DATE: Thursday, October 9, 1997             TAG: 9710070138

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY SANDRA J. BARKER, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   54 lines

PASTOR CELEBRATING 30TH IN SAME PULPIT

In the book of First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul stated, ``Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.'' The Rev. Don Karnes, pastor of the Grace Baptist Church in the Norview area of Norfolk, has obeyed that directive by remaining faithful to his congregation for 30 years.

On Sunday, the members of Grace Baptist Church will celebrate Karnes' anniversary with an Honor Service at 2 p.m.

Karnes' son, Donald E. Karnes, associate pastor of the church and organizer of the special service, said, ``I've met a lot of pastors in my life, and there's not been many who've been 30 years in the same pulpit. It takes a special, faithful man to do that.''

Bob Jones III, president of Bob Jones University in South Carolina where Pastor Karnes earned two degrees, will be guest speaker at the Sunday afternoon Honor Service. Special events of the day will include a potluck dinner following the morning worship service, singing, and testimonies of church members and area pastors.

Karnes, who is now 63, began his ministry at Grace Baptist Church in October 1967, when he was called from serving as an evangelist out in Greenville, S.C. to become pastor of the small, 20-member Norfolk church. The church was begun in 1950 by The Rev. John Taylor, in a house on Tate Terrace in Norfolk. The congregation later moved into a store, and then constructed their present sanctuary in 1961.

Under Karnes' leadership, the church grew to 250 in attendance on Sunday mornings. Today, that number has dwindled to about 100. Karnes' desire is to rebuild the membership, which he admits is difficult in such a transient region.

``We're in a Navy area where the Lord giveth and the Navy taketh away.''

In 1978, Karnes and his wife, Joyce, started Grace Baptist School with a kindergarten class of eight students. Today the school goes through the fifth grade. In the course of his ministry in Norfolk, Karnes has also served as moderator of the Virginia Assembly in 1986-87, taught at Atlantic Baptist Bible College, and has had radio ministries with a number of radio networks.

Through two heart attacks, a five artery bypass, and a stroke, Karnes has remained faithful. His guiding philosophy over the years has been: ``The most important thing to live for is eternity rather than time. Our life is so short on earth. We're wiser if we prepare for eternity, and to do that you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour.''

Karnes said he has enjoyed his 30 years at Grace Baptist. ``I like long pastorates because you can see the children grow up in your church and become adults,'' he said. ``You can see the result of your ministry through the years.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SANDRA BARKER

The Rev. Don Karnes, left, will be honored Sunday in a service

planned by his son, Associate Pastor Donald E. Karnes.

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