Pastor in Focus – Cecil Mackey

Are you able to briefly share about your loved ones and about the place serve in ministry; and the way the Lord known as you to serve?

I serve at Little Metropolis Baptist Church in Madill. I’ve pastored this church for eight years. It is usually my first pastorate. I’ve been married to my highschool sweetheart, Tammy, for 28 years. We’ve got two grown youngsters. Our daughter Leslie is married and has a 10-month-old daughter “Sugar Bear” and she or he and “Pappy” are tight. My son, Jeff works for the Choctaw Nation. My complete household attends Little Metropolis Baptist church.

When the Lord known as me into ministry, we attended Atoka, Southside, the place I served as a deacon. I had crammed in for our pastor a time or two by doing “devotions” and had led out in our males’s ministry. I knew the Lord was calling me to extra, however I fought it for about 5 years. One evening in a revival service there I couldn’t resist anymore, so I surrendered. However I assumed OK, God, I shall be a provide preacher. And for the following 12 months I preached each Sunday someplace besides for 2 or three Sundays. I got here to little metropolis simply to provide as a result of they have been between preachers.

I preached a pair instances for them, and so they requested if I used to be and I stated “No, I’m just a supply guy.” After about three weeks of combating with God, I stated “OK God.” I advised my spouse, and she or he stated, “I knew it. I’ve been ready on you to determine it out. So, I known as one of many deacons and advised him. He stated they have been already speaking to somebody, however he needed to have lunch. After we met for lunch, he stated the man they’d been taking to only known as him and backed out. So, we interviewed. I went in view of a name on Easter Sunday 2016, and right here we’re.

What impression are you seeing the Lord make in your church and group?

We’ve got seen many come to religion in these eight years. Proper now, I see God rising a big group of younger households and maturing them as they start to serve Him and develop in data and maturity. We’ve got a small meals pantry that has actually change into an ideal ministry of late. We’re at all times in search of alternatives to serve folks in our group and be there in instances of want. We’re strategizing now how one can be extra evangelistic to individuals who come to the lake in the summertime since we’re proper on Lake Texoma.

You’ve got served as a firefighter and first responder. What similarities do you see between these roles and pastoral ministry, by way of serving to folks?

In my 25 years as a volunteer firefighter/first responder, I’ve seen firsthand the devastation that enters folks’s lives, however goes unnoticed by the vast majority of these round them. I consider it has ready me to be perceptive to alternatives to satisfy wants and minister to folks in instances of brokenness. It additionally has helped me in management as a result of I used to be fireplace chief for a number of years earlier than serving as rural fireplace coordinator for the Division of forestry for 5 years after I was their liaison to 120 fireplace departments in south central Oklahoma. That ready me for how one can assist folks resolve conflicts and are available collectively for a typical good larger than themselves. And as believers we generally have to put apart private desire for the God we’ve got in frequent and the nice of the ministry He has given us that’s larger than ourselves.

Why is it essential to your church to assist the Cooperative Program?

We give by way of the Cooperative Program as a result of although there could also be issues that don’t go precisely the way in which I’d do it, I perceive that collectively we will do abundantly extra for God’s Kingdom than we ever may on our personal. My aim in life to contribute all I can, wherever I can, nevertheless I can, for God’s Kingdom work.

How YOU can pray for Oklahoma pastors

1. Pray for his household.

Ask God to assist him love and lead his household effectively, benefiting from his time when at dwelling. Ask the Lord to provide him the braveness to place off the trivial issues of ministry, so he’s absolutely engaged because the husband and father God calls him to be.

Ephesians 5:25 and Psalm 127:3-5

2. Pray for his stroll with God.

Pray that he’ll dedicate himself to prayer and Bible studying at the start earlier than he begins his day of ministry and household time.

Philippians 4:6 and Psalm 119:9

3. Pray for his schedule.

Pastors put together participating sermons, have folks to go to in hospitals, fear home-bound members will fall by way of the cracks, and try to observe up with guests. Pray that God will assist him handle his schedule effectively to spend time together with his household and lead his church household.

Ephesians 5:15-17 and Psalm 90:12

4. Pray for his sermon preparation & supply.

Pray that God provides him focus and perseverance in sermon prep, in addition to readability and knowledge as he goals to rightly deal with the Phrase of God. Pray God will fill him with ardour and conviction as he declares the Good Information to encourage the saints and lead the misplaced to like and observe Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:15, Psalm 119:18,

Hebrews 4:12, & Mark 16:15

Analysis.lifeway.com/2022/01/04/5-ways-to-pray- for-your-pastor-to-start-the-new-year/