Shady Grove Baptist Church

The Rev. Bobby Houze will be the guest speaker for Rev. Lee Byers and First Lady Esther Byers’ Seventh Pastoral Anniversary service scheduled for Sunday March 10 at 3:00 p.m.

Houze is a Shelby native. He answered the call into God’s ministry and received his license to preach in 1985. He was ordained in March 1987.

He now serves as Pastor and Teacher of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The anointed calling on his life has inspired and triggered the congregation to achieve higher levels of spiritual, educational, and physical growth. Pastor Houze is an inspiring man of God who has a deep desire to win souls for Christ. He is committed to serving God, dedicated to following God’s vision for his church, and excited as God continues to do “exceedingly, abundantly, above all he could or think” within his life and ministry (Ephesians 3:30).

His sincere love for God’s people has led him to minister the Word of God abroad to both the West Indies and Haiti. His leadership abilities have been recognized locally, nationally and internationally. He was featured in the 2001 edition of Gospel Today as one of America’s Most Loved Pastors. In October 2004, Pastor Houze was appointed Chairperson of Evangelism of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, Inc.

Pastor Houze has received the Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Theology from Emmanuel Baptist Seminary, Doctor of Ministry degree from Emmanuel Baptist University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Shaw University.

He is married to Dora Roberts Houze, and they have two daughters and three grandchildren.

Everyone is cordially invited to attend this celebration of ministry.

The Shady Grove Baptist Church family will honor the Rev. Lee Byers, Jr., and First Lady Esther Byers on their seventh pastoral anniversary during a special service on Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 3 p.m.

Speaking for this occasion will be Pastor Bobby Houze, pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church, in Gastonia, N.C. He will be accompanied by his choirs and congregation.

The Byers have served the Shady Grove Church family for seven years. They are God’s servants and exemplify love and humility and are soldiers on the battlefield for the Lord. Rev. Byers’ personal objective is taken from (Peter 1:4), “… Teaching the flock with eagerness, leading by example; and being a servant leader.” He endeavors to let his “talk coincide with his walk.”

The Rev. Byers serves as a member of the executive board of the Thickety Mountain Baptist Association, member of the Thickety Mountain Association Trustee Board, Vice President of the Association Ministerial Alliance, and an advisor to the Thickety Mountain Brotherhood Auxiliary. He is also a very active member and participant in all activities of the Cherokee County “Giving Back” Organization. He also received a bachelor in theology degree from North Carolina College of Theology in spring 2012.

The Rev. Byers has long worked to keep the art form of live “rote singing” and has organized hymn choirs at Shady Grove Baptist Church, Mt. Calvary Church in White Stone, S.C.; Majority Baptist Church in Spartanburg; Mikes Creek Baptist Church in Gaffney; and New Hope Baptist Church in Gastonia, N.C. He is renowned for his ability to “raise hymns” in various meters as common meter (CM), long meter (LM), short meter (SM), and other meters. The song’s meter indicates the melody line and rhythm. This style of singing dates back to slavery when lead singers in the fields would announce the meter and the words of the song and the others would follow.

The Rev. Byers is married to the former Esther Montgomery of Gaffney, and they have five adult children and ten grandchildren. First Lady Byers serves as a member of the Shady Grove Deaconess, Trustee, and Minister’s Wives Ministry, and Senior Missionary Ministry. She also serves as a Youth Supervisor, an advisor to the Young Women’s Ministry (YWA), and a member of the Thickety Mountain Ministers Wives Auxiliary.

Associate Minister Martha Crosby will preach the Word during the Sunday morning worship service. Presenting special music will be the Shady Grove Youth Choir.

Everyone is cordially invited to be with us as we give God the praise and celebrate this momentous occasion. An anniversary luncheon will be provided immediately following the service.