Rod Bradley has retired after serving as pastor of True Bible Baptist Church, Des Moines, Iowa, for two decades. The church honored Rod and his wife, Teresa, with a banquet Oct. 14, a drive-by parade the next day, and two worship services Oct. 16.
Rod has been pastor of True Bible Baptist Church since Feb. 1, 1998, after serving the church as assistant pastor and then interim pastor. In addition to his pastorate, he also served on the board of Carver Baptist Bible College, Institue, and Theological Seminary for 12 years, with 10 of those years as chairman.
Among the speakers Oct. 16 were Aaron Lavender, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Kansas City, Missouri. He thanked Rod for being an example of living what he preaches.
Rod “didn’t just talk the talk,” Aaron says. He “actually walked the walk.” Preachers might know how to preach, Aaron says, but they don’t always know how to live what they’re preaching. He thanked both Rod and Teresa “for being an example to us younger preachers to not just preach but to walk the walk.”
Rod gives God credit for everything the church has accomplished under his ministry. He says he’s just a servant of God. “That’s all I am,” he says. “I don’t aspire to be anything else other than a servant and child of God.”
Though Rod has retired, he and Teresa won’t be leaving the church until it finds a new pastor. “We’ll be right here,” he says.
