When I became a pastor several years ago, I quickly realized that the dropout rate among pastors was high. Statistics vary, but in my own experience I have known several pastors who left the ministry for one reason or another. We lament over this, but we sometimes forget there are also pastors who have persevered for decades in ministry. My friend and mentor Dave Lewis is an example of that.

I got to know Dave through a mutual friend of ours. When we first met at a local McDonald’s, I decided to ask him how long he had been serving his church. I knew he had some miles under his ministry belt, but I was stunned when he told me he had been pastoring his church for 64 years!

The world will remember June 2, 1953, as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. That same month, however, marked the start of Pastor Dave’s tenure at the Bald Eagle Alliance Church in central Pennsylvania. Few took notice as this small church “back in the woods” installed their new pastor. 70 years have passed now, but Dave is still pastoring the same church.  

I recently asked Dave if he has any retirement plans. “If I’m still here and the people continue to put up with me, I want to continue to minister. I’ll leave it in God’s hands.” Cleary, he still has a passion for ministry. Dave and his congregation have recently adopted a “goal” for their church. “To fill the building with people who are seeking God, finding Him, and worshipping Him.”

During one of our first conversations, I asked Dave what the secret of his longevity was. He answered, “The grace of God, the will of God, and the love of the people.” His simple answer hints at a profound truth. Such a long ministry was only possible through sustaining the grace of God.

Over the years, I have learned many things from Pastor Dave. Here are four lessons.

The Primacy of Preaching

Even though he just turned 93, pastor Dave still has a fire in his belly that drives him to preach the gospel. I have only heard him preach once, but it was a solid exposition filled with gospel hope.

When we meet together, without fail he either shares about what he just preached on, or what he is preparing to preach on. “Preaching the Word and exulting Jesus Christ is a wonderful blessing to me,” he said. “Even after all these years, it is still a joy to meet and give the Word of God each Sunday.”

When we talk, I get the impression he can’t wait to share the riches that he has discovered from his study of Scripture. Of late, Dave has been preaching through 1 John. “It’s marvelous,” he told me. “Count how many times the love of God and love for the brethren are mentioned in some form in this letter.”    

I have had the honor of preaching at Dave’s church four times. After one such occasion, I was amazed to hear Dave recite my outline and main point from a sermon I had preached months earlier. I felt like saying, “Dave, you remember my sermons better than I do!” Even when he is not in the pulpit, Dave models the primacy of preaching.   

Read Good Books

Dave often tells me about the latest books he is reading and what they are teaching him. Early in our friendship Dave told me, “read Bunyan, Newton, Spurgeon, and Tozer.” Pastor Dave is a voracious reader, and tends to read quite widely, but those are his favorite authors. On a couple occasions, I had the chance to peruse Dave’s library and it was striking how few contemporary authors Dave reads. Like C.S. Lewis, Dave would caution against “chronological snobbery” and the notion that what is latest is the greatest. Every pastor should strive to supplement his time in the Word with good, solid books. 

Healthy Lifestyle

I learned the importance of healthy living the hard way a few years ago. The stress of ministry was really getting to me and recreation and exercise had all but disappeared from my lifestyle. I ended up in the hospital with a very serious heart condition that took me almost a year to recover from.

Dave has always enjoyed a very active lifestyle. He was still playing intramural basketball into his mid 60’s, and golfing well into his 80’s. But Dave’s healthy, active lifestyle has always been a secondary concern. The Bible says, “while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Pursing a godly life is his primary concern.  

Love for People

Dave is a true shepherd. When I asked Dave to tell me about his church, he had nothing but good things to say. “They are the most loving and gracious people a pastor could ever ask for.” Hardly a conversation goes by where Dave fails to mention his beloved flock. Even after all these years, there is still a deep affection between the pastor and his people.

When I asked about some of the highlights of his long ministry tenure. Dave pondered before answering, “Seeing youngsters grow up and serve the Lord has been a highlight for me.” Dave was simply echoing the words of the apostle John. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children (spiritual children) are walking in the truth” (3 John 4).

When you meet Dave, it doesn’t take long to realize that he is a man deeply in love with Jesus. He often notes that his doctrine is summed up in an old A.B. Simpson hymn: “All in all forever, Jesus will I sing, everything in Jesus and Jesus everything.” For 70 years, Dave has never deviated from preaching the gospel and exalting the risen Savior.

I estimate he has preached around 10,000 sermons to his congregation, not to mention countless sermons preached elsewhere. While Dave is not the longest serving pastor in US history, (the all-time record is 76 years at one church), it is safe to say he has been faithful. God will have the final say on his ministry (2 Timothy 4:8, Hebrews 13:17), but his zeal, endurance, and piety are exceptionally rare. “My whole joy” he said, “is loving my family, my church family, and preaching the Word of God.”

Few pastors will ever spend the entirety of their ministry at one church, much less a ministry this long. Indeed, Dave Lewis is one of a kind, and I praise God for him.