First Baptist Church of Haynesville to celebrate pastor’s 25th anniversary

The First Baptist Church of Haynesville is getting ready to celebrate their pastor, David Fisher’s 25th anniversary this coming Sunday, Feb. 3.

The church is putting on a special service for Fisher with special music guests and pastors along with family and friends. Sunday school will take place at 9 a.m., but the service will begin at 10 a.m.

Fisher became the pastor at First Baptist Church of Haynesville in February of 1994. He has been in the Christian ministry now for 56 years, and has been a pastor for 51. Fisher said he felt the call to serve right out of high school.

“When I first started, I was right out of high school and didn’t have any formal education,” Fisher said. “But I felt the call of God to preach. I surrendered when I was 18, and then began pastoring when I was 20. I completed two years of college at the Norman Baptist College. After that, I became the pastor at Northside Baptist Church in Fitzgerald, pastoring there for 26 years.”

Fisher then moved to Macon, and one night he received a call from one of the deacons of First Baptist Church of Haynesville asking if he would come preach one Sunday.

“The church has been through a time of hurt and pain. I too was going through a tough time, so when I came to Haynesville, I needed them and felt like the Lord just put us together. The congregation and I went through a healing process together, and here we are 25 years later.”

When Fisher first started preaching in Haynesville, he said the church had about 65 members. Today they have a membership of 600 and “on a good Sunday,” have almost 400 members in attendance, he said.

“When I came here, it seemed like the Lord began to move people to Haynesville,” Fisher said. “The community of Haynesville at the time was not heavily populated. But people began to buy property and build their homes. So we became one of the fastest growing churches in Houston County. We are in a good location because we are 10 miles from Perry and Hawkinsville, 13 miles from Unadilla, and we even have some who come from Warner Robins.”

Fisher and his wife, Okcha, were also married at First Baptist Church of Haynesville in 1995. Together they adopted a son, Jimmy, at 10 months old and who is now 22. They also have a grandson, Austin. Fisher said the church holds a lot of special memories for him.

“This has been a great ministry to me,” Fisher said. “The people here are truly special. This probably will be my last church, as I am beyond the age of retirement, however I am in good health. I enjoy what I do and as long as I am able, I will continue to preach the gospel.”

“I am looking forward to Sunday and we want everyone to come and celebrate with us,” Fisher went on to say. “I have five siblings and back in the day, they used to travel as a music group, and they will be performing this Sunday. We also have former music ministers and Tim Millwood, director of missions for the Rehoboth Baptist Association, who will be here to speak. It’s going to be a great anniversary service.”