MILTON — West Florida Baptist Church’s retiring head pastor, Alan Stewart, shared his thoughts on the church and West Florida Baptist Academy.
“You know, I have never had a job here,” Stewart said. “I have had a calling, there is a difference between a job and a calling. I have never looked at this ministry as a job.”
WATCH: Video of Pastor Stewart speaking about his tenure with West Florida Baptist Church in Milton
On Sunday, the church paid tribute to Stewart and his wife, Darlyne, of 47 years with a retirement ceremony. Several individuals, including Santa Rosa County Commissioner Don Salter, spoke favorably on what the couple has meant to the church and the academy over the years.
Other guest speakers, both in person or on video, included former and current church staffers, fellow pastors, missionaries and his son-in-law, Mike Brown, who will take over the reins as church pastor.
GALLERY: Photos from Sunday's Retirement Service for Pastor Alan Stewart of West Florida Baptist Church>
BECOMING PASTOR
While Stewart served as the church’s lead pastor for the past 25 years, his work with the church and the academy goes back to 1973, when the church had a different location and a different name. Back then, Stewart Street Baptist Church was led by Jerry Walker.
After leaving Florida and adopting their daughter, Alana, the family returned to Milton in 1986.
Stewart became the school administrator and, in 1991, he became the pastor after Walker felt led to pastor a church in Alabama.
MISSIONARY WORK
Stewart is proud of his church’s support for missionary work abroad.
“We use what is called Faith Promise Missions; I ask people to pray and ask the Lord what he would lay on their hearts for missions next year, and then we would take up a commitment,” Stewart said. “I have never set a goal, just whatever was committed to come in that year … and every year we have exceeded that goal.”
In retirement, Stewart plans to visit several missionaries in such places as Brazil and the Philippines.
The pastoral reins are being passed along to Stewart’s son-in-law, Mike Brown, whom the church voted in as pastor in January.
Stewart said Brown is the right person to lead the church.
“He gained the confidence of people here,” Stewart said. “It will be a very smooth transition.”
‘BIGGEST SHOES TO FILL’
Brown, who started working with Stewart as a college intern in 2000, has worked as pastoral staff for the past 12 years.
He and his wife, Alana, now raise four children.
Brown said he has learned a lot from Stewart.
“The biggest thing I have learned from him is his love for people and his availability; that is going to be the biggest shoes to fill with four kids,” Brown said. “I think that is what endears him to these people, is the fact that he has always been there for anybody, any time of day, anytime of night.
“That is really what I want to follow in his footsteps in.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Pastor concludes service at West Florida Baptist Church (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)