Meet Pastor Ken Long
Pastor Ken’s parents initially lived in Ash, NC, where they were members of Soldier Bay Baptist Church. The family later moved to Clarendon, NC, where his father farmed and mother served as a chemical analyst in the textile industry. This is where Pastor Ken grew up.
Pastor Ken graduated from Williams Township High in 1966. From there, he graduated from the North Carolina School of Data Management in Raleigh and studied at Southeastern Community College in Whiteville.
After being saved at age 17, Pastor Ken sensed the Lord was calling him to a life of ministry. But he resisted.
In 1967, Pastor Ken entered the professional world, accepting an entry level position at Waccamaw Bank. The company grew, and so did he. Rising quickly through the ranks, he became one of the youngest vice presidents in North Carolina banking. He spent the next 40+ years founding and selling multiple financial and technology companies.
Meanwhile, Pastor Ken served at his home church, Sweet Home Baptist Church. Through the years, he wore a wide range of hats:
- Adult teacher (at age 19)
- Ordained deacon (at age 21)
- Young couples teacher
- Finance Committee Chair
- Sunday School Director
Additionally, he held many positions in the Columbus, Union, and Brunswick Baptist Associations and served over a decade as a Wingate University trustee. Though Pastor Ken kept himself busy serving the Lord, he knew God wanted ALL of him. After a series of life-changing events, the Lord’s call to ministry returned and would not cease until he surrendered fully in 2011.
Pastor Ken spent the next year attending classes at Fruitland Bible College classes, studying, and serving as an interim pastor through the Brunswick Baptist Association. Through a series of God-controlled events, Pastor Ken became the pastor of Elah Baptist Church.
As Elah’s longest serving pastor, Pastor Ken felt called to serve the church in four distinct ways:
- Connect with every family in the church. Pay attention to them. Love them. Treat them equally. Spend as much time as required to bring much-needed healing and change to relationships among the church family. And stick to preaching the Bible.
- Let God control the growth. Wait for God to reveal his vision for our church and our region.
- Adapt the traditional small church model to the 21st century. Be the church to answer the question: "What do we do with all these small aging-out congregations and buildings?"
- Wait for a clear vision – then lead the church in response. Do you see that vision at the top of this page? It’s happening. Everyone who calls Elah their home church is united behind it. Elah Baptist Church is truly becoming a "911" for hurting families.