Pastor

• CHARACTERISTICS OF A PASTORAL CANDIDATE

• CHURCH PROFILE

• COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS

WISE BAPTIST CHURCH

WISE, VIRGINIA

OCTOBER 2025CHARACTERISTICS OF A PASTORAL CANDIDATE

• SPIRITUAL AND DOCTRINAL CHARACTERISTICS

o Biblically Grounded. Holding to the authority, inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture.

o Doctrinally Sound. Faithfully preaching and teaching the word of God without

compromise.

o Christ-Centered. Exalting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in all preaching and ministry.

o Spirit-Filled. Relies on the Holy Spirit for guidance, conviction, power in preaching and

living.

o Prayerful. Demonstrates dependence on God through a consistent prayer life.

o Feels Called by God.

• PERSONAL CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY

o Respectable, of good reputation, spiritually disciplined and a sound teacher.

o Moral Purity. Faithful in marriage, upright in conduct.

o Humble Servant. Models’ humility, recognizing ministry as service, not self-exaltation,

generous and hospitable to others and loves what is good and truthful.

o Self-Controlled and Temperate. Patient, not quick to anger, deliberate in decisions.

o Trustworthy, honest, dependable, and consistent in both private and public life.

• PREACHING AND TEACHING QUALITIES

o Expository Preacher empowered by the Holy Spirit who explains Scripture faithfully,

verse by verse and in context.

o Clear Communicator. Teaches with clarity and conviction so that all can understand.

o Doctrinal Guard. Protects the congregation from false teaching and can exhort and

refute false doctrine.

o Practical Application. Connects biblical truth with everyday life for spiritual growth.

o Encourager and Corrector. Balances grace and truth, exhorting believers while also

correcting in love.

• PASTORAL LEADERSHIP

o Has a shepherd’s Heart. Loves and cares for the flock, following the model of the Good

Shepherd.

o Approachable. Someone who listens to and counsels church members with patience

and compassion.

o Have the ability to meet people at every stage of their faith journey, offering biblical

guidance, encouragement, and wise counsel with grace and truth taking into

consideration of their unique circumstances in an effort to help them grow in spiritual

maturity and closer relations hip with Christ.

o Equip Others. Have the ability to train others and empower believers for ministry.

o Disciple-Maker. Invests in developing spiritually mature followers of Christ.

1• CHARACTERISTICS OF A PASTORAL CANDIDATE (continued)

• COMMUNITY EXAMPLE

o Represents Christ faithfully in the church and the broader community to avoid bringing

disgrace to the ministry.

• VISION AND COMMITMENT

o Faithful to the Mission. Keeps the church focused on evangelism, discipleship, and

missions.

o Resilient Under Trial. Endures hardship and opposition with steadfast faith.

o Committed to Unity. Promotes harmony and reconciliation within the body of Christ.

o Steward of Resources. Manages church resources wisely and transparently.

o Lifelong Learner. Continues to grow in Scripture, theology, and godly wisdom.

2CHURCH PROFILE

• HISTORIC SKETCH OF CHURCH:

o Sometime prior to June 19, 1875, a Baptist church was organized in the Hurricane section

of Wise County and then moved to Gladeville (old name for the Town of Wise). Between

1875 and 1899, this group of believers worshipped under different church names, and

there was another move back to the Hurricane and then a return to Gladeville (now Wise).

The formal organization of Wise Baptist Church occurred on April 2, 1899, with 19 charter

members and with the Honorable George W. Kilgore, former Wise County judge, as the

pastor.

o At some time between 1899 and 1923, there was a name change from Wise Baptist

Church to First Baptist Church, with this name continuing until 1941 when the name

reverted to Wise Baptist Church. After the church was formally organized, the Wise

Baptists met in a Methodist church building for three years. In 1902, a wooden church

building was constructed on the same site as the present church complex. After the

wooden building burned in 1910, church meetings were again held in the Methodist

church until Wise Baptist Church was rebuilt in 1911-12.

o In 1950, a Sunday School classroom addition was built on the rear of the sanctuary, with

a separate fellowship hall (now the Youth Building) added in 1967. A renovation, including

the addition of a balcony, took place in 1983. As the church grew and needed more space

for the Sunday School Department, the old Wise Town Hall across the street from the

church was acquired in 1996 and later sold in 2003. As the church continued its growth,

the members took on the challenge of building a new facility. A building project was

launched in 2002, and the new church building was completed and occupied in 2004.

o *Following is a list of pastors who have served Wise Baptist Church since 1899:

▪ Rev. George W. Kilgore (1899 – 1904)

▪ Rev. J.C. Shipe (1904 – )

▪ Rev. Frank Fuller

▪ Rev. J.F. Cook

▪ Rev. J.B. Thomas

▪ Rev. Robert Riley

▪ Rev. J. Ernest Wrenn (1941-1944)

▪ Rev. C.C. Perry (1945 – )

▪ Rev. Carey L. Steele (1948 – 1952)

▪ Rev. R.L. Chadwick (1953 – 1957)

▪ Rev. Richard E. Plyler (1957 – 1958)

▪ Rev. Lynn C. Dickerson (1959 – 1962)

▪ Rev. Bob F. Smith (1963 – 1964)

▪ Rev. Raymond Allen (1965 – 1970)

▪ Rev. Jerry Welch (1970 – 1974)

▪ Rev. Herschel L. Wright, Jr. (1975 – 1980)

▪ Dr. Dudley Pomeroy (Interim Pastor 1980 – 1982)

▪ Dr. Ray Jones, Jr. (1982 – 2009)

▪ Dr. Bill Tatum (Intentional Interim Pastor 2009 – 2011)

▪ Rev. Mike Winters (2011 – 2025)

1CHURCH PROFILE (continued)

• CONGREGATION SIZE:

o Church Membership: 110

o Wednesday Night Meal and Bible Study: 25-40

o Sunday School: 40-50

o Sunday Morning Service: 50-75

** Bible Study and Sunday Service are both available to view online**

• WORSHIP STYLE:

o Traditional, with occasional blended music

• CHURCH COVENANT:

o Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as

our Savior, and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the

Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and this

assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body

in Christ.

• CORE VALUES:

o The government of this church is vested in the body of believers who compose it. It is

subject to the control of no other ecclesiastical body, but it recognizes and sustains the

obligations of mutual counsel and cooperation which are common among Baptist

churches. It is the intent of this church to cooperate with the Wise Baptist Association,

the Baptist General Association of Virginia, and the Southern Baptist Convention.

o Centrality of Christ – In all that we seek to do, the Church seeks to honor Christ. We

believe that Jesus is the Christ and that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life,

experienced an atoning death, and was raised from the dead to secure our salvation.

o Caring and Compassion – We value the privilege and power of prayer as the foundation

of a caring and compassionate ministry to our members and the community at large. As

God’s dear children, we may boldly approach the throne of grace to intercede for one

another and others in the community.

o Unity with Diversity – We value this local congregation of God’s people called Wise

Baptist Church, comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds, all redeemed by

grace through faith in Jesus Christ, unified by Christian love and the power of the Holy

Spirit, and joyfully accept any and all who confess their faith in Christ, as part of the

family of God.

o Welcoming/Accepting – We value meaningful worship experiences based on a blended

worship style that appeals to a broad audience by recognizing and appreciating the

unique attributes of both traditional and contemporary worship. We desire the presence

and leadership of the Holy Spirit in our meetings and services and want everyone in

attendance to feel at home in His presence.

o Biblically based Discipleship – We value the authority of the Bible in all matters of the

Christian faith. We value Christian education, based on Biblical principles and the

Baptist tradition, for people of all ages, as the primary means for promoting discipleship

and personal spiritual growth. We especially recognize the importance of small-group

2CHURCH PROFILE (continued)

• MISSION STATEMENT:

settings in providing both educational opportunities and meaningful Christian

fellowship.

o Outreach and Missions – We value ALL people as God’s special creation, endowed with

the ability to know God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, we

promote missions (local, national and international) as a powerful means of spreading

the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world, as a means of meeting urgent physical

needs in the name of Christ and as a means of further unifying the family of God as we

participate in and give toward these efforts.

o Wise Baptist Church exists to provide a welcoming place for worship, study, and

fellowship, grounded in the Scripture and the love of Christ, led by the Holy Spirit,

reaching out to others in a unified spirit of Christ-like love, caring, compassion, comfort,

and acceptance.

• VISION STATEMENT:

o Wise Baptist Church seeks to grow in its unique role in fulfilling God’s plan in this

community, consistently following God’s guidance and direction, balancing the

Church’s resources between the needs of the congregation, needs of the surrounding

community, and needs of the World.

• OTHER STAFF:

o Part-time Music Director, Part-time Administrative Assistant

o Volunteer Wednesday night meal preparation

o Volunteer Nursery

• BUDGET:

o Ministry Staff – $125,970

▪ Pastor compensation would include salary (including housing allowance) +

medical and life insurance coverage paid by the Church + retirement benefits

paid by the Church. Salary would be commensurate with experience and

education, starting at $60,000.

▪ Pastor benefits also include reimbursable car, business, travel, ministry, and

continuing education expenses.

o Missions – $11,200

o Operational Expenses – $123,343

o Total General Fund Budget – $260,513

o No debt

• WEBSITE – wisebaptist.com

• FACEBOOK – Wise Baptist Church

3COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS

Wise Baptist Church is located in the county seat Town of Wise in the corner of

southwestern Virginia. Wise has a population of 2,970. Geographically, the town is situated high on

the Appalachian Plateau at an elevation of 2,684. The Plateau is layered with sandstone

horizontally, and it was in this sandstone that seams of coal were discovered in the 1800s and that

high-quality coal changed forever the course of history for the Town of Wise and the surrounding

area.

Coal mining has been the stable industry in Wise County (the County); however, both deep

mining and surface mining have been declining in recent years. The largest employer is the

University of Virginia’s College at Wise (the College). Now over seventy years old, the College is

home to more than 2,000 students. With 34 majors, 43 minors and 7 pre-professional study tracks,

as well as newly developed graduate programs with degrees and certificates, UVA-Wise offers a

hands-on academic environment with a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The Town of Wise is a very friendly, lovely, peaceful town with a low crime rate and a great place to

raise a family. The community is deeply rooted in family tradition, local heritage and moral values.

Wise is located on the “crooked road” , which is rich in tradition of mountain music and arts. The

town has several family-owned businesses and restaurants and local shopping centers, as well as

several national chain stores and eateries. Wise is also home to Camp Bethel (a local Christian

camp), Mountain Rose Vineyards, Pro Art, and, in October, home to the famous Fall Fling. Pro Art

brings to the County approximately 35 programs a year of diverse and high quality artists and art

education programs including theater, music groups, and visual art programs. Close by is the

Jefferson National Forrest with waterfalls and hiking trails. The Wise County Public School System

serves the town and county offering multiple elementary and middle schools along with three

consolidated high schools. Wise County Public School System has been ranked in the top 10

schools in Virginia for the past 11 years and in the top 3 for the last several years. The Town of Wise

boasts Wise Primary, L.F. Addington Middle School, Wise County Public School’s Career and

Technical Center and Central High School. Central High School is recognized for its strong

academic and athletic programs. The Lady Warriors basketball team has won 8 state titles in the

last 14 years and students have also excelled in scholastic bowl, theater and other VHSL activities.

Numerous other programs in athletics and in the arts are also available for children and

teens throughout the County.

Wise Baptist is well integrated into the life of the Town of Wise and Wise County. The Church is blessed
to have many members of the business and professional community as members. Wise Baptist “the little brick church in the county seat” is a unique place for fellowship with family and friends.

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