Gerald Harris
Index Editor Gerald Harris recently had the privilege of interviewing Anthony George, senior associate pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta. George came to Atlanta in 2012 from Aloma Baptist Church in Winter Park, FL, where he served as senior pastor for15 years. His exceptional ability to proclaim the Gospel is becoming well known and his circle of influence as a preacher and Christian leader is increasing on a consistent basis as he fills the pulpit at First Baptist Atlanta frequently on Sunday morning and every Wednesday evening.
Charles Stanley, right, has served as pastor of First Baptist Atlanta for more than 45 years. He invited Anthony George to become his partner in ministry in April of 2012. FBA/Atlanta
Index: Dr. George, I have known you since you were a student at Criswell College in the late 1980s and have followed your ministry with great interest. You have mentioned that you grew up in a family that was not greatly involved in the church. How did you come to know the Lord and what were the circ*mstances that led to your call to preach the Gospel?
George: My parents attended church sporadically whenI was a child. My grandparents were veryinvolvedin theirrespectivechurches and often wouldtakeme to church with them. Looking back, I can see so many ways inwhichthe Holy Spirit was cultivating my heart for salvation. But it was after moving to Jacksonville, FL in the tenth grade that someboys in the high schoolI attended began reaching outto me and inviting me totheirchurch, First Baptist of Jacksonville. AsI began attending youth group and church services there,I gained an assurance of my salvation.
Within a few months, I began to sense that God was calling me to into theministry. That was in 1985. Dr. Jerry Vines and Dr. Homer Lindsay were co-pastors at that time. It was an unprecedented season of exponentialgrowth and spiritual momentum at First Jacksonville.I am so thankfulI was a beneficiary of that season of spiritual outpouring on an evangelistic church led by two amazing men of God.
Index: Who have been the primary influencers in your life - your mentors?
George: I have often wondered why God would smile on me, of all people, the way He has by blessing me with so many men and women of spiritual influence. It’s a long list, to be sure.Of course, Homer Lindsay and Jerry Vines werevery influential in my life as my pastors. Additionally, Paige Patterson has played a major role in my life.He was the president of The Criswell College whereI got my bachelor’s degree and later became the president of Southeastern Seminary after my first year ofgraduate enrollment there.
Index: What is your view of the Bible and how did you come to have that view?
George: I believe that Scripture is the Spirit-inspired revelation of God to us.I always say there are two 3:16’s that every Christianshould know. Of course, the first one is John 3:16. Butthe only reason we can believe the promise of John 3:16 is because of 2 Timothy 3:16, which says all Scripture is God-breathed.Without the latter, can we truly be confident of the former? The view ofthe plenary, verbal inspiration ofScripture was instilled in me as a new believer through theteaching at FirstJacksonville. But it wasdefinitelyreinforced in the academicsetting at The Criswell College and through the preaching of Dr. W.A. Criswell at First Baptist Dallas whileI was a student.
Anthony George welcomes members and guests at a recent Sunday morning worship service at First Baptist Atlanta. FBA/Special
Index: Describe the essence of your ministry at Aloma Baptist Church in Winter Park.
George: I served at Aloma for15 years. Joe Boatwright, my predecessor, served for26 years prior to retiring. He stayed at the church and became my greatestadvocate, prayerwarrior,and encourager. Unfortunately,I spentthe first few years trying to reshape Aloma rather discovering what Aloma’s ministry values already were and capitalizing on those values and the uniqueness of Aloma's spiritual DNA. Aloma was achurch where broken people found healing and renewal.OnceI embraced that identity, things started workingthe right way. It was a wonderfulexperience to pastor thatchurch. I had no idea the degree of griefIwould feel during the process of leaving Aloma to come to Atlanta.
Index: What were the circ*mstances that led you to come to First Baptist Atlanta?
George: In January of 2008, Dr. Stanley’s doctor ordered him to takeseveral weeks off torecover from bronchitis. The minister of music at FBA, Rodney Brooks, shared my name as a possible guest speaker during that time. Someone fromthe church called me and asked me to take oneof the Sundays.I prayed about it for two seconds and said,“Yes!”I was invited back about four orfive times after that, to the point thatI had to decline additional invitations due to the perception problem it was creating for me at Aloma. Then in December 2011, I got a call from Dr. Stanley asking me to pray aboutcoming to serve as his associate pastor. After nine weeks of prayer andsoul-searching I accepted his invitation. My firstSunday at FBA was April 22, 2012.
Index: What are your greatest joys in being a part of such a strategic church?
George: It’s hard tocomprehend the extent of FBA’simpact around the world.I’ve been here four years and amstill in awe. It’s also beenpretty amazing to feel likesomethingI’m doing in my role ofassisting Dr. Stanley is helping him do what he does to preach to the nations of the world. Hetells me I’m helping him, soI’m going to take his word on it!
George leads the First Baptist Atlanta congregation in a parent/child dedication service. His personal touch and fervent prayer for the child and the parents became a highlight of the worship experience. FBA/Atlanta
Index: What are your greatest challenges in being the senior associate pastor of FBA?
George: The greatest challenge has beentransitioning fromtherole of lead pastor in the two previouschurches I served to associate pastor here. Being the associate pastor at FBA is like being incharge of everything, yetbeing incharge of nothing.I’ve always been able to make decisions, implement them, and move forward. But here there’s a process.And, of course, the process begins with running itby the pastor and, evenbefore that, deciding whether or not it’sworth his time toconsider. It’s the intentional pausing to honor thatprocess that has led to a drastic shift in myleadership habits.
Another challenge is thatI came from a situation whereI used to apologize for not being in the pulpit to achurch whereI now apologize whenI am in the pulpit.The FBA members are veryencouraging and tell me to stopapologizing. But inevitably whenI preach on aSunday morning, there arepeople in attendance who came from some state or country far, far away to hear Dr. Stanley in person. When they realize he’s not there, it’s a huge letdown.I completelyunderstand theirdisappointment.So it’s definitely a challenge to preach when you know that many of those inattendance wanted to hear someone elsebesides you. It’s a regular serving of humble pie, to be sure!
One thing that this experience has helped me to see isthe importance of training people in ministry for the roles other than the lead pastor. It seems that most formal training is with the intent of preparing the one who will be the lead player, i.e., the senior pastor. Serving in an associate role has given me a greater understanding ofthe challenges of serving undersomeone’sleadership as opposed to being the primary leader.I pray thatI’m playingthe "second fiddle" role successfully. ButI now have a newappreciation for and sensitivity to those who are in subordinate roles in ministry.
Anthony George, senior associate pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, preaches at a recent Sunday morning service. FBA/Special
Index: How would you describe themoral and spiritual climate in America today? What are your primary concerns about our culture?
George: In my assessment, we’ve lostthe culture.The biggest crisis we now face is internal.I am concerned that the church is forfeiting its identity in the name ofsensitivity. Consequently, we risk losing the church as we know it.I find myself grappling with how to harmonize the emphasis manyauthors and conference speakers place on pastors “speaking to the culture” with the mandate of Jesus to Simon Peter to "feed my sheep." I definitely see the value of the former; butI fear thedisappearance of the latter.
My second greatest concern for the church in America is the blatant erosion of religious liberty we are witnessing. I’ve watched with a sense of alarm the systematic and deliberate efforts by the president and his administration to intimidate churches and other Christian institutions and Christian-owned businesses intocompliance withtheir radical, social reshaping ofthe country. Our primary cultural concern atthis pointshould be to defendthe Constitution against the insidious assaults of those who want to eliminate historic Christianity and the free exercise of the religious values on which not only America was built, but all of Western Civilization.Religiousliberty nowsupersedes the cause ofdefendingthe unborn and traditional marriage. Atstake now is our very right,because of ourfaith, to even think a certain way or to express those thoughts publicly.
Index: What do you think the church in America will look like in 25 years? Do you see any significant changes that are inevitable?
George: It's hard to know what the next25 years will mean forthe confessing church. However,I do believe that thegreatest safeguardagainst the drift into apostasy is a relentlesscommitment tobiblical preaching.I enjoy observing and listening to pastors who areexpositional in theirpreaching while usingcreativity and technology to enhance theircommunication. They are proving that Bible exposition and creativity are notmutuallyexclusive concepts. I’m not fearful of progressive styles of music and otherstylistic changes. ButI am dreadfully fearful of the outcome of the willful abandonment of Scripture as the primary, driving content of preaching.
Index: What have you learned in these last four years from working closely with Dr. Charles Stanley?
George: There are so manythingsIhave learned from working for Dr. Stanley. And let me clarify, that’s howI describe it:I work for him, notjust with him. Let me list just a few of the thingsI’ve learned from him:
- I’ve learned from him to fear God and not man. Dr. Stanley truly rests in God’s approval, regardless of opposition or criticism from others.
- I’velearned that it’s ok for leaders to think big. In Touch Ministries was birthed by a vision in Dr. Stanley’s heart. He trusted God to make it happen.
- I’ve learned that God provides when we trust Him. Dr. Stanley has been on the air for over40 years,and he’s never asked for money on the air—not one time. Yet God has met every need and hasprovided abundant surplus in addition.
- I’ve learned that taking extended time away from ministry is one of the keys to Dr. Stanley’s longevity. It takes churchleaders and acongregation who willmake that provision andaffirm the pastor when he takes that time off. But Dr. Stanley has always takentwo and three weeks off at a time when he knew he needed it. In every instance, he came back stronger and the church was therecipient of his personal renewal. He’s now in his47th year of service at FBA.
- I’ve learned the value ofperseverance. Dr. Stanley will bepublishing an autobiography later this year in which he shares many ofthe obstacles he has overcome from childhood tothepresent.Through every battle and crisis, he has refused to retreat orto quit. It’s truly remarkable. And as he approaches his 84th birthday in September, he’s still working on more long-range goals for his life!
