Sunday, June 30th, was a day of celebration at First Baptist Church Callahan’s Pastor Lynn Hyatt was honored on his 40th anniversary as their senior pastor. A beautifully decorated church welcomed those who attended the special occasion including members, friends, family, former members and former staff members. The church family hosted a lunch after the service and showered Hyatt and his wife with gifts.
“We felt overwhelmed,” said Hyatt. “We are overwhelmed that by God’s grace He has saved, called, and used us…and that they [family and church family] would allow us to serve them all of these years.”
Thinking over his past 40 years at FBC Callahan, Hyatt recalled some of his favorite highlights as seeing multiple young men and women called out to serve in the local church or mission field and seeing people saved on a consistent basis. Hyattand his wife have also had the joy of seeing their own two adult children serving the Lord in their own unique way.
“The people are the highlights,” said Hyatt.
Hyatt is thankful that the mission emphasis of FBC Callahan has grown. The church faithfully prays for missionaries and sends mission teams out consistently, “it’s not just about writing a check.” Hyatt said that although Callahan is a “relatively small place, we’ve had a world-wide impact.”
Over the years, Hyatt has watched as church in general has “changed radically,” especially regarding worship styles. However, it’s not all about the past. Hyatt is very excited about the future of FBC Callahan.
“Young people are coming behind us. They like to do service projects and use them to share the gospel, the way evangelism was intended.”
As a pastor, Hyatt has “begun to learn what it means to have a servant, instead of an authoritarian heart” and that people “respond well to challenge and vision put before them, as long as they are confident that their leader is following the Lord,” said Hyatt.
To those just beginning their pastoral ministry, he offers this counsel: “Make sure, insure, that they [pastors] keep their personal relationship with the Lord as top priority; their family as second priority; and their work/ministry after that,” said Hyatt. “I would challenge them [pastors] to guard their heart, guard their study time as much as possible, and love the people and let them love you.”
David Drake, Director of the Northeast Florida Baptist Association, attended the anniversary service for Hyatt and has had the privilege of watching his ministry at FBC Callahan closely. “Lynn [Hyatt] is one of the most single focused, Christ honoring, Bible loving, soul winning, compassionate pastors I’ve ever had the joy of knowing. I’m glad to count him as one of my friends.”
“We’re just humbled that God could use us,” said Hyatt.“We’re so thankful and Peggy and I recognize that we are nothing and He is everything.”