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John Lehman has been a pastor at Hampton Park Baptist Church for the past 30 years. When John arrived at HPBC, Pastor Cruice was just a couple years older than Pastor Bates is now (just for some perspective!). As John's time as a staff pastor comes to a close at the end of 2023, we wanted to take some time to ask some questions about his time at HPBC and what has made his time here so meaningful. You’ll learn some fun facts about the history of HPBC along the way!

So, you arrived at Hampton Park Baptist Church in 1994. (Can you even remember back that far?!) Let me start with this question. What did our campus look like back then?

Well, since Candice was born in 1986, I can remember back that far...haha. 1994 was a long time ago, and yet at times it seems like just yesterday! I remember coming, and our children were 1, 3, 5, and 7. Now our children are all married and we are privileged to have 12 grandchildren. But what did the campus look like? When I attended as a student, the auditorium wasn't even here, and we used the Miller Activities Center as our place of worship. So, when we arrived in 1994, the Main Auditorium was here, as was the Collins and Brown Buildings and Miller Activities Center. The office extension (everything past the nursery area on both floors) and the upper school building were all still under construction, and the Yearick Center and Mizell Pavilion did not exist, in mind or blueprint. In fact, my first office here was shared with Steve Ridge in what is now one quarter of the office that Dana uses as the Food Services Manager (upstairs MAC). In fact, when I got here, I actually had to build my own bookshelves!

Thinking back to when you first arrived, who were some of the church members that you first got to know who are still here today?

The first ones to meet me were Scott and Cheryl Koenke. We were going to be staying in his parent’s basement, and since our van broke down in Buford, Georgia, we had to be towed here. We arrived at their home, and Scott helped us get unhitched from the tow truck and unloaded into our apartment downstairs. Jon Peery was very quick to invite us out to dinner. The second day we were here was our official interview with the search committee. Jon and Debbie Peery kept our four children, and after the interview was done, he said that our interview was really a smokescreen and that they had actually asked all of the hard questions about us to our children! Mike Cruice invited us over shortly after we arrived, and the plumbing under his sink went bad that evening. So, the two of us got to know each other quite well as we both tried our hand at, and fixed the leak! Ray and Sarah Shaffer invited us to go out on the lake with them in their canoe, and we enjoyed several trips like that. When our van broke down, Ron Stepp came to our rescue and graciously offered a gift to help us on our way! Prior to our arrival here, we had gone through the most trying time up to and in our ministry lives. Karis Wickensimer prepared us a delicious dinner, but prior to eating it, I had to fill out my application for employment. Between the turmoil of our past few years, and the uncertainty of our present, I had worked so hard on the application that prior to leaving for the dinner, I threw up! At the meal, I basically didn't eat anything because my stomach was in knots. Later, she told me she thought I hadn't liked her food, but I reassured her it was me and not her. Ken and Joan Jensen took a special interest in us as they were involved in EMU, missions, and raising their own family, and seemed to share that ministry perspective with us. Now it's special to be even more involved with them as partner missionaries. Little did I know then that David and Pat Fetterolf’s lives and ours were going to intertwine later, as Pat was my secretary for 16 years, until their son Ben graduated from college.

Your background was both in ministry (and counseling specifically) and in school administration. How did God specifically lead you to pursue a pastoral position at HPBC back then?

We went to Calvary Baptist Church and School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, in 1982 for me to teach business and Suzie to teach home economics. After one year, a position in the school administration opened up, and they asked me to fill it. So, I pursued a Masters in Educational Administration.

After completing the Masters, Pastor Tim Jordan, who had recently been installed as the senior pastor, asked if I would come on the pastoral staff, primarily working with the school but also leading the pre-marital counseling and teaching a Newlywed Sunday School class. (I guess I never got away from newlyweds as we are still teaching that at HPBC today! I love that position!) It was during this time and new role that I pursued my seminary training. When we were in Indiana, and I was the Education Pastor there, the position became available to help Pastor Yearick in his latter years. I was specifically given 10 responsibilities in my job description. It's been a blessing to see how the Lord has, in these 30 years, brought different people to assume those original roles and responsibilities. In fact, it is awesome to know how the Lord has directed and blessed us with Ben Fetterolf in the administration role, Steve Pack in the counseling role, and Joel Gearhart in the missions role. God began orchestrating this many years ago before I ever had a clue about this transition.

You’ve served in a variety of ways over the years. What are some of the different roles that you’ve had as a pastor here?

As I mentioned earlier, I had 10 specific roles when I first arrived. It seems that missions and counseling have always been my main responsibilities. At different times, I would also help with membership. At the time I came, I was responsible for our Sunday School program, Men and Women for Missions, Counseling, Missions in general, and the title that everyone thought was the most unique was “anything else Pastor Yearick wanted me to do!”

Do you know how many different countries you’ve visited during your 30 years here?  

Susie and I were counting up the other day and I believe it is 28.

What has been one of the most fulfilling parts of your ministry at HPBC?

One of the most fulfilling parts of my ministry here is that there are folks taking my positions who are much better qualified and have much better ideas and direction for them! I love that we have a counseling director who is fully responsible for that aspect of the ministry, and having the privilege of sitting in with Steve Pack and hearing him counsel is such a blessing! Being able to observe, and follow Ben Fetterolf as my leader in his role of administration is both amazing and a blessing to me! And being part of Joel's life as he has come into this role of missions shows how it has taken on new direction and is even more intentional with the missionaries.

You got to Hampton Park not too long after another one of our other pastors arrived, Mike Cruice. You two have been serving together here for a really long time! Can you tell us a funny memory of Pastor Cruice and also something you appreciate about him?

I can still remember the time Mike told me he would like to begin running. So, since it was a rainy morning, I carried a lightweight poncho as I ran to his house from mine. When I got there, he told me that Susan had said she didn’t think I would be coming. He told her that knowing me, I would! Sure enough, I showed up with the rain jacket and my dogs. He ran 3 miles with me, and then I went back to my house. For some reason, we've never done that together since.

When the first season of softball came around, he encouraged me to join, as he said that was such a great way to make friendships! I've enjoyed all 29 seasons I've been able to play (that's one aspect of our new ministry that is sad for me, since our travel schedule may not permit me to do so).

Mike also placed a great priority on being able to get away with just his wife, Susan. He was always telling me how important it was to spend time with family, and he not only told me that but he showed me how to do that through his life.

One thing you and Suzie are known for is using your home to serve other people. How did God grow that desire in you both, and how important has your home been to your ministry life? 

It started when we began teaching a newlywed class at Calvary. We started having fellowships after the evening service, and it amazed me how well we got to know people with just a little bit of time and a little bit of food. It was such a great way to get to know people. When we began doing that here, there would occasionally be Sunday nights we wouldn't have anyone over, and if we didn't, our children would share their disappointment with us! You realize that it was not only us that enjoyed that aspect of the ministry, but they did too!

This is a random question but one that I think many of our church members might not know. When did you first get into running? And how/when did you get connected to Greenville Track Club?

Thank you so much for asking that question. I recall that it was my senior year in high school, in Taiwan, and our basketball team was going to go to Hong Kong for a basketball tournament. We had to raise our own money. So, our team got together and created a lap-a-thon. We would raise money per lap with the cap being 10 miles. I remember a bunch of us high school boys thinking we would just trudge along and get our miles in. However, the slower and longer that timeframe lasted, the worse I felt. So, I just started running a normal pace and before long I lapped everybody, and some several times. I ended up being the only one to finish the 10 miles. And then in grad school, I was weary but not tired, and I started running every day and it cleared my mind and made studying so much easier for me. Shortly after we moved to Greenville, I was running in the Paris Mtn Road Race, which comes over Altamont, and the man I was striding with had to use the restroom. Suzie was just coming by in our van, with our 4 children, to see the finish, and so I asked her to let him in. That started a friendship with a Greenville anesthesiologist that continues today. From there, I began making more and more acquaintances with various runners. What really started the long-"running" relationship with Greenville Track Club was when I was asked to help direct a race. That was in 2002. I started with one, and they kept needing help; and eventually, through various venues and organizations, I’ve directed over 100 races in the community. I have loved the interactions it has allowed me to have here in Greenville! The Greenville Track Club was actually my very first contribution toward Words Fitly Spoken! They gave me $3,000!

I know many of our members were happy to hear that your home base for your next phase of ministry was going to be here in Greenville (and more specifically, here at Hampton Park). In other words, we’ll still get to see you whenever you are not traveling. How do you hope to continue to be involved here at Hampton Park in the coming years?

One thing I have loved about being here is the fellowship of the saints before and after services. I want to be intentional about continuing to do that. Another part of our ministry is driving buses for various lower and upper school field trips and needs. I want to be able to continue to help with that as long as my CDL is active and my schedule permits. I also hope that I can help in the counseling ministry as folks may want to just discuss a simple issue that would not take several sessions. And, of course, if Hampton Park needed a missionary visited, and no one else could do that, I'd love the opportunity to do so!

What most excites you when you look at how God is at work at Hampton Park right now?

I can still remember the day when it seemed that anytime anyone was in the hospital or had needs, I was the one assigned to help with the situation. Now, there are many times when I look into something or someone that has needs, and they are already met by our deacons and non-staff pastors! I also can't get over how involved our membership is with each other! It is such a blessing to be on the front end and know that if someone needs meals, before we can even get to that sign-up, the meals are already covered! Or, if there are needs for other assistance, I can hardly help as there are so many others already involved!

You are known for being an encourager. If one of our members asked you how they could be more of an encouragement to people around them, how would you respond (other than giving them your book on it)?

That book was one of the most enjoyable ones to write. Two verses helped me. In Matthew 7:12, Jesus says, “whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them...” I don't know anything I enjoy more than folks being kind to me and helping me. That just motivates me to want to do that for them. And I also love to be encouraged, so that inspires me to do that. Secondly, I love how Romans 12:10 says to “love one another with brotherly affection, and to outdo each other in showing honor.” Instead of wanting honor for myself, I need to do more for others, and even try to outdo them in their efforts, whether their honor is to others or even to me.  After I wrote my book on Encouragement, and had 2,000 copies printed, I wished I would have named it Encourage rather than Encouragement since that was my intention all along, to encourage others to encourage!

Any final words of encouragement for those who will read this?

Thanks for the joy of serving Christ while serving you, the membership of Hampton Park. As Paul said in Philippians, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you! And, my prayer for all is the Lord bless and keep you, causing His face to shine upon you, giving you peace!

As you see John and Suzie over the coming weeks and months, be sure to thank them for their faithfulness in our church over decades of ministry. We are happy that they’ll still be around throughout the year whenever they are not traveling abroad.