Pastor Ken Haley returns to Ocqueoc Baptist Church pulpit
After two decades, much of the time spent in the mission field, Ken and Debbie Haley have returned to Ocqueoc Baptist Church north of Millersburg.
Haley last served the church for a short time in the mid 1980s, from 1984 to 1987. His first official sermon back in front of the congregation, which averages about 100, was Easter Sunday.
?When I came here as a candidate for the very first time I could just sense these were people who loved God,? said Haley. ?I don?t sense that that feeling has left this church.?
The Ocqueoc Baptist Church is located at the corner of M-68 and Millersburg Road. People traveling west on M-68 can?t miss the large church building at the ?Millersburg Y? or the tall cross that rises above the property.
THE HALEYS had been in the western Africa country of Benin since October 1991. When they left from First Baptist Church of Frederic north of Gaylord, the couples oldest of three daughters was 12.
Haley remembers attending a conference and the mission burden growing on his heart, but did not want to move to the next step without God?s direction or without scripture to back it up. Within a week Haley came across a verse in the New Testament that stuck with him.
?That night I spoke to Debbie for the first time,? said Ken, from the parsonage a short distance from the church building. ?I was not afraid she didn?t want to go, I had to know from the Lord first, before I went to her.?
?I said, ?Debbie, have you thought much about going to the mission field?? ? She told him ?yes.? ?I asked her if she had thought about it lately,? said Haley. ?She said ?a lot.? ?
?I said, let me show you a verse the Lord showed me today in Romans. She looked at me and said, ?Romans 15:20. The Lord showed me the same verse.? ?
It was not long before the family of five was on its way to west Africa. The country is located on the southern coast. During their stay, and with the backing of several churches as sponsors, they helped to establish a Bible institute to train future pastors and start churches in two countries.
LIVING IN THE country had become a way of life for them. The Haleys three daughters grew up in the country and left their parents behind to go to college in the states. Haley said it is a safe African country for Christian ministries.
A few years ago, Debbie developed a shoulder problem required therapy.
?She was in constant pain. It was nothing serious, it is just that in Africa she could not receive the same medical attention,? said Haley.
The Haleys remained on furlough for several months as Debbie?s shoulder mended. During that time, Haley said he felt called back to the states.
?We went back in late January through February to close things down and set things up so the ministry could keep going in
Everything rolled into place from there. He preached in early March. The church membership soon after cast a unanimous vote extending a call to Haley as their next pastor.
?That is the neat thing about serving the Lord and following his leadership, no matter where you are, if you are in his will, you are content and happy and enjoy people,? said Haley.
He said the people of Ocqueoc Baptist are cut out of the same mold. ?They are a group of people who love God, and love people.?
Interestingly enough, the previous pastors name?s appeared on nameplate on the sign in front of the church. Behind the nameplates, still engraved in the original sign, remains the name ?Pastor Ken Haley? — as if the church had been waiting for his return all these years.