I am blessed to pastor Sardis Baptist Church in Trimble. They placed their faith in me as a young and inexperienced pastor in December of 2008 and made it official in March of 2009.”Donny Yarbrough, Pastor
TRIMBLE – Sardis Baptist Church was founded by settlers in 1882 because they wanted a Baptist church that would serve as a spiritual light to the Smith Lake community. Today, Sardis Baptist is committed to being a church that reaches out to the community and helps people see they don’t have to have everything figured out, because God already does; all you have to do is trust in him and follow him.
The church is under the direction of Pastor Donny Yarbrough.
Yarbrough and his wife Rachel, married almost seven years, have two little boys, 3-year-old Justus and 18-month-old Jalon. After graduating from J.B. Pennington High School in Blountsville, Yarbrough attended Mississippi State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Meteorology with a minor in Communications.
“I never had a call to ministry until late 2007 into 2008,” he began. “I had continued to pursue a career in broadcast meteorology, but that all changed in the late winter/spring of 2008 when I attended a tent revival with my mother.”
Yarbrough witnessed to his mother about Christ for many years, and after praying for his mother to become a Christian, little did he know that his faith would become sight that night.
“Mother began weeping during the time of invitation, so I asked her if she wanted me to walk to the front with her and pray with her, and she nodded her head yes,” he continued. “As we knelt at that small altar under the tent, we had the whole community of Walter praying with us. We prayed for my mother to be saved from her sins and that she would give her life to Christ.
“That night, I felt as though I heard God speak to me more loudly and clearly than ever before,” he smiled warmly. “It was as close as one can come to hearing God speak audibly. He said, ‘This is what I want you to do for the rest of your life.’ I felt it deep in my heart. The rest, as they say, is just details. I preached my first message shortly thereafter and haven't looked back since,” he chuckled.
Yarbrough has been a pastor for a little over seven years now. He has been a full-time pastor for about three and a half years.
“I am blessed to pastor Sardis Baptist Church in Trimble,” he said. “They placed their faith in me as a young and inexperienced pastor in December of 2008 and made it official in March of 2009.
“One of my biggest challenges as a church leader is overcoming the obstacles in an ever-changing culture,” he stated. “One has to always be forward-thinking and seeking God's heart for what the future needs to look like for their church to continue to be effective. We have the greatest message that anyone could ever hear, but being creative and effective in getting that message to those who could truthfully care less is something that continually keeps my heart and mind burdened.”
When speaking of his church, Yarbrough lights up like a Christmas tree. It is obvious he truly loves his work as well as those to whom he ministers.
“Our church has been around for a long time here in Trimble, over 125 years actually,” he beamed. “We are grateful for the heritage of faith many wonderful Christians have established over the decades. Over time, we have transitioned from a predominantly older congregation to one that is truly multi-generational. It is filled with kids, teens and college-age students, all the way to an outstanding group of seniors,” he grinned. “We have exciting, powerful praise and worship music and we strive to preach and teach the Bible in a practical manner. We want people (to) come and leave knowing they have learned what they need to learn to become better for Christ in their everyday life. Simply, we are committed to making disciples through a process we call LOVE, GROW, SERVE.”
Yarbrough encourages his congregation to love God with all their hearts and help others to do the same.
The church is located at 6645 County Road 813 in Cullman. For more information, call 256-739-5300 or email sbc@sardisbaptistcullman.com. Visit them online at http://www.sardisbaptistcullman.com/ or http://qrne.ws/0.
