Marcus Redding, a longtime pastor and ministry leader in North Carolina, died May 30 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. During the past seven years, Redding has served as the North American Mission Board’s director of supporting churches.
He was 58.
During his ministry, Redding pastored churches in the Piedmont and foothills regions of North Carolina just west of Charlotte and served as a statewide and national denominational leader in Baptist life. He also served as a church planting catalyst in Maryland.
“He just had the biggest servant’s heart I’ve ever seen in anybody,” his wife, Chrissie, said. “It was always about whomever else. It was never about him. He just always wanted to make sure everyone else was good and say whatever and do whatever to make that happen.”
Ministry leaders from across North Carolina shared similar sentiments about Redding. They remembered him as a humble servant leader who loved Jesus, loved people and loved working with churches to help them reach the lost. They said Redding was a friend to anyone who knew him.
Heart for others
“I’ve only known Marcus for about three years, but it feels like I’ve known him all my life,” said Roy Smith, a longtime associational missionary in North Carolina who now works with the state convention to develop partnerships with local Baptist associations. “Marcus had a heart for the lost, a heart for making disciples, a heart for pastors, and he always wanted to help. He would sacrifice himself in order to help ministers and missionaries.”
Todd Unzicker, Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) executive director-treasurer, said Redding represented exemplary leadership.
“Marcus always displayed the best of N.C. Baptist leadership with his unstoppable commitment to multiplication and always demonstrating a great joy in the Lord,” Unzicker noted. “The faith that he desired all churches to proclaim is now sight.”
The majority of Redding’s ministry was based in his home state of North Carolina. Redding pastored three North Carolina Baptist churches at various times — Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Rutherfordton, Hulls Grove Baptist Church in Vale and Salem Baptist Church in Lincolnton. Redding served a stint on the BSCNC’s board of directors and later served as a contract worker with the state convention.
“Marcus had a great heart for evangelism and a glowing witness for Christ,” said former BSCNC Executive Director-Treasurer Milton A. Hollifield Jr. “He had such a heart for the Lord and for reaching people who needed to come into a relationship with Christ. He was a very effective board member during my tenure as [executive director-treasurer]. He was a great listener who also had creative ideas to share. He was a very humble person who strived to work in harmony with others. He was loved, respected and appreciated by so many people.”
Work with NAMB
Redding remained active in North Carolina Baptist life after accepting a ministry position with NAMB.
While remaining based in North Carolina, Redding’s role with NAMB involved working with churches across North America. His work focused on equipping churches with resources and tools to help them discover and develop church planting teams from within their church.
Chrissie Redding said her husband battled cancer to the end with grace and dignity, even when others would question why or say his illness wasn’t fair.
“Anytime he talked to anybody, it was pointing them back to God,” Chrissie said.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Chad Austin and originally published by Biblical Recorder.
