Well done, thou good and faithful servant

This past weekend, a true man of God, Pastor Bob Kelley, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in West Columbia, went home to be with the Lord. He was a giant among men and everything you could ever want in a pastor, a friend, a husband, a father, and a grandfather. He touched so many lives and will be GREATLY missed.

Brittanie attended Grace for 9 years so we have many fond memories of Pastor Kelley, who always had a bright smile on his face. But two memories impacted our lives forever. 4 years ago today, I was in the hospital, having just given birth to Katie. We had been visiting Grace because Brittanie was going to school with kids who attended Grace and her Bible teacher, Mr. Goforth, was/is an outstanding youth leader. Well the pastor of the church we belonged to came to the hospital to visit since that is part of his job...to visit members in the hospital. Well my mom had gone into the bathroom before he got there so I took the opportunity of us being alone to explain to him why we had been visiting Grace. I wanted him to know that we had no problem with our church, it was just something we felt God wanted us to do for Brittanie. All I got out was "I wanted to explain to you why we have been visiting Grace" and my pastor looked at me and said "I didn't know you were visiting Grace. I wish I had known because I wouldn't have come here." He then told me he had to go and left. He was gone before my mom got out of the bathroom....that's how short his stay was. Well I was crushed. He didn't even see the baby. Later that afternoon, Pastor Kelley came by with a big bright smile on his face. He held Katie and told me she was beautiful and just made what started out to be a bad day so much better and we weren't even members of Grace at the time! Two weeks later, Katie had to be hospitalized with jaundice. I made Tom go to work and Brittanie was at school and I stayed with Katie at the hospital alone. Well Pastor Kelley had heard through Brittanie's teacher that Katie was in the hospital and he wasted no time coming up there to see if there was anything he could do. We still weren't members of Grace at this point. Our pastor never even called to see how Katie was. I had a good talk with Pastor Kelley that day and he was such a comfort to me. I was terrified standing there watching Katie laying naked under those purple lights not knowing what would happen next. But after Pastor Kelley left, I had such a peaceful feeling. He truly was one of a kind and a TRUE man of God.

When he stood before God the day he passed away, I just know God told him "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." He was loved by everyone he touched. Please join me in praying for his family, his friends, and his church family. To know Pastor Kelley was to love him so I know my family is not the only family mourning the loss of this wonderful man.

Grace Baptist Church website