By Vicki Brown and Jeff Brumley
Kirkwood, Mo., has benefitted from Scott Stearman’s passion for urban ministry, social justice, human rights and the believer’s role in making a kingdom difference on earth.
Now, New York City will benefit from that passion, too.
Stearman, pastor of Kirkwood Baptist Church in suburban St. Louis since February 2003, will take the same position at Metro Baptist Church in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen on Feb. 1. He describes the move as God’s opportunity for him to impact a broader audience.
In addition to his church role, Stearman will help coordinate the relationship between the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist World Alliance at the United Nations. The BWA recently asked the CBF to serve as its liaison at the U.N. and the Fellowship has tapped religious liberty advocate Mark Wiggs to take the lead as a volunteer.
The longtime minister has known about Metro Baptist and its “extraordinary” social outreach for a number of years. Although the congregation is smaller than that at Kirkwood, members have developed strong engagement with the community and beyond and a commitment to urban ministry, Stearman said.
That ministry and the opportunity to engage with the U.N. were the impetus for Stearman and his wife, Cecelia, to say yes to Metro.
“It is a smaller church in a bigger city with a smaller salary and a much more expensive location,” Stearman wrote in Kirkwood Baptist’s Jan. 6 newsletter. “Am I out of my mind? Possibly. But at every step ‘no’ was the wrong answer.”
While his involvement with the U.N. has to be ironed out, it will likely include being the point person between Baptist groups and the U.N. on issues like human rights and gender equality.
“And clearly religious liberty — given our Baptist heritage,” Stearman said.
He added that he’s already made one visit to the U.N. facility in New York.
And the church is a pretty big ministry to lead all by itself, he added. Metro is known for its rooftop farm, its outreach to the community and its vibrant worship.
“I think it will be a lot of fun,” Stearman said. “It’s like getting your hands around an elephant because it’s such a multi-faceted organism.”
While Stearman and his wife are excited about the opportunity, they have reflected on the legacy they are leaving behind at Kirkwood Baptist.
“We [the congregation] have become more focused to community engagement and our impact on Kirkwood,” including more mission efforts in the St. Louis suburb, he said.
“We also continue to be more explicit about inclusion, including LGBT people, into our community of faith.”
Stearman also pointed to the Kirkwood congregation’s successful capital campaign and renovation of its facility with minimal debt.
Cecelia, a private voice instructor at Missouri Baptist University, has used her music abilities to impact Kirkwood as well, starting and leading the Community Gospel Choir and other activities.
As he approaches his new ministry, Stearman wants to “continue to grow the church community” and find “the right way to do outreach,” he said.
He added that part of the effort will involve “figuring out” Metro’s identity as the Hell’s Kitchen area changes. All of Manhattan is “gentrifying” and “becoming the playground of the very rich,” Stearman explained. The congregation will have to be aware of changing needs and ministry opportunities.
A pastor since 1989, Stearman has served churches in Oklahoma and in Europe, including Athens and Paris. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in religion and history at Oklahoma Baptist University, a master of divinity degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a master’s in philosophy and theology at Princeton Theological Seminary and a doctorate in ancient philosophy at the University of Oklahoma.
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