By Bob Allen
After more than two years without a senior pastor, First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Ala., welcomed an inaugural sermon Aug. 10 by new Pastor Jim Cooley.
Cooley, pastor of First Baptist Church in Haleyville, Ala., since 2003, succeeds Stan Lewis, who left after four years to become executive pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla., in 2012.
Charles Carter, former president of the Alabama Baptist Convention and longtime senior pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, had filled in as interim pastor since October 2012.
The last year has been particularly tough for the congregation, since the July 23, 2013, murder of Karen Shahan, wife of the church’s pastor of children and families, in a church-owned home that the couple rented. The news got even worse in January, when the husband, Richard Shahan, was arrested at an airport in Nashville, Tenn., trying to board a flight to Germany.
Prosecutors say Shahan stabbed his 52-year-old wife to death and once out of the country planned to marry his boyfriend.
Shahan’s lawyers denied his was trying to flee, noting it was common knowledge that he resigned his job at First Baptist planning to do three years of international missions work in Europe and Central Asia. Lawyers said Shahan didn’t know a warrant for his arrest had been issued until Homeland Security pulled him out of line when his passport triggered a red flag.
In February Shahan waived a preliminary hearing, allowing the state to take the case before a grand jury to determine if facts warrant an indictment. Shahan was released from jail in February after posting $100,000 bond.
On Jan. 17 the church posted a statement on Facebook saying: “The First Baptist family is saddened by the news and circumstances surrounding the murder of Karen Shahan. We trust and pray that truth and justice will prevail. At this difficult time, First Baptist Church is seeking to be the church of Jesus Christ. We continue in our ministry to the members of our congregation, service to our community, and proclamation of the gospel.”
Cooley, who currently serves as second vice president of the Alabama Baptist Convention, is a graduate of Samford University with a master of divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
In his introductory sermon, Cooley said he is fine with church members addressing him however they feel comfortable, as “Dr. Cooley,” “Brother Jim” or just plain “Jim.”
Previous stories:
Ala. minister’s wife slain in home
Service set for slain minister’s wife
Interim pastor consoles grieving church
Minister in custody in Ala. murder
Doubt not a sin, says pastor to church hit by murder
Minister held in wife’s death leaving U.S.
Baptist minister arrested in wife’s murder
Attorney: Minister wasn’t trying to flee
Interim pastor supports arrested minister
Pastor murder suspect waives extradition
Pastor charged with murder is on way to Alabama
Arrest affidavit says minister cut, stabbed his wife
Pastor: Church heartbroken by murder, arrest
Richard Shahan seeks $30,000 bond
State says murder suspect planned to wed boyfriend