Meet the Staff
Keith Stevenson
Interim Senior Pastor
If you’ve been a part of Hervey Bay Baptist Church, you may already know Keith Stevenson. Keith became the Pastor of HBBC in 1988 and officially finished his ministry in 2016. He is currently Interim Senior Pastor, alongside Chris Ganter, as we continue our search for our new full time Senior Pastor.
Earlier this week, I sat down with Keith to ask him about his faith. As someone who doesn't know Keith very well, I felt warmed by how open and honest he was.
This is Keith's story.
~~
I became a Christian at the age of 12, but I wasn't a pastor until I was 39. Prior to that, I worked at the bank for 22 years. Looking back on my life, I grew up in a family with a very committed Christian mum, and a very faithful dad who was really encouraging of us children. So I made a commitment when I was 12, but I think I really may have become a Christian in my own self a bit later, when I was about 18. That's probably when I made my life commitment. But even having said that, because of my mum's example, I have a tremendous heritage. I can't remember one day of my life, even as a child, that I didn't know that God loved me. I've never felt insecure. That's always been a foundation that I deeply appreciate.
I think when you're 12, you commit the world that you know as a 12-year-old to God, and when you're 18, you commit the world you know as an 18-year-old to God. I think sometimes in evangelical terms we try to nail the date that we became a Christian of faith - I accept that - but I think it's a growing relationship. As you grow, there are new things that you commit and hand over to God.
Becoming a Christian at 12 certainly changed my life. It gave me direction and a sense of purpose moving forward. That said, I was not a particularly outgoing Christian; I didn't tell too many mates around me that I was a Christian. I really started to understand that I was making a lifelong commitment at 18, and it was probably in the next few years that I was challenged to do something about it. As a young man, I thought that I could go anywhere in the world; wherever God said, I would go. None of that opened up for me! So I joined the bank, and about 6 years before I left, I remember there was a defining time where I knew I was going to be a Pastor, and I wasn't going to stay in the bank long term.
I'd never gone through the normal channels. I'd never been to Bible college. I actually tried to sign up a few times, and they said no! See, I never left the bank because I felt discontent. If I hadn't had the call, I probably would have retired in the bank. As a matter of fact, I loved it. I'm passionate about maths and dealing with money, and out of those 22 years I spent 20 years in lending. To have a couple come in struggling to own a house, and be able to work it and get them into a home, was fantastic. I used to go home satisfied. It also gave me a huge appreciation for people in small business. They work 24/7, they risk their own finances, and every time I meet someone in small business I have an affinity towards them, and what they're doing for our community. But, I knew that I was called to be a pastor, and it was just a matter of giving up the bank so I could do that.
My relationship with God grew absolutely when I became a pastor. I had been an honorary pastor at a small church in Brisbane, so I knew how a small church would run, but to come and take on a pastoring role was a growing experience. I've had huge changes in my life over the years. I never knew when I started that I would stay for so long, or that the church would grow as it did. Most of the things I did in the early years were accidental; I just tried things, and trusted God. Some things worked, and some things didn't.
One of my passions is that the ministry belongs to the people, not the select few. Each person has a gift, and God has a special thing He can do through everyone. The body of Christ works best not when there are key people who lead and everybody follows, but when the body of Christ is mobilised, and everyone is using their giftings, both within and outside the church. Sunday is really just the coming together of the body, it's not all of church, it's just a little part of it. The rest of the seven days is when we've got an opportunity to use our gifts the way God means us to. I hope everyone uses their gifts; that they step out, and take a step of courage with God.
~~
Keith, we are so grateful to you and Lindy for stepping back into pastoring with us at this time. Thank you for using your gifts at HBBC as we transition to a new Senior Pastor.
Sam B
Earlier this week, I sat down with Keith to ask him about his faith. As someone who doesn't know Keith very well, I felt warmed by how open and honest he was.
This is Keith's story.
~~
I became a Christian at the age of 12, but I wasn't a pastor until I was 39. Prior to that, I worked at the bank for 22 years. Looking back on my life, I grew up in a family with a very committed Christian mum, and a very faithful dad who was really encouraging of us children. So I made a commitment when I was 12, but I think I really may have become a Christian in my own self a bit later, when I was about 18. That's probably when I made my life commitment. But even having said that, because of my mum's example, I have a tremendous heritage. I can't remember one day of my life, even as a child, that I didn't know that God loved me. I've never felt insecure. That's always been a foundation that I deeply appreciate.
I think when you're 12, you commit the world that you know as a 12-year-old to God, and when you're 18, you commit the world you know as an 18-year-old to God. I think sometimes in evangelical terms we try to nail the date that we became a Christian of faith - I accept that - but I think it's a growing relationship. As you grow, there are new things that you commit and hand over to God.
Becoming a Christian at 12 certainly changed my life. It gave me direction and a sense of purpose moving forward. That said, I was not a particularly outgoing Christian; I didn't tell too many mates around me that I was a Christian. I really started to understand that I was making a lifelong commitment at 18, and it was probably in the next few years that I was challenged to do something about it. As a young man, I thought that I could go anywhere in the world; wherever God said, I would go. None of that opened up for me! So I joined the bank, and about 6 years before I left, I remember there was a defining time where I knew I was going to be a Pastor, and I wasn't going to stay in the bank long term.
I'd never gone through the normal channels. I'd never been to Bible college. I actually tried to sign up a few times, and they said no! See, I never left the bank because I felt discontent. If I hadn't had the call, I probably would have retired in the bank. As a matter of fact, I loved it. I'm passionate about maths and dealing with money, and out of those 22 years I spent 20 years in lending. To have a couple come in struggling to own a house, and be able to work it and get them into a home, was fantastic. I used to go home satisfied. It also gave me a huge appreciation for people in small business. They work 24/7, they risk their own finances, and every time I meet someone in small business I have an affinity towards them, and what they're doing for our community. But, I knew that I was called to be a pastor, and it was just a matter of giving up the bank so I could do that.
My relationship with God grew absolutely when I became a pastor. I had been an honorary pastor at a small church in Brisbane, so I knew how a small church would run, but to come and take on a pastoring role was a growing experience. I've had huge changes in my life over the years. I never knew when I started that I would stay for so long, or that the church would grow as it did. Most of the things I did in the early years were accidental; I just tried things, and trusted God. Some things worked, and some things didn't.
One of my passions is that the ministry belongs to the people, not the select few. Each person has a gift, and God has a special thing He can do through everyone. The body of Christ works best not when there are key people who lead and everybody follows, but when the body of Christ is mobilised, and everyone is using their giftings, both within and outside the church. Sunday is really just the coming together of the body, it's not all of church, it's just a little part of it. The rest of the seven days is when we've got an opportunity to use our gifts the way God means us to. I hope everyone uses their gifts; that they step out, and take a step of courage with God.
~~
Keith, we are so grateful to you and Lindy for stepping back into pastoring with us at this time. Thank you for using your gifts at HBBC as we transition to a new Senior Pastor.
Sam B
Posted in Introducing