Haines City pastor guides church through leadership transition

HAINES CITY (FBC)–Tom and Roberta White have seen many changes take place at First Baptist Church of Haines City in 37 years—a new location, a new name and especially a new attitude.

The church has been transformed into a “God-type, loving church seeking to reach all people no matter what color or background,” said Tom White, church member for 37 years. “And our whole service has been adapted to that.”

During a recent worship service at NorthRidge Church (formerly First Baptist Church), member John Boardman baptized a friend he had led to Christ. Afterwards, the congregation stood and applauded.

Families, couples and individuals came forward to the altar to kneel and pray, drawing little attention from the congregation.

Communion was served by the church’s deacons—and their wives.

In the church bulletin, under the first reference for “ministers” is the entry, “the congregation.”

“There’s a freedom here to worship God openly and honestly. This church loves the Lord and He has called each of us to be ministers,” said church member Cindy Beasley.

The congregation changed its name in an effort to draw members from across northeast Polk County, one of Florida’s most rapidly developing areas.

The area has transcended the small rural farming communities that once dotted the orange fields that stretched along I-4 and Highway 27.

The church once composed of elderly adults now represents a composite of the diverse community surrounding it.

“There has been such an influx of new people to this area and to the church,” said Roberta White. “We have teens, people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. These have all been added under Don’s ministry. “

In 1986, Pastor Don Maiden arrived at the Haines City church to find a 1940’s church building located on a side street in a small town, hemmed in by dozens of houses along a scenic lake. The declining membership had an average age of 65.

Within four years a 17.5 acre site was purchased on the ridge located south of town and the church was relocated. Three building programs resulted in 70,000 square feet of space and a value of $5 million in property and building.

The congregation grew from 180 in worship and 140 in Sunday school to nearly 1,000 in worship and 700 in small groups and Sunday school.

For the past six years, the church has averaged 138 baptisms per year and has nurtured five congregations-two Anglos and one Hispanic, Haitian and African American—with a combined attendance of 1,100.

“Don is a man who does everything with such boldness, such strength,” said Roberta White. “If he’s going to do it, it’s going to be done right and first class. Strength always attracts people–that’s leadership.”

But nearly eight months ago the church began to face a new transition.

For some months, Maiden began to feel that God wanted him to step down as senior pastor. He announced his plan to leave the church in June 2002. “They know I am not retiring, nor resigning, not quitting – I’m surrendering. I am trying to transition with integrity.”

Part of what Maiden sees as “integrity” is to lead the church to seek another pastor. He trained the pastor search committee and preached a series of sermons to prepare the congregation for a leadership change.

“I didn’t want to go through the horrible shock of announcing one Sunday and leaving in two weeks,” he explained, “leaving them to deal with grief, hurt, denial and anger of being jilted for another church.”

Beasley served on the pastor search committee. “It has been wonderful,” she said. “So many times the pastor has helped us through the transition. He was in some meetings to guide us and has been a part of the process. But he did not hand pick our new pastor. Our committee sought him out.”

March 28 was Maiden’s last day in the NorthRidge pulpit. The church’s new pastor, David Myers from Kannapolis, N.C., will arrive in May.

In one of his Sunday messages, Maiden told the church, “I hope you let him be his own man. He is not Don Maiden, he’s God’s man.”

Maiden, who has just written a book on his experience with suffering, plans to take a few months off, visit the South Africa mission field, write some more and wait upon the Lord.

“I believe God has a broader ministry for me,” Maiden said. “I am walking out of here without any plans, knowing that God will take care of my plans when it’s the right time.”

“I have never experienced anything like this in any other church I have been in,” said Amy Fowler, a church member and financial secretary. “The transition has been a great thing.”