WINTER HAVEN–From its humble beginnings of meeting in an elementary school in 1965, led by Pastor R. D. Hodges, Winter Haven Baptist Church, celebrating its 60^th anniversary this year, has grown into a thriving congregation that has been led for the past 44 years by the founding pastor’s son, Mark Hodges.

“I am certain that the longevity of pastors has contributed to the church’s maturity,” said Pastor Hodges, who served on the church staff with his father from 1976 until 1981. After his father passed away in 1981, a young Hodges was called to follow in his father’s footsteps as lead pastor.

The Florida native has led the church to become a sending, Great Commission church. Investing more than 40 years in pastoral ministry, Hodges considers it a privilege to “point people to Jesus and teach them to live dynamic and productive lives for Christ.”

“Our church has always placed great emphasis on evangelism,” said Hodges. “The Great Commission is always presented and emphasized at our church.”

Each year, three weeks are set aside on the church calendar for Hodges to preach the Great Commission, and a prayer board is set up in a prominent space in the foyer as a visual reminder for church members to share their faith. The church also hosts an annual missions conference to challenge and remind church members about the privilege of Great Commission participation.

Convinced that cultivating a heart for missions and evangelism within the church begins with leadership, Hodges personally has invested in missions as he has traveled to more than 35 countries, ministering to missionaries, leading adult and teen mission trips as well as challenging the church to give more than four million dollars to missions.

“When leadership in the church genuinely has a heart for missions and for souls, it will carry over to the church membership,” he said.

And that heart will carry over into giving, church planting and supporting missionaries.

“Our church gives somewhere between 15-20% of our annual budget to missions,” said Hodges. “Our church has planted 20 churches in America and several others through international missions. We support 32 missionaries around the world, with some unlisted as they are serving in restricted-access nations. And our church recently has become the sending church for a Spanish mission work in Polk County.”

In its own community, the church is involved in local public schools, community rescue missions, meals-on-wheels, pro-life pregnancy clinics, and the Florida Baptist Children’s Home in Lakeland.

Located in one of the fastest growing areas in the country—Polk County—Hodges attributes the church’s fruitful ministry and reputation, both at home and abroad, to consistency.

“Our church is unique in that we have been consistent in our message and our ministering to our community,” he said. “That has given us a good reputation and testimony.”

For Hodges, the focus on missions and evangelism emanates from a focus on Scripture.

“Man’s methods, ideas or intellect will lead the church astray if everything is not grounded in the truth of God’s Word,” he said. “The biggest aid to the church is a man of God speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Does Hodges have a secret to his faithfulness and longevity in pastoral ministry?

“Faithfulness,” he said, “is a gift from God. The blessing of faithfulness comes when we have a daily walk with God and yield to His Spirit. Associating myself quite frequently with godly pastors has been a source of encouragement and help in staying faithful.”

Although Pastor Hodges has no plans of slowing down anytime soon, the church is prepared when he does decide to retire. In January 2022, the congregation voted on calling Nathan Braymer, who has served on the pastoral staff of Winter Haven Baptist Church since 2007, as its next lead pastor.

As the church celebrates its 60^th anniversary, Pastor Hodges’ prayer is that God will use him and the people of Winter Haven Baptist Church to continue “loving God, loving others and making a difference.”