September 17, 2024
CATLETTSBURG, Ky. (KT) — Before retiring as an air traffic controller, Todd Coleman’s work focused on the physical survival of people traveling by plane. Now as pastor of Burnaugh Baptist Church, he will focus on spiritual survival for eternity that is the result of faith in Jesus Christ.
Coleman received a unanimous vote to be Burnaugh’s pastor on Sept. 1. Three days later he led the Wednesday night service, then his first Sunday as pastor was Sept. 8.
His sermon for this Sunday will draw from an experience he had as an air traffic controller at Tri-State Airport in Huntington, W.Va.
Coleman said that involved an airplane that was stuck on top of clouds but with its fuel tanks indicating they were empty — having just enough fuel to keep the airplane aloft. He was able to work the airplane through the clouds “in much less than optimum conditions and get to the runway safely. Two souls survived that day because of that,” he said.
He plans on playing the voice recording for the congregation where “you can hear the franticness” and then deliver a biblical message. Using that illustration will help the congregation know more about his background and what he used to do for a living since he is new to the church.
This will be the first pastorate for Coleman, who describes himself as “just an average guy — not the son of a pastor.” His formative years were spent in Arkansas, then he served eight years in the U.S. Navy, where he learned about air traffic. After a year as a Department of Defense police officer, he began a 23-year career with the Federal Aviation Administration.
He was called into the ministry at age 39 and has spent the last 13 years filling pulpits in eastern Kentucky on a supply basis. “I was able to retire at age 50, so that freed me up to go into full-time ministry,” Coleman noted. He and his wife, Jill, are members of Louisa First Baptist Church, where he has had numerous preaching opportunities.
It was just over three years ago that the Colemans visited Burnaugh Baptist, but didn’t join there. However, it marked the beginning of a burden for that church. “I have had a burden for it for about three years. We went there, and I knew I was being called to eastern Kentucky. But it was not for us, so we moved on and went to First Baptist Louisa. I have been praying for Burnaugh for the past three years. When the pastor left there about 16 months ago, that burden became tremendous.”
Coleman told the interim at Burnaugh about his burden for the church. “I would pray for that church every time I drove by it,” he said.
On Coleman’s first Sunday as its pastor, there were 74 people in the worship service.
Coleman said he is optimistic about the future for Burnaugh. “Given what the church has been through, I am very optimistic. They have been shaken, but they are still standing strong. They have endured these last 16 months without a pastor but had a good man filling the pulpit. He was the guy they needed (in order) to heal. I am not putting any emphasis on myself, I can’t do anything — but by the Lord I can. I give all glory to Him and none to me.”
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This story first appeared in Kentucky Today.
