Pastor At Work

by Roger Zotti

Joshua A. McClure is the Senior Pastor of the Pleasant Street Baptist Church, Westerly, since 1986.  He’s also the author of  two highly acclaimed books: 2006’s “Can These Bones Live? ” and 2008’s “Almost Persuaded, Now to Believe.” In the works is “From the Pleasant Street Pulpit, “a book of sermons. Also, Pastor McClure intends to pen a children’s book because “my granddaughter has been after me to do it.”

There’s more: Pastor McClure said the “Almost Persuaded Workbook”  is “a companion to the book and will aid and enhance one’s understanding of the Christian faith.” The “Almost Persuaded Teaching Guide” presents “a new dynamic teaching method designed to transform and restore God’s creations back to Himself.” He and Leslie McClure-A’Vant  have written “Almost Persuaded, Now To Believe, Church School Studies,” a two year Bible-based curriculum (kindergarten through adult), while  “Foundations of Faith Bible Study” is, Pastor McClure pointed out, “a  comprehensive Bible-based curriculum… developed for church Bible studies, home-school, and family Bible study.”

Certainly, today times are tough. Times are cruel. People struggle. “So where do we stand?” I asked Pastor McClure. “I mean, are we near the end of the line? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? Is there any hope?” Without missing a beat, he replied: “Yes, things are pretty bad. But they’re definitely going to get better. I believe things are going to really turn around because I see people starting to come together. I see people starting to help each other out. In these tough times, I see people really beginning to care about other people. It’s like we’re almost in the same boat and the only way we’re going to get out of it is if we work together. I see positive things beginning to happen.”

Pastor McClure continued: “I see a different spirit in people, too, even though things are bad. [Hope] is important and I see people having hope. My job has always been, since the day I began to minister people, to  help bring hope to them. That’s what I have to do – bring hope into people’s lives.”

You only have to read Pastor McClure’s books, or listen to his sermons, to know he’s a biblical scholar and a man of humility, compassion and far-ranging vision. His writings and sermons are understandable without ever being condescending. That he loves his work is proved when he said, “I really can’t say anything I do is difficult. It’s something  that I enjoy and love doing and, you know,  I can’t do anything else. So it’s not difficult.  But I guess if there was any one thing that’s hard, it’s not  being able to do more for people. I sure wish I could do a lot more.”

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