A Letter to you from our PastorHello, My name is Danny Odum and I am the Sr. Pastor of White Oak Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. I’d like to tell you a bit about myself. I was raised in Port St. Joe, Florida, with my older brother and sister, as the child of a pastor. My father, Rev. J.C. Odum, served as the first pastor of Long Avenue Baptist Church and retired after 28 years of dedicated service. After high school, I attended Gulf Coast Junior College in Panama City, Florida, where I met Paulette, the love of my life, who became my wife and the mother of our three (now adult) children. After college, I began my career in the insurance industry as a sales representative, and that developed into a professional journey spanning over thirty years. Alongside my corporate career, I remained active in my local church, volunteering as a Youth Leader, Music Leader, Sunday School Teacher, and Deacon. These experiences enriched my professional life and deepened my spiritual life. At just the right time, God called me to retire from the corporate sector and accept an opportunity to serve as Associate Pastor and Worship Leader at Calvary Baptist Church in Lilburn, Georgia, where I was licensed and ordained into gospel ministry. Reflecting on my life’s experiences, I now recognize how God prepared me, through my upbringing as a PK (pastor’s kid) where my parents instilled in me values and commitments that have guided my vocation as a pastor. God also used my professional life and our family’s local church communities to prepare me for pastoral leadership as Sr. Pastor at White Oak Baptist Church where I have served since 2006. I knew from an early age that God had a call on my life. Although I served Him from the day of my Salvation, I never fully surrendered to His call until later in my life. I wonder about you? Have you answered God's call on your life? Have you experienced His faithfulness and kindness so that you are able to fully surrender your life to Him, too? If you do, you will never regret it! Come visit us at White Oak! If we are not what you are seeking, we will certainly assist you in finding a church that fits your needs. And please, reach out to me. I want to hear your heart. In Christ's love, Pastor Danny Odum |
