After over thirty fruitful years at Glenrock Baptist Church, Pastor Gene Flack recognized the need for revitalization. 

Saved later in life, his ministry began in 1992. He shared that the Lord greatly blessed Glenrock Baptist Church during his thirty years of faithful service there. “We had a great time of worship and reaching people for Christ together,” Flack said.

Realizing it was time for him to retire, Flack felt that the Lord was calling him to search for a younger leader to come in. He reached out to the leadership at York Baptist Association (YBA) for guidance during the transition. Mike Wallace, Associational Mission Strategist at YBA, pointed Flack toward Pastor Dave Kiehn at Park Baptist Church, just twenty minutes down the road. 

Training the Next Generation

In 2020, Park Baptist began a full-time pastoral residency program, which aims to prepare leaders for future pastoral roles. “I believe it’s the pastor’s job to pour his life into the next generation of pastors,” Kiehn said. The residency is offered in both English and Spanish and currently has five residents receiving mentoring, training, and opportunities for preaching and pastoral care.

Kiehn recommended Alan Patrick, who had completed Park Baptist’s residency program. After praying and conferring with YBA and Flack, the plan would be for Flack to spend a period of time training Patrick before he became the next pastor of Glenrock Baptist. “I was encouraged that he seemed to be a young man that was after God’s heart,” Flack said.

The Vision of Revitalization

The concept of a revitalization pastor, as explained by Kiehn, involves faithfully preaching the Word of God, lovingly shepherding the congregation and a dedicated focus on reaching out to the community.

The transition at Glenrock is a testament to the power of collaboration among churches. “It’s just a beautiful picture of churches working together. We are not trying to build our own kingdom. We’re trying to build the Kingdom of God for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ,” Kiehn said.

A Community Reinvigorated

Since Alan Patrick arrived at Glenrock, the church has witnessed the beginnings of change. “We have really seen a new revival spirit since Pastor Alan has come here,” Flack said. 

In just seven months at the church, Patrick feels that the Lord has been kind to him and the congregation. “This has just been a great period of time just preaching, praying, and loving the people,” Patrick said. “The Lord has already worked on me just to knit me so closely to this congregation.”

Flack, while stepping down, remains a supportive figure, ensuring a smooth transition to new leadership. His mentorship of Alan ensures a vital continuity of care and wisdom. “Our best days are not behind us, but they are in front of us always and that’s what we’re praying,” Patrick said.