Ed Young Sr., senior pastor of Second Baptist Church in Houston, announced Monday (May 27) that he is retiring from preaching at a church where he has served for over 40 years.
Young’s announcement came by way of a letter he wrote, which local Houston news outlet KHOU-11 shared, saying that Young’s wife, Lisa, and he “are stepping up, not down.”
“While I am moving from the pulpit to the pew, we are committed to our Second Family,” he added. “In our new capacity, we are eager to use our primary spiritual gifts of evangelism and encouragement within this family of faith.”
Dr. Ben Young, one of Young’s children, will be replacing the 87-year-old pastor in the pulpit and. In his retirement letter, Ed Young said that he is “thrilled with whom God has called to be our new senior pastor.” Young started pastoring Second Baptist Church in 1978.
“Evangelism has always been my heart’s desire, and Lisa may do it better than anyone I know,” Young said. “I am committed to following Andrew’s example in the New Testament. Lisa is a natural Barnabas with the gift of encouragement and is also teaching me to expand that cheerleading spirit in my ministry. We will stay in the battle.”
RELATED: SBC Pastor Ed Young Receives Criticism for Calling Migrants ‘Undesirables’ and ‘Garbage’
Concluding, Young told the church how much he loves them and shared that “long ago, I pledged to God that I would give Him all that I am and all that I will ever be.”
“Though I am the chief of sinners, God has graciously allowed me to live out that calling with you,” he said. “Serving you has been the great privilege of my life. You are family to Lisa and me.”
Earlier this year, Young was criticized after he called migrants “undesirables” and “garbage” as he ranted about the current border crisis during his sermon.
Young is a Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate. He pastored in South Carolina before accepting the call to become the fifth pastor at Second Baptist Church, and he served as the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president in 1992 and 1993.
What started as a prayer meeting in a downtown Houston school in 1927 now averages close to 18,000 in attendance every week across multiple campuses.
 that he is retiring from preaching at a church where he has served for over 40 years.){kind=link}