Difference between revisions of "Stan Blevins"

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Stanley Nance Blevins, known as Stan Blevins (born October 2, 1938),^[1] is a Southern Baptist clergyman from Lubbock, Texas, at which for twenty-five years he was the pastor of the Highland Baptist Church. He has been in the ministry for more than a half century.

Blevins was reared in Eastland, east of Abilene, Texas, and ordained at his home church, the First Baptist Church of Eastland. He graduated from Baptist-affiliated Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene with Bible as his major. Then for three years, he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. In 1960, he wed his childhood sweetheart, the former Betty Westfall (born August 10, 1939),^[2]who studied art education at Hardin-Simmons and later became a regionally recognized artist.^[3]

In 1959, Blevins accepted his first pastorate at the Johnson Chapel Baptist Church in Aspermont in Stonewall County while he was attending Hardin-Simmons, from which he and his graduated in 1961. In October 1960, he became the part-time pastor of the First Baptist Church of Putnam in Callahan County thirty-two miles from Abilene. At Putnam, he was first paid $40 per week and had usage of a parsonage. He spent weekdays in Fort Worth with weekends in Putnam, a 117-mile trip. From 1961 to 1964, while in seminary, he sold cameras at Leonard's Department Store in Fort Worth,^[3] which in its heyday occupied eight city blocks and was sold in 1967 to the Tandy Company. A small museum commemorates the legendary store.^[4] Blevins' interest in photography never wavered thereafter. With some 15,000 images, many of his photos have been published in a variety of venues.^[5]

After completing seminary, Blevins began his first full-time ministry at the First Baptist Church in Lueders in Jones County, fifteen miles from Stamford, where his wife's grandparents resided. After two years at Lueders, Blevins from 1966 to 1969 was the pastor of the Jackson Avenue Baptist Church of Lovington in Lea County in the southeastern corner of New Mexico. From 1970 to 1978, he was the pastor of the Oakwood Baptist Church in Lubbock. From 1979 to 1986, he was the pastor of the large Central Baptist Church in Bryan in Brazos County, Texas. Then, he returned to Lubbock in January 1986 to pastor Highlands,^[3]at 4316 34th Street,^[3] at which he remained until January 2011. Under Blevins' leadership, all debt was retired, and significant renovation and restoration were accomplished. Blevins was succeeded at Highland fourteen months later by Adam Dwight Pardue^[6] (born March 4, 1975), formerly the pastor to students at First Baptist Church in Lubbock.^[7]

In 1977, he signed up his wife for watercolor lessons and bought her art supplies for Christmas 1977. She embarked thereafter on a successful career in the arts. Blevins said he should be introduced as "the artist's husband", rather than she being the "pastor's wife."^[3]

The Blevinses have a son, Ronald Stanley Blevins (born July 3, 1962) of Abilene, Texas,^[8] who worked as a photographer with his father in Blevins Enterprises.^[9] The couple also has a daughter, Kristi Lyn Duke (born December 14, 1966) of Lubbock. July

In addition to his guest speaking since his retirement from the Highland Church, Blevins has served as an adjunct professor on the Lubbock campus of Wayland Baptist University. "Preachers stop being full-time pastors, but they never stop preaching,” Blevins said.^[3]

See also

Other Lubbock clergy:

• John Henry Ballard
• J. R. Church
• Aaron Denson
• Kevin O'Brien
• Ross Spencer

References