Our Pastor
Paul A. Douglass
Senior Pastor
Since 1993
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Graduated from Rome Free Academy (Rome, New York) in 1973
Attended SUNY Maritime College (Fort Schuyler, Bronx, New York) from 1973 to 1974
Graduated from Empire State Baptist Seminary (Liverpool, New York) in 1979
Ordained January 14th, 1983
Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church (Marcellus, New York) from 1979 to 1985
Associate Pastor of Faith Baptist Church (Baldwinsville, New York) from 1985 to 1993
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Spending his first years on what
remained of the family farm in Horseheads, New York, Pastor Douglass
was born into an actively Christian family, the only son among four
children. His father attended Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City,
New York during the 1950's, and contributed substantially to his son's
interest and growth in spiritual things through his example and
leadership in the home, in his service as Sunday School teacher,
worship leader, and deacon in the church, and in his business
experience and general practice and testimony in the community. Pastor Douglass often
displayed a contrary nature as a young boy. He testifies on occasion
that he would not only resist his parents' attempts to take him to
church, but that on those same days he would
willfully oppose their attempts to bring him back home! The diligence
of his parents and church family were not entirely lost on him,
however. He can still remember many of the lessons of his Sunday
school teachers that he heard at the age of three or four, and recalls
even entire sermons that his parents made him sit through because there
was no children's church available at the time!
Although he had become personally aware of God's saving grace during a week of Bible Club camp at age eleven, it was not until 1969 that he began to place a high value on the things of the Lord. During that year, while living in Hammondsport, New York, Pastor Douglass was struck by lightning. Through
a very rare set of circumstances he was enabled to survive, and he
vividly recalls waking up in the hospital and seeing the family's pastor praying near him with his parents. That pastoral devotion was indelibly etched into Pastor Douglass' heart and mind. At age sixteen
he became convicted about his commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, and
followed Him in baptism, consequently becoming a member of Skyline
Baptist Church in Rome, New York. Pastor Douglass considers himself
doubly blessed by this decision. Not
only was he received into a church family, but the baptism was
conducted in the swimming pool of the father of the woman that would
eventually become his wife! In 1976 he married Sheryl Mills, and in
1979 he graduated from seminary. Later in that same year
he received a call from the Holy Spirit to the work of the ministry.
Their first of four sons was born in 1981 (the youngest son is
currently a forth grader). They are also blessed with two
grandchildren.
Apart from his dedication as a husband and a family man, Pastor
Douglass remains a life long student of the Word. His extended
education has included instruction through
the
Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts, Reformed Theological Seminary,
Ligonier Ministries, Bob Jones University, the A.C.E. School of
Tomorrow, Pensacola Christian College, Baptist Bible College, the
Biblical Counseling Training Conferences in Lafayette, Indiana, and
much more. He has extensive experience and specialized training as a Christian
school administrator, teacher, and Biblical counselor. He is an avid
reader. He also enjoys dabbling with many aspects of engineering,
including auto mechanics and computer design. He is an accomplished outdoorsman, and especially enjoys the ministry and fellowship opportunities
the outdoors provides. He has anchored, organized, and presented
conferences and workshops related to a diversity of subjects, where he
has always brought the gospel to bear. But the heart and soul of his life and ministry will always remain, by the grace of God, with the local church.
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"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry."
I Ti. 1:12
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