Richard Gaines, one of the longest-tenured pastors in the Commonwealth, is celebrating his 30th anniversary with Consolidated Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky.

A Life of Ministry

Gaines recalled the moment he received the call to become the pastor of Consolidated Baptist Church in 1996. He had previously considered joining the staff at First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown in Louisville but was surprised by the offer from Consolidated.

Since then, Gaines has overseen significant changes in the church, including the construction of a new facility in 2003. This expansion allowed the church to more than quadruple its membership and play a larger role in the community, including serving as a COVID vaccination site during the pandemic.

Gaines, who recently turned 68, reflected on his time at the church, saying, “I believe the mission of the church is to have impact, transformative change brought about by our presence.” He expressed his desire to be remembered as a faithful servant who cared about people and recognized that his work was part of something greater.

The church is hosting a gala party to honor Gaines, and his son, Dr. Micah Gaines, will deliver the sermon during Sunday’s service.

Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.