Local Pastor Celebrates 60 Years At Same Church

Never before in the state of Oklahoma has there been a pastor in an African American church for 60 years, until now. 

Wednesday, January 11th 2023, 6:55 pm



-

Never before in the state of Oklahoma has there been a pastor in an African American church for 60 years, until now. 

Pastor John Reed has been the pastor at Fairview Missionary Baptist Church at 1700 NE 7th in Oklahoma City, for 60 years. 

“On the third Sunday night in August in 57, I preached my first initial sermon,” Reed said. 

He was 19 at the time, and at 24, he asked to pastor the church he was baptized in as a child. 

“The second Sunday in January, I accepted the position here at Fairview, and the rest is history,” Reed said.  

Now at 84, his memory is as sharp as ever. 

“When I first arrived at Fairview in sixty-three, most of our members lived in the area, and everybody could walk to church,” Reed said.  

Reed recalled that at the time he became pastor it was the height of the civil rights movement. 

“In June of that year, 63, during that week, I got the chance to meet Martin Luther King Jr. personally and talk with him,” Reed said.

Today his accomplishments are recognized all over the country. 

“He never said anything to us about being famous, and really, he never said anything to us about being successful. All the Lord said to us in his word is to be faithful,” Reed said. 

And after 60 years of pastoring, his focus is still the same. 

“It always has been my desire as a pastor to serve, not to be served but to serve,” Reed said. 

At 84 years young, the pastor affectionately known as “Pop Reed” has no plans to stop serving.  

“I’ve come to this point where after 60 years where I’ve gained that kind of respect across the nation, and I’m thankful and grateful because it could be the other way around,” Reed said. 

There is a gala planned in his honor on March 24 at The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, for ticket information visit the church’s website by clicking here.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

January 11th, 2023

March 27th, 2024

March 26th, 2024

March 25th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 29th, 2024

March 29th, 2024

March 29th, 2024

March 29th, 2024