Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of personality profiles written by students in Jodi Williams’ English 1101 class at the University of North Georgia Blue Ridge campus. Each story is a first hand account of a local person who has made an impact on the author.
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By Tristen Siler
On any Sunday at Macedonia Baptist Church, you can hear the congregation singing to the heavens and rallying behind their preacher Joey Patterson. Joey is a tall man who can only be described as a giant teddy bear who is open, warm, and always willing to listen to and support others. Joey brings so much to the church of Macedonia Baptist and its nearby community by spreading his gospel to anyone who will listen, changing so many people’s lives.
Macedonia Baptist Church is Joey’s current church. He preaches every Sunday, leads songs, and greets everyone in the church. He even sings songs with his wife on occasion. Since Joey’s arrival, Macedonia Baptist has seen much more regular attendance including other pastors and people attending church to hear Joey preach bringing hope that Joey will continue to preach for Macedonia Baptist for years to come. Yet Joey says humbly, “I have seen many people saved but it was not me, but it was God who has brought those souls to him, I was but his vessel to deliver his message.”
Macedonia Baptist is a small church with less than 50 members present on any given Sunday. The members are tight-knit and are like family to each other. Every Sunday they make a point to shake hands and talk about things happening in their lives. Joey smiles, “One of the reasons I love Macedonia is because everyone there is polite, welcoming, and sociable.”
Joey was not always certain of his future or his calling as an 18-year-old who had recently graduated. It was not until he attended a revival at Pleasant Gap Baptist that he felt called to profess his faith and become saved on July 13, 1995. Then after visiting churches hoping to find one to call home, he eventually came to Mount Vernon Baptist and was later baptized. Joey reminisces, “With my newfound faith, everything was new and intriguing.” He would often wake up early, read his Bible, and give his testimony about being saved. Eventually, this evolved into speaking before the church whenever he felt the need.
After some time of going to church, reading his Bible, and giving his testimony, people told him he had a calling to preach. Joey would deny this believing that God had different plans for him. It was not until Joey heard the testimony of a preacher he respected, that Joey sought the advice of others whom he trusted. Joey recalls with detail, “They all told me to follow my heart, so I prayed that would give me a sign, but He never did. When I couldn’t run from my calling any longer, I just had to step out on faith. When I did, I announced my call to preach on May 4, 1998.”
Joey went on to preach at many churches in just a few weeks and became an ordained minister in 2000. He met his wife, Lindy, at a Mount Liberty Baptist revival in July 2003 and after 15 months, they were married and have been together since. “Lindy is very tender-hearted, but firm in her beliefs, which pairs well with my own personality.”
Through his faith, Joey has pastored five churches and loved all of them. Joey gratefully smiles, “For me to pastor a church, I have to love it.” While he has always loved his work as a preacher, it is not always easy. Like anyone, Joey has faced criticism, rumors, and gossip, and even though they were false, Joey realized it was hard to shake a rumor once it started. Criticism would often come from those who felt he preached too harshly for their liking. Joey spoke of this in a sermon saying, “Some people say I preach too loudly and preach too long, but I am who I am by the grace of God.”
With a smile, Joey says, “I would often try to please people when I started preaching. It took me a long time to figure out that there is only One to please.” He points to the sky. The One is God who always takes care of his faithful servants, even if his servants do not understand the plan. “Even now I love to get up for church every Sunday.” Joey cites this as the reason for him always being one of the first at church to open the doors and greet anyone who comes through the doors.
Joey’s congregation loves him because he preaches with his heart mind and soul full of the spirit of God. “When I get up to preach even if I am feeling sick or tired, the spirit fills my chest and gives me the strength to preach the word.” Joey’s preaching consists of walking around the pulpit and the floor of the church shaking people’s hands while shouting the gospel. For some people, this may seem unorthodox, but Joey’s passion pulls in anyone to listen so they can feel the presence of God. This developed because of his innate desire to speak up, lack of fear of being heard, and passion for the word of God. Joey’s passion is so great that often others feel compelled to give their testimony bringing the whole congregation closer to God. With Joey’s arrival has come many great things for the community around Macedonia Baptist, and many more are expected to come with Joey leading the charge in God’s name.