We are excited to present Dr. Don Gordon as our Interim Minister to serve until a new pastor is called for St. John’s Baptist. Don was recommended to us by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, and has served as our Transition Guide advising the Pastor Search Team since May of this year.
Don’s background and interests are varied and intriguing. After earning a B.S. in mathematics from Campbell University and doing graduate work in math at N.C. State, Don felt a call to ministry. He then earned a Master of Divinity with Languages from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and began 30 years of service as a full-time church minister, serving as a senior minister for 23 of those years. While serving as a senior minister, Don earned a Doctor of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary. Since his retirement from full-time ministry in 2018, Don has served as interim minister in three North Carolina churches.
In addition to his work as a pastor, Don is a writer and an environmentalist. He is the author of three books — A Concise History of North Carolina Baptists, Prayers of a Pastor, and Psalms for Children — and editor of a fourth, Elevating Preaching 2009: A Collection of Elevating Sermons. He is also the founder and CEO of C3-Christians Caring for Creation, a non-profit organization calling Christians to embrace our role as stewards of creation.
Don has been a faithful alumnus of Campbell University, serving the University as member of the Board of Trustees, member of the Presidential Board of Advisors, and member of the Board of Ministers. He has been active in serving the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and YMCA in a number of different roles, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Good Faith Media, a non-profit organization offering reflection and resources at the intersection of faith, culture, and democracy through an inclusive Christian lens.
Don is the father of three daughters and has six grandchildren. He is engaged to be married soon and loves pickleball, exercise, and reading good books.
Don begins September 14, and will typically be in the church office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. His schedule may vary depending on meetings or events he needs to attend at other times. We have called Don in a part-time capacity, about 18-20 hours per week on average. He will not be responsible for all of the duties of a fulltime Senior Minister.
When you see Don, please welcome him to St. John’s!
