Meet Our Pastor

December 2003

Owingsville, KY

New Baptist Church pastor Ronnie Beams was ready to leave fast-paced city life, become part of rural community mission work. 

By Sunny Kramer – News Outlook Staff Writer 

From Texas to Kentucky is quite a trek.  But when it involved answering a calling, commissioned by God, Ronnie Beams was ready.

Beams took over pasturing duties at the Owingsville Baptist Church September 1, 2003 He succeeded pastor Bruce Truman, who left in December 2002 to pastor in Louisville. 

Hailing from Fort Worth, Texas, Beams says he was ready to accept a new challenge and also desired to live life at a slower pace. 

Beams has been involved in the ministry for more than 40 years. 

Before coming to the church here, he pastured at the First Baptist Church in Benbrook, Texas, a superb of Fort Worth.  His time there spanned 26 years. 

His Calling

“From the time I was 18, I just really felt God’s call to be in the ministry,” says Beams. 

Upon graduating from high school, Beams went to the University of Texas at Arlington on a track scholarship.  “I studied architecture and engineering, but felt like God had something else for me,” says Beams, nodding his head slowly. 

Beams says “the Lord Called me and it turned me around.” 

He began pasturing at the age of 19 at a small church. 

“I felt compelled by God to do it.” 

Beams acquired his bachelors of Religion from East Texas Baptist University.  He then studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in For Worth, where he attained a Masters of Divinity Degree. 

When he finished up his masters, he went to a church in Maryland, where he pastured for five years.  After that, he returned to Texas, where he remained until coming to Kentucky. 

Beams says he and his wife, Carroll, felt as though it was time to leave Texas. 

“We were familiar with Kentucky and saw an opportunity to come this way,” says Beams. 

We desired to be in a rural church – Dallas and Fort Worth is such a big area.” 

Beams says in his previous county there were over 300 Baptist churches.  He went from pasturing to a congregation of 1,500 in Texas to a congregation of approximately 200 here in Owingsville. 

“We were tired of the big city and the pressures,” he adds. 

Already familiar with the Lexington area, beams says, he wanted to come to a town and church where there was a lot of opportunity for new mission projects. 

“I have a real heart for missions,” he says.  “The people here have a desire to grow and do missions.” 

With two months under their belts, the couple is content and are enjoying life here in Owingsville, says Beams. 

Already, the planning process has begun to construct and additional structure on the church’s property, an after-school Bible study has been formed and the church is planning it’s first mission trip (which Beams will lead) for this summer.  The church also plans to conduct mission work locally.  

"With my experience, I’ve learned how to get it done,” he says in reference to the aforementioned projects. 

“That’s what brought us together,” he says.  “I was looking for a church to do this in and they were looking for a pastor who would.” 

His new congregation welcomed him.  They also inspired and set Beams’ pace.  He says he had intended to come in the church and take things slow, but the congregation was ready for change and wanted things to happen now. 

In January, members in the church will participate in the “40 days of Purpose” conference, where they will read a book on Christian Discipleship together. 

In his spare time, Beams, 61, enjoys golf and also calls himself a “semi-professional” artist.  His favorite subjects are landmarks (such as old barns), which he depicts in pen and ink and in watercolors. 

He and Carroll have four grown children (three sons and a daughter) and nine grand children. 

As for following in their father’s footsteps, Beams says one son is going into the ministry to become a missionary and another son is a minister of music worship at a large church in Houston.

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