Central Baptist Church in Warner Robins celebrates 60 years of worship
WARNER ROBINS -- The Rev. Owen Bozeman of Central Baptist Church was happy Sunday.
Sunday was the 60th anniversary of the church Bozeman has served for 20 years, and two young men who grew up at Central were on hand to lead the services.
Daniel Hoover was back in town from Kennesaw, where he serves as executive pastor at Northstar Church. He previously was minister of music at Northstar and led worship Sunday at Central.
Preaching was Chad Wood. Wood grew up at Central and is now pastor of First Baptist Church in Warner Robins.
And it was from First Baptist that most of Central's charter members came from back in 1955.
Sunday, members of First Baptist chose to forego their own service in order to celebrate with Central and show support for their pastor.
"Both churches have done extremely well through the years; I guess that's one of the big takeaways from the day," Bozeman said. "It really was a great day and I couldn't have been more proud at seeing Chad and Daniel leading like they did."
Bozeman said Wood taught a Bible passage from James 4. He said he was proud to hear Wood present a clear gospel message.
"I was pleased he preached such an anointed, prophetic message from God's word rather than just get up and talk about how great Central is," he said. "We always hope it comes through how great God is, not how great we are. God has done some wonderful things here but what's most important is the life he offers us all in Christ Jesus."
Wood said it was an honor and thrill to preach at Central.
"That's my home church," he said. "That's where I grew up, where I was saved, where I was baptized and where God called me into ministry. I preached my first sermon there in the youth group and my first regular church service there one Sunday night. It was an honor to speak for this anniversary and have members from my church now joining in to worship together after 60 years. My goal was to lift high what God has done in both churches and see us all rally together in unity."
Bozeman noted that on Sunday, Wood preached from a pulpit handmade by Wood's father for Central years ago. He said about 10 of the church's charter members were recognized at the service.
One charter member is Virginia Haralson, who remembers Central's first location on Watson Boulevard, just across from where the city built a giant water tower and on property now part of the expanded Houston Medical Center.
"We had revival services in a tent early on," she said. "Before we built our sanctuary, our buildings looked sort of like a motel and we sat the tent right in the middle of the property. We even put a temporary baptismal pool out there and a lot of people came to the Lord and were baptized. That was a stirring time and helped us grow."
She remembers just as well 10 years ago when the church moved to its current location at the intersection of Russell Parkway and Lake Joy Road. Though difficult to leave the old, she said she loved the new facility with more room and "just more everything for everybody."
She said the old facilities had become cramped.
Another charter member, Wynez Thompson, found her memories running to family.
"I've lost all my family now and I'm alone," she said. "Except I have my Central family. They really are a family to me, and of course the Lord has been so good to me. I guess the highlight of the 60 years to me is that this is where my children were baptized ---- at the church on Watson. That means so much."
Bozeman said looking back is good, but looking forward is crucial.
"The celebration was a testimony to what God has done since Central first reached out in the '50s to what used to be the western edge of town then the wonderful new beginning we had 10 years ago when we moved west again," he said. "But really, it's more about what a great future there is ahead. At the new site we've been able to expand ministries like our recreation ministries that are able to serve other churches and the community overall. We have such a wonderful, committed group of people here who are willing to serve the Lord in all kinds of ways. That was true in the past and it's true now. I've no doubt there'll be more and more to celebrate in the years ahead."
Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.
Central Baptist Church
Address: 1120 Lake Joy Rd., Warner Robins, Ga.
Leadership: Rev. Owen Bozeman
Worship: Sunday school/Life Groups and contemporary worship 9 a.m., Sunday school/Life Groups and traditional worship, 10:30 a.m., evening Sunday school 5, Wednesday midweek worship 6:15 p.m.
Phone: (478) 953-9319
Website: www.centralalive.org
This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 7:17 PM with the headline "Central Baptist Church in Warner Robins celebrates 60 years of worship ."