Born and raised in south central Pennsylvania, Rev. Steve Sheldon needed little convincing to accept the Baptist Resource Network’s (BRN) newest church health consultant position in south central Pennsylvania.
“I’m a Pennsylvanian. I was born and raised in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, which is south central – almost into Maryland – just 45 miles from Gettysburg,” explained Sheldon.
During his younger years in the south central part of the state, Sheldon grew up attending church and watching his parents live out their belief in Jesus Christ.
“We were one of those families that opened and closed the doors, you know, grew up in church [and] the church was my home,” said Sheldon.
However, it wasn’t until Sheldon attended summer camp that he came to faith in Christ.
“I went to summer camp every year when I was old enough to go – even through my teenage years. I loved going to summer camp. It was at summer camp, when I was 11-years-old, that I made my profession of faith on a Thursday night. I accepted Christ as my Savior.”
Sheldon continued: “[But] I spent the next number of years worldly living – running the other direction, if you will.”
It was in the early 70s, as he was serving in the Navy in California, that Sheldon renewed his call to ministry at the First Southern Baptist Church of San Diego.
Initially, Sheldon felt called to ministry when he was just 12 years old, but it wasn’t until much later that he followed that call.
As Sheldon honestly shared, “We were in San Diego, working in the church and the Lord said, ‘Remember that call back all those years? I said yes, but spent a year arguing with Him – but God wins.”
After a few devoted years of studying, first at Campbellsville College (now University) and then at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Sheldon was able to return to the state he loved and called home.
“I had my next duty station, [it] was going to be in London, England, and it was going to be exciting, [but] God said, ‘No. I want you in ministry.’”
He continued: “Actually, my wife – Kathy – and I decided that’s what we really should do for the rest of our lives, and so [I] got out of the Navy, went to college, seminary and then back to Pennsylvania just about as soon as we could.”
Throughout his nearly 40 years of ministry, Rev. Sheldon has held four different pastoral positions, his first being in 1977 at a little, one room church in Kentucky.
After four years there, he took up another pastoral position in Hodgenville, Kentucky, as he completed his seminary degree.
“Now, that isn’t familiar to anybody until I tell you that Hodgenville is where Abraham Lincoln was born. His birth site was there – it was called Hodgens Mill back in the day – so we pastored there for about four years, then we came to Pennsylvania,” said Sheldon.
In Pennsylvania, Sheldon pastored at Bux-Mont Baptist Church just outside of Philadelphia for 23 years and then at Wrightsdale Baptist Church, the oldest Southern Baptist church in Pennsylvania, for his last eight years.
He has also held various positions with the state convention (now BRN) and the state executive board. “It’s been a good ministry in Pennsylvania,” noted Sheldon.
Sheldon retired from his pastoral position at Wrightsdale in 2019-2020. Not long into retirement, Sheldon was diagnosed with a severe case of COVID.
“A year ago, in January, I got COVID – I got COVID very bad. I spent 35 days in the hospital and rehab, and nine days on the ventilator.”
Sheldon continued: “When I came off of that and got my rehab, I said to Barry (BRN Executive Director Dr. Barry Whitworth), a couple of months later, ‘I think I need to be engaged in ministry.”
Sheldon’s desire to mentor and encourage pastors led him to his present ministry position as church health consultant for BRN churches in south central Pennsylvania.
In this new role, Sheldon will be overseeing nearly 50 churches in the south central region. These areas include, but are not limited to, Harrisburg, Carlisle, Shippensburg, Chambersburg, York, Lancaster County and Cumberland County.
“This is my home. I spent the first 20 years of my life here and then the last 35 years in Pennsylvania serving, so this is my home. From the very beginning, my wife and I said when I get through college and seminary we’re coming back to Pennsylvania, and when we retire we want to retire back to our hometown and serve here,” said Sheldon.
He continued: “So, I have a heart for the pastors [here]. Having done it for 35 years, I have a little bit of insight on what goes on in the pastor’s heart and maybe the encouragement they need, and some of the things that maybe I can help with. It’s not only resourcing, but it’s trying to be a friend to pastors.”
Sheldon encourages BRN pastors in the south central region to keep an eye out for an email or phone call from him, as he looks forward to building relationships and assisting churches in his home region.
“I’m looking forward to being in contact with the pastors and getting to know them…getting to befriend some of these pastors. I know some of them, having been here a long time, but the pastor turnover is still pretty sharp here,” commented Sheldon.
He concluded with how he hopes pastors will see him, “I’m a friend, I’m not coming to sell you anything. I’m a friend, a fellow pastor.”
Listen to the podcast:
The “50 Stories of Transformation” series, told in honor of the Baptist Resource Network’s 50th anniversary, highlights the many ways God has moved throughout Pennsylvania, South Jersey and beyond. Your generous support of the Cooperative Program makes this ministry possible and fuels evangelism and outreach in our local churches and all over the world! Thank you!
