Terry Posey

Terry was born December 28, 1937, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Terry O. & Lillian B. Posey. A brother, James H., joined the family in August 1941. The family moved to Texas, Odessa area, early in 1938, then later to the Texas panhandle. Terry began his schooling in Phillips, Texas, and in the summer between the second & third grades, the family moved back to Odessa in 1945. Terry attended Fannin Elementary, Crockett Junior High School, and graduated from Odessa High School in 1956. Terry Continued his education, attending Texas Tech College (now University), in Lubbock, graduating in 1961. It was during his time at Texas Tech that Terry sensed God’s leading & His call on his life to the ministry. To prepare for a life of serving his Lord, after graduating from college, Terry moved to Fort Worth, Texas where he began his studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Shortly after moving to the Dallas-Fort Worth area Terry met the love of his life, Cecile Marie Leonard and in a little over a year they were married, June 1, 1963, and the Lord has given them 56 years as husband & wife. While in Fort Worth the first of their three children was born, Mark David, June 10, 1964. Upon his receiving his degree from the seminary in May, 1965, Terry and his young family loaded all their earthly belongings into their 1958 Chevrolet & trailer and headed west, to the Northwest, specifically, Oregon. They would spend the next 28 years pastoring churches in the Northwest. The first stop was in Grants Pass, Oregon, where Terry accepted the call of First Southern Baptist Church to be their pastor. It was also in his first pastorate that Terry led the church that he pastored to plant or start two new churches. This would become a life long ministry endeavor. The family also experienced growth as a second son, Wesley Eugene, was born in Grants Pass, August 31, 1967. After a four year ministry in Grants Pass, Terry accepted the call to the Stewart-Lenox Baptist Church in Klamath Falls, Oregon where he served as Pastor for five years. While in Klamath Falls, the Posey family experienced growth once again as daughter, Melissa Joy, joined the family on January 21, 1971. Trinity Baptist Church of Moscow, Idaho extended a call to Terry to come to be their Pastor. Moscow is the home of the University of Idaho and a church with young people searching to know the will & purpose of God, for their life. It was a very rich & rewarding ministry while serving this church for 8 years. Then in 1982, once again, a call came to come over and help us. The highlands Baptist Church of Reedsport, Oregon called and Terry accepted the call to come to be the Pastor of Highlands, where he served for 11 years. Reedsport is located on the beautiful Oregon coast. It was in Reedsport that Terry was invited to join the Rotary Club and did serve that club, even serving as president and was honored with the club’s recognition of “Service Above Self” one year. While serving in the Northwest Baptist Convention for 28 years, Terry was also involved in the leadership of the local associations, the Northwest Baptist Convention where he served on the Executive Committee. While in the Northwest he was their elected representative to the Committee on Nominations for the Southern Baptist Convention. In the Spring of 1993, First Baptist Church of Sun City, Arizona contacted Terry and the dialogue began which led to Terry’s accepting the call to become the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Sun City. Until that discussion began Terry or Cecile had no idea that such a place like Sun City or a church like First Baptist even existed (both for the senior adult community.) It was during their 15 plus years with First Baptist that Terry experienced real joy in his life long ministry dream of seeing new churches planted as he led First Baptist to join with other Pastors and churches of like heart and spirit, in starting new work here in the valley of the sun. In the 43 years in the pastoral ministry, Terry led the churches he pastored to start or plant approximately 20 new churches, either as the sponsoring or supporting church. It was for this ministry and working with young pastors that Pastor Terry received the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2018 from the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention. During his time in Arizona Terry continued to serve through the local association, State Convention, where he served on the Executive Board and the Arizona State Mission Board (serving two years as Chairman.) He also served as Trustee of the North American Mission Board of the SBC for 8 years. Since his retirement in January of 2009, he was involved in Leadership Development of the Native leadership (Pastor’s & Laypeople) on the Gila Indian Reservation for one year. He was invited to join with a friend and former associate at First Baptist to start a new church (Emmanuel Baptist Church) in Sun City, of which he and Cecile are still members. Terry was often heard to say that “his most prized earthly possession was HIS FAMILY”, which includes his wife, Cecile, of 56 years, sons, Mark David, Wesley Eugene & his wife Melanie, and daughter Melissa Joy. Grandsons, Brandon, his wife Danica, Brian, & Bradley. And in the latter days the great-grandkids (Layla & Camden) were his source of joy and brought a smile to his face.