Paul Morris isn’t afraid to “get on people’s toes,” when he preaches.
“I just preach the truth. I always like to back up anything I preach with the Bible,” he said. “If it’s not in that Bible, it’s not worth preaching.”
“I’ve been told by people I don’t tickle the ears,” said Morris, who is in his tenth year as pastor at Parker Baptist Church west of Bruce. “I don’t tell people what they want to hear, but what they need to hear and I think that’s a good thing.”
Morris was raised in Bruce the son of Thomas “Goose” and Mary Morris. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1989 and was stationed in Wichita Falls, Texas for a while. During that time he completed coursework for radiology at Midwestern State University as well and was transferred to Keesler AFB in Biloxi where he did his clinical training.
He ended up at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery where he met his wife, Melissa, who is also an Air Force veteran. They have three kids – Adam, McKenzie and Hannah.
Upon completing active duty, Morris returned to his beloved Calhoun. He has served as director of radiology at the hospital in Calhoun City the past 14 years.
He was licensed as a preacher in 1995 by Bro. Jim Jeffreys of Poplar Springs Baptist Church. He was ordained in 1996 and served as pastor of New Hope Baptist outside Vardaman from 1997-2001.
He served as a supply preacher for years while serving First Baptist in Bruce as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. It was in 2007 that he was invited to preach at Parker and was soon after accepted as its pastor.
“Since that time we’ve made many great achievements,” Morris said. “We’ve grown in membership. We’ve built a new fellowship hall, a playground for the kids and expanded the parking lot three times. God has been good to all of us.”
Parker Baptist’s services each week are watched far and wide. Their services are broadcast on W07BN television in Bruce and streamed online.
“Our television ministry is one of the most watched,” Morris said. “We get calls from people telling us how they enjoy watching our little country church.”
Parker averages around 70 people every Sunday, but gives like a much larger church.
“This is a very welcoming, very loving church,” Morris said. “It doesn’t matter social standing or skin color, the people here are so open and caring.”
Parker Baptist is a strong contributor to all the traditional mission outlets such as Annie Armstrong, Margaret Lackey and Lottie Moon, but also within the community.
“If people can’t meet their gas bill or whatever need might arise, they try to meet those needs,” Morris said. “I cannot say enough about the people and the atmosphere here at Parker Baptist.”
Morris loves welcoming visitors and introducing people to the Lord, but also puts great emphasis on trying to inspire them to do more afterwards.
“There’s a big push to get people to walk down the aisle to accept the Lord, but what takes place after that is important too,” Morris said. “A lot of times they come and get saved, but then just sit in the pews like knots on a log. There’s more to it than that. People need to get plugged in and involved.”