Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Cropwell has a new head pastor, Reverend Chris Beck, who served the church for over seven years as Minister to Students.

He described himself as, “Honored,” when Mt. Pisgah’s Search Committee approached him with the offer for his current office. “I’ve felt called to the ministry since I was 16 years old.”

Beck is a native of Decatur and a graduate of The University of Mobile. He and his wife, Amy, have two sons, four year old Price and 22 month old Ford. The couple married in September 2011 and came to Pell City the following May when Mt. Pisgah offered Reverend Beck the position of Minister to Students. 

For the previous three years, Beck worked as a manager at AT&T while serving as part time youth pastor at Holt Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa. When asked if this was a daunting task, he replied, “Nothing is daunting if you feel like it’s what God wants you to do. But, eventually, my wife and I both felt led to full time ministry. So, we sent out some resumes, and I chose the job in Pell City.”

In his capacity as Minister to Students, Beck was able to help the students perform their own ministries. Through the Upper Room Ministry, teens and tweens from sixth through the twelfth grade ventured out to perform community service and spread their faith. The young flock went to schools to hold Bible studies and help with the painting and construction of new houses when and where needed in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Beck’s vision for his new ministry which is to “Strengthen my congregation’s relationships with God and to foster our relationship with the community.”

The faith that led 16 year old Beck to feel called to the ministry has taken him through his education and from one city and one pastoral job to another. He was officially promoted to his current office in January 2019.

He stood before his 150 member congregation and delivered his first sermon as head pastor of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church on Sunday, January 13, at 10:30 a.m.

He invites everyone his words can reach to, “Come and grow in love for the Lord.”