Anderson University has established a “Pastor of the Year” award to honor South Carolina Baptist pastors who have done an extraordinary job of modeling servant leadership at churches of all sizes in the state.
Anderson University president Evans Whitaker, left, congratulates recipients of three Pastor of the Year awards from the university. From left: Whitaker, Gene Lanier, Gregory Batchelor and Brian Saxon.In presenting the inaugural awards at the South Carolina Baptist Pastor’s Conference on Monday, Anderson president Evans Whitaker said, “Anderson University recognizes the unique high calling of the pastorate. We are excited to begin something very special tonight that we hope will truly honor the meritorious servant leadership of pastors in our state.”
The awards recognize pastors based on the following criteria: having served in South Carolina for at least three years; strong support of the Cooperative Program; and modeling pastoral faithfulness and integrity.
The university presented each recipient with a commemorative plaque along with free registration to the annual National Conference on Preaching (to be held in Atlanta in May 2012). LifeWay Christian Resources partnered with the school to provide gifts to go with the award, providing a leather-bound, engraved pulpit Bible for each recipient, along with a $50 store gift certificate.
The John E. White Award, presented to the Pastor of the Year representing churches of up to 200 members, is named for the second president of the university, John E. White, who served from 1916-1927.
The recipient was Gene Elwin Lanier, pastor of Black Creek Baptist Church in Walterboro.
Lanier has been at Black Creek for almost seven years. He has led the church in a period of revitalization that has renewed the people’s commitment to missions. Members give 20 percent of receipts to the Cooperative Program and another 10-12 percent to state and local missions. The church has averaged five-to-six baptisms each year of Lanier’s ministry there.
“My goal is to have every ministry of the church be one that serves to fulfill the mission of the church, which is winning the lost to Christ,” said Lanier.
The John Edward Rouse Award, presented to the South Carolina Baptist Pastor of the Year representing churches with 200-500 members, is named for the seventh president of Anderson University, John E. Rouse, who served from 1957-1973. The recipient was Gregory Dean Batchelor, pastor of First Baptist Church, Great Falls.
Batchelor has been at Great Falls for six years, during which time the church’s Cooperative Program giving has grown from 3 to 9 percent. Twenty-three people were baptized last year.
The church has developed a heart for servant evangelism and is excited about sharing Jesus with others, Batchelor said. “I have done nothing special,” he added. “I am just a representative of what God is doing in and through this group of people. God has blessed us with many new Christians who are on fire for Jesus and with long-time Christians who are still on fire for Jesus. [Great Falls] First Baptist is full of people willing to serve the community and show the love of Christ in tangible ways.”
The W.B. Johnson Award, presented to the pastor of the year representing churches with more than 500 members, is named for William Bullein Johnson, one of nine founders (1821) and president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention (1825-1852); first president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1845-1851); and founder and chancellor of Johnson University (1842-1862) – the forerunner to Anderson University.
The W.B. Johnson Award went to Brian Gene Saxon, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Lancaster.
Saxon has been at Second Baptist for more than four years. Under his leadership, the church has experienced revitalization, he said, as the people have gotten back to the basics of discipleship.
Second Baptist gives 10 percent of receipts to the Cooperative Program. Last year, 54 believers were baptized, and the church was recognized as one of the top 20 churches in the Southern Baptist Convention for supporting the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, giving more than $95,000.
“Christ loved me enough to die for me, and he loves me enough to live out his life in me,” said Saxon. “This past year, Second Baptist has focused on God’s redemptive story throughout the entire Bible. Our emphasis has been called ‘The Thin Red Line.’ We have concentrated on Christ’s atoning work throughout Scripture and the heart of God for the salvation of man. God allowed us to write all the lessons and devotions for our study.
“Our church understands God’s story is about redemption, and we better join him in taking his story to a lost world that needs to hear of Christ’s love for them. I want everyone to know how thankful I am for my church family and what Christ accomplished through them.”