All Shook Up

 “The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands . . .” (Isaiah 57:1, ESV)

Gerald D. Shook was pastor of the Anchor Baptist Church for over 42 years.  He officially retired on August 30, 2026.  Less than a week later, on September 5, 2026, the Lord took him.  In light of the remarkable longevity of his ministry at Anchor, it's obvious there are people in that congregation who have never known any other pastor.  He pointed them to Jesus, baptized them, counseled them, and often buried them.  He was a faithful pastor and a decent man.*  Only time can truly reveal what a unique mercy he was to that church. 

I was on the pastor search committee that recommended him to the congregation in the fall of 1983.  We had gone down to the Mississippi Delta unannounced to a small church outside of Charleston called the Paynes Baptist Church, to hear him preach.  From the moment he stepped into the pulpit, it was clear he was the man of God in that place.  I don't remember the biblical text nor the topic of his sermon.  What I do remember was there was a palatable reverence.  It seemed Christ was honored.  After the service, he invited us to his office, and we talked for maybe an hour.  But on our ride home, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say, we were all giddy.  Or to put it another way, we were all shook up (pun intended).  We knew.  We just knew this was our man.  So without hearing or even considering any other candidate, we recommended Gerald Shook to the church.  He came and preached a trial sermon.  The church voted overwhelmingly to call him.  And he became pastor at Anchor in January, 1984.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a strange foreboding about what happens next.  Because, for whatever reason, it seems the Lord often sends testing after a blessing (2 Corinthians 12:7).  And Gerald Shook was a blessing.  

*This is purely my opinion based on my recollections.  You may disagree, but as Bro. Shook often said - tongue-in-cheek - "You have a right to be wrong."