,” he said.
Moody plans to spend the next two months putting his new truck to the test by using it to pull his camper and traveling out west with his wife, Ann.
“It’s a reciprocation of love,” he said of the truck. “Joy all the way.”
Moody said he is hard pressed to choose just one highlight of his career because there have been so many bright moments. But one of the highlights would have to be the week-long vision trips he took pastors on to introduce them to mission opportunities.
“I wanted them to taste it and smell it and feel it where they get a heart for these people. If God connects your heart, then ‘let’s git ‘er done.’?” he said. “That worked really well because the pastors would come back with a passion for that area.”
Moody said the association serves as a support group for pastors and helps to introduce mission trips to churches which previously have not done them. But he says it goes much deeper than that. The goal is to help churches find a mission that connects to their hearts and can be carried on long-term.
“Primarily we helped them to realize that missions is a church responsibility and to help the church facilitate and provide resources to help churches with missions,” he said. “We were the support group for them.”
Moody said that while some of these mission trips involved traveling outside South Carolina or outside the country, he said the association also encourages churches to do mission work right where they live.
“We really focused on doing local missions,” he said.
Moody said hosting Good News Clubs in the schools after regular school hours has been a big focus. Another local mission is working inside apartment complexes. He said they encourage long-term commitments for continuing Bible study. In some of the larger complexes, a couple will move in to facilitate the mission.
“That is something that is really just taking off,” he said.
Moody said he also values retreats and lunch conferences for pastors, where “they could let their hair down and I could watch them connect with one another. They saw the value of connecting and coming together.”
He said Piedmont Association has a slogan that sums up their mission.
“We have three words we hang our hat on: partners on a mission,” Moody said.
When he returns from his travels, he will have a new job waiting for him. Beginning Oct. 1, he will serve as the transitional pastor for Croswell Baptist church in Powdersville. He said he will work with the church for 18-24 months to help them develop a purpose and vision for the future.
So why has Moody chosen to retire now? He said he doesn’t have a definitive answer, but he doesn’t question what God has put on his heart to do.
“I do know this: When God puts something on your heart, you don’t always know why,” he said. “I think it’s time for Papa to slow down.”