I believe this is Jim's 20th year at Green Valley. He has done such a wonderful job as minister and Elder. Unfortunately we don't tell him that ofter enough!
Rex Dillinger

Ronnie Norman has been our pulpit minister at First Colony in Sugar Land since 1985. In fact he's the only one we've ever had. And even after all these years, I never get tired of hearing him speak.

Kevin Minatrea

I have been at the Bypass cofc in Idabel, OK for 5 years.

Our pulpit minister has been here for 16 years now, I think. I (the worship minister) am just a few months shy of 5 years now. However, I don't know if I'd be classified as "full time" (even though I do a ton of work), simply because I am a vocational minister... I have another full time job. I was blessed to be on staff full time at church for the first 3 years though. That 3 years was invaluable; I couldn't do anything near what I'm doing now if I didn't have the full-time availability to lay down all the infrastructure and framework to support this ministry.

We don't currently have a youth minister. (Anyone willing to take a full time job in the area, and come be our vocational youth minister?)

The longer a minister is with his church, the better he knows his people. Period. Length of time is always a good thing. However, long tenure can also lead to staleness, so it is extremely important to treat your full time ministers appropriately. Make sure they have a good amount of vacation time. Send them (all expenses paid!) to conferences and other revitalizing activities. Make sure they get a few "visiting" weekends every year, where they can go see other churches and what they are doing and visit with some of their leadership, and make sure it doesn't come out of their vacation time. Make sure you've got people who can competently fill in while the minister is out, so the minister doesn't have to spend tons of prep time before leaving, and so he/she doesn't worry about it while they are gone. I've been toeing the line of major burnout over the last year because I get none of those. When I go to a conference, I pay for it. When I go visit another church (which is almost never) it comes out of my vacation. When I'm gone, I worry about it all the time because I don't have ample competent staff backing me up (and usually when I'm gone, half my tech crew is too).

All these things lead to a wonderful experience in tenure for the minister and the congregation. But hardly any church gives even most of these. And we wonder why turnover rate is so high? Youth ministers are typically bottom of the staff totem pole. It's no wonder their turnover rate is even shorter than 3 years (I'm guessing more like 1.5-2 years). Youth ministers usually get paid a pittance, unless they are in a big church, and then are expected to always be doing so much, that they don't have time to soak in anything new and grow.

Okay, I'm done ranting now.

Ronnie Norman has been the pulpit minister at First Colony Church of Christ since its inception in 1985 (about 22 years to answer the question in the poll). We have attended FCCC since 1991 and in my opinion Ronnie's continued presence is invaluable (that's an understatement but I don't know a better way to say it) in the effectiveness of the ministry at our church.

Randy Glover

I think that David Powers has been at the Williamstown Church of Christ in West Virginia since 1874...Seriously, I think it's 40+ years for him there.

going on 2
He is doing an amazing job

There are 2 sides. Longevity brings stability and credibility. Long term relationships with the family that lead to truly loving each other like the family that we're supposed to be. The other side is, when the new guy comes in, he does bring excitement and renewed enthusiasm.

I've been at Central for 15 years. Sometimes I think they need a new voice. Other times I rejoice in the family that adopted me many years ago.

Mike and I have been at Falls Church, VA for almost 8 years. Our Youth Minister Josh Byrd and his wife Lisa have been here over 10 years.

Terry Rush has been here at Memorial Drive in Tulsa for 29 years (it will be 30 in June).

I think duration is valuable asset for effectiveness. As long as one relies on the Spirit, they will not run out of encouraging, challenging things to say. But relationships can only be built over time.

Grady Smith has been with the Northeast Church of Christ (Cincinnati, Ohio) for 25 years this summer. We are definitely looking forward to roasting him at his quarter century mark!

Ray Bean has been with the church of Christ in Pleasanton for 26 years. i think that there is a certain trust you have when longevity is involved and a sence of belonging. He and his family are a part of my family and although i have only been here 7 years, it makes up part of who i am; who we all are, to an extent. He makes himself part of our lives, he conducts many Bible studies during each week, most of which are in homes, so we brings himself into the lives of those he serves. A new minister doesn't always have that much comfortable-ness (a new word) with that much of the flock.

Our preacher, Mark Frost, has been at Trenton Church of Christ for 27 or 28 years. I've been at weddings where he's mentioned that he married either the bride's parents or the grooms as well. There's just such a continuity and definitely a feeling of family.

Mark Henderson's been preaching at Quail Springs in Oklahoma City for 7 years. Ronnie White was here for 23 years before that. I'm in my 13th year as worship minister. I think with time comes trust and relationship development.