Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
Menu
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
Menu
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Your state news
  • Request a free trial
Menu
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Your state news
  • Request a free trial

After breaking into church to pray, man finds peace to become pastor

  • December 9, 2021
  • Kentucky Today
  • COVID-19, Kentucky, Latest News
Joey Woods, the bi-vocational pastor at Union Baptist Church in Henry County, with his family: wife Krystal and daughters Karli, Josie and Ava.
(Courtesy of Kentucky Today)

After breaking into church to pray, man finds peace to become pastor

Joey Woods wasn’t sure if the Lord wanted him to be the pastor of the church where he was baptized as a child.

He took his family to Union Baptist Church in Henry County, Kentucky, and they walked around the outside of the church praying together. They wanted to pray inside the building and Woods said he remembered a “basement door that was faulty. I was able to squeeze my youngest daughter in and she unlocked the door.”

The family went into the church sanctuary and prayed some more about whether or not Woods should become the bivocational pastor at the church. That prayer time gave him the comfort he was searching for over the decision.

“The church I was at was booming,” he said. “I didn’t have a good reason to leave.”

Woods said he left Union Baptist Church earlier in his life after a disagreement and began attending another church in the county where he had become an associate pastor — and then COVID hit.

“We stopped having services,” he said. “My wife and I had COVID. I was doing virtual services and Wednesday night Bible studies. A deacon from Union called and asked if I would come and preach a few Sundays because their pastor had retired.”

Praying for direction

Woods told him once he and his wife were cleared from quarantine he would preach for a few Sundays. He did and they asked him to come again, and then again, and then he was told the church wanted him to be their pastor.

“I prayed about it and kind of shelved it,” he said. “I wanted to see how things would work out.”

The church was down to a handful of people, he said. “Maybe 20 on Sunday morning. I knew most of those people there although I hadn’t seen many of them in several years. They said, ‘You preach from the Bible. That’s what we need.’ So I prayed some more (about becoming pastor).”

But the night of the “break in” gave him the peace he needed. He would accept the call to be the church’s pastor. Woods is also a deputy warden at the Pee Wee Valley Correctional Facility. “That’s my other full-time job,” he said.

Baptisms begin

The first Sunday in November marked his one-year anniversary at Union. The church held an Advent series leading up to the Christmas season last year that was well received and in March he started a Wednesday kids program that has grown to 20. Meanwhile, he teaches the adults in a Bible study on Wednesdays.

“I knew if you do things for kids, the parents will follow,” he said. “I knew we needed to do these things if we were going to grow.”

They had a Vacation Bible School this summer and five kids received salvation and “that started the baptizing,” Woods said. “I baptized someone every Sunday in September.”

The church has baptized 15 for the year and average nearly 60 on Sunday mornings now.

His oldest of three daughters, who is 16, leads the children’s church on Sunday mornings. “She said, ‘Dad, I hear you all week. I can do this for the kids on Sunday mornings.’’’

As for that faulty basement door at the church?

“Yeah,” he said, “that’s been replaced.”


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Mark Maynard, and originally appeared at Kentucky Today, the newsjournal of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Ky. Supreme Court denies request to block abortion ban as litigation continues
    Ky. Supreme Court denies request to block abortion ban as litigation continues
    August 18, 2022/
    0 Comments
  • ‘A key role’: Baptist association leaders commit to gospel advance
    ‘A key role’: Baptist association leaders commit to gospel advance
    August 18, 2022/
    0 Comments
  • Southern Baptists to recognize Global Hunger on Sunday, Aug. 28
    Southern Baptists to recognize Global Hunger on Sunday, Aug. 28
    August 18, 2022/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.
  • Amplify

Related Posts

Ky. Supreme Court denies request to block abortion ban as litigation continues

The Kentucky Supreme Court denied a request by EMW Women’s Surgical Center and Planned Parenthood — the commonwealth’s only abortion providers — for emergency relief

‘A key role’: Baptist association leaders commit to gospel advance

“I wouldn’t be standing here today were it not for a director of missions,” the president of the International Mission Board shared during the Associational

Southern Baptists to recognize Global Hunger on Sunday, Aug. 28

The last few years have witnessed world-changing events that have disrupted supply chains and limited access to food for many people. Southern Baptists will, on

American Indian boy helps missions team lead 30-plus to Christ

A 10-year-old American Indian boy who recently came to faith in Christ in Montana has inspired a mission team from First Baptist Church Jonesboro with

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
Menu
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
Menu
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
Menu
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
Menu
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209

Copyright © 2022 TAB Media Group

  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
Menu
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
Menu
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
Menu
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel