Dr. Charles Smith, the longtime pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Mt. Orab, has passed away.
Smith died at his home in Sterling, Michigan on July 14, two days short of his 88th birthday.
Smith retired from Bible Baptist in 2015 after serving as Pastor for 33 years.
Current BBC Pastor Ted House said that Smith’s legacy is living on in the people he taught that are carrying on the ministry.
“The people that he mentored that are in the ministry are speaking of the great influence that he had on their life and how what God is doing in their lives now can be directly related to the things that he imparted into their life,” House said.
“One pastor said that the ministry of Pastor Smith has not been completed. Even though he has passed, his work will continue in the people that he trained in the ministry.”
House estimated that Smith mentored at least fifty current pastors, youth leaders and their wives.
When asked how many lives fifty religious leaders could change, House said “It’s innumerable. The Apostle Paul talks about that when he did the work of God on their behalf, the fruit that God gave him would be added to their account because of their work along with him. The pastor’s fruit will be present for generations to come.”
Church members are grieving for their former pastor in old ways and new, some leaving messages on the church Facebook page.
“Rest in heaven Pastor Smith. My heart is broken. Thank you for all the wonderful memories . You married me and my husband and you baptized us side my side. I’ll never forget you Pastor Smith. Much love for you,” wrote one woman.
Another wrote, “If it wasn’t for him that stormy night when he came down my pot hole filled long drive way not knowing me at all other than a visitor card we had filled out the previous Sunday, I would maybe not have come to know Christ as my personal Savior…So thank you Pastor Smith for giving to the Lord. And thank you for knocking on my door that night.”
House said that his congregation is looking back not only on the loss of Smith, but what he brought to the church as well.
“While the church is in mourning, they are remembering his preaching and his teaching of the word of God, his uncompromising spirit and his leadership,” House said. “When I speak at his funeral, I am going to refer to him as the preacher because that’s how people knew him and loved him.”
When asked how Smith and his works affected House personally, he said “It reconfirms the commitment that I have to the gospel and the church. Moses had Joshua, Elijah had Elisha and Paul had Timothy. I was like that to Preacher Smith. I was his Timothy. If I can carry on that legacy, that would be amazing. The mantle that has been passed is overwhelming.”
House added that Smith always stuck to one of the basic foundations of his faith.
“His favorite question to ask people when he met them was ‘Do you know for sure that if you were to die today that you would go to heaven?’ He loved souls.”
House said that the number of people that have been led to Christ by Smith and the people that he has trained would be in the thousands.
“I’m sure the good Lord greeted him with ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’” House said.
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