From Recovery to Revival: Pastor Leads Church That Once Helped Save Him
Written By: Cody Watson
WEIRSDALE, Fla. — Fifteen years ago, Jamie Scher was homeless, addicted to heroin and facing jail time after stealing from his own family. Today, he serves as pastor of First Baptist Church of Weirsdale and director of the Christian Care Center — the same ministry that once helped rescue his life.
Scher’s turning point came after an arrest in Sumter County. Given the option to enter a faith-based recovery program, he reluctantly agreed and was taken to the Christian Care Center, a ministry connected to First Baptist Church of Leesburg. There, he heard the gospel for the first time.
“I went in wanting to prove them wrong,” Scher said. “But God used my stubbornness to show me who I was compared to who He is. A couple of months in, I surrendered my life to Christ — and I never left.”
After graduating, Scher stayed on to serve, eventually becoming director of the men’s center. In September 2024, he was called as pastor of First Baptist Church of Weirsdale, a small rural congregation that was averaging about 15 people on Sundays.
In just a year, Sunday attendance has grown to between 70 and 110, but Scher says the real story isn’t the numbers.
“People want to serve. They want to be part of something,” he said. “We just gave them something to do and trusted God to provide.”
The church began with simple efforts — Christmas meals for families and a back-to-school backpack drive. The first year, they distributed 188 backpacks. The next year, more than 350 were given out, along with clothes and shoes. Those efforts grew into a weekly food pantry and clothing closet.
From September to December, the church served more than 1,700 people. Today, clothing and food distribution take place every Tuesday, with weekend food packs distributed on Fridays.
One story still stands out to Scher: A woman who came for shoes landed a job after an interview, began attending church with her teenage daughter and was later baptized alongside her.
“We’re not just sending people home with full bellies,” he said. “We’re making sure we’re feeding them the truth of Jesus Christ too.”
The church is also preparing a transitional home for men graduating from recovery programs, using its parsonage as a bridge back into stable living. Scher envisions the ministry serving Marion County and surrounding areas.
“It’s not about what we can do,” he said. “It’s about what God can do. He uses the weak to show His strength — and He loves to use small churches to do big things.”
