Pastor
Our Pastor: Pastor Black was raised in a Christian home and saved at the age of 12. A year or so after high school the Lord called him into the ministry. Pastor is a 1983 graduate of Massillon Baptist College in Massillon, Ohio. He and his late wife Debbie were married in 1982 and the Lord blessed them with four children. Together they served in various ministries including associate pastor, church planter, pastor, and evangelist. The latter spanned a period of over 20 years. In February of 2021 Debbie went home to be with her Lord following a 15-month battle with brain cancer. Pastor Black is the author of a book entitled When a Child of God Dies… from one grieving heart to another. Many have said the book was a great help and encouragement to them as they navigated through the unpleasant thing called grief. (The book is available for purchase on Pastor Black’s website sermonandsong.org.) After that devastating loss he continued on in the ministry, but it became apparent he really needed someone to love and serve with.
Lois had also lost her spouse in 2021 and was asking God to fill the void in her life. He was in Ohio– she was in West Virginia and neither one knew of the other. If you ask, they will enthusiastically share the details of what God did! (By the way, after they met, they learned that their daughters, both named Amanda, had been friends in Bible college!) On February 4, 2023, they married. Between the two of them they have 7 children and 16 grandchildren!
Pastor Rod Black is a passionate and sometimes quite animated preacher and teacher of God’s Word. He endeavors to preach the truths of Scripture without compromise yet with love and compassion. He and his lovely wife Lois are also a blessing as they often provide special music with duets and solos, many of which were written by his late wife, Debbie.
Pastor Black’s life verse is I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”