New Albany First Baptist Church calls new senior pastor

The congregation of New Albany First Baptist Church has called a new senior pastor.

Andrew Chesteen, a native of Winona, will begin his duties as senior pastor at First Baptist next month.

Chesteen is a graduate of Blue Mountain College and holds a Master of Divinity Degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a PhD candidate at the New Orleans seminary. He has been pastor of Tipplarsville Baptist Church in Tippah County since June 2015.

Andrew Chesteen is just 26 years of age, uncommonly young for a senior pastor position at a church of the size and community standing of First Baptist, New Albany.

A published statement by the church’s senior pastor search committee said: “The committee unanimously sensed God’s leadership in calling Andrew as senior pastor. The comments we heard during our time of sharing left no doubt about his call to be a servant of God and his love for people. We are thankful, in His perfect timing that He has led us to Andrew, Audra and Selah and are excited to see what God will do in the coming days through Andrew’s ministry.”

The new First Baptist pastor is married to Audra Woods Chesteen of Duck Hill, Miss. They have a daughter, Selah Joy, who was born December, 2017.

“As pastor of a local church,” said Chesteen, “my objectives are praying, studying and preaching the Word of God; helping God’s people apply His Word to their lives through Bible study, counseling and life interaction; ministering to families in times of need; and mobilizing a local church to reach its community and the world. I believe God has chosen the Church as His means of reaching the lost. Therefore, as a pastor, I want to lead the local church to obey the Great Commandments and the Great Commission.”