Archie L. Tinsley Installed As Pastor of New Union Grove Baptist Church

New Union Grove Baptist Church welcomed the Reverend Archie L. Tinsley, Jr., who was formally installed as the church's pastor Sunday, April 2, 2023 in an installation service attended by dozens of local and out-of-town congregants.

An installation is a ceremony where a pastor is publicly and officially placed into his or her role as pastor of a specific congregation. While an ordination usually happens only once in a preacher's ministry, an installation happens each time the preacher begins serving in a new congregation or role.

The Reverend Cedric Johnson of Still Hope Baptist Church in Lufkin, Texas served as the program's master of ceremony. He was accompanied by his church's musicians and choir, who rendered several musical selections.

Church clerk Belinda Wilson gave the welcome address in which she encouraged guests to make themselves comfortable and participate in the program as led by God's Holy Spirit.

Longtime member Myrtle L. Malone gave remarks called “the occasion” in which she thanked Pastor Tinsley and his wife for undertaking the task of serving New Union Grove and stated that the congregation would be cooperating with him and praying for him. (This writer is the son of Mrs. Malone).

The Reverend James L. Collins of St. James Baptist Church in Gladewater, Texas gave the charge to the pastor in which he admonished Tinsley not to be timid, saying “God will not use a scared preacher. He will not use a weak-backed, spaghetti-back-boned preacher.”

The charge to the church was given by the Reverend W. R. Ricks of First Missionary Baptist Church in Lufkin. He encouraged the congregation to “know your pastor,” to “esteem him highly in love,” and to pray for him.

The afternoon's keynote speaker was the Reverend Marquise L. Collins of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Winona, Texas, the son of Pastor James Collins. The younger pastor Collins gave a sermon based on Hebrews 13:17 titled “The Benefits in Respecting and Loving the Pastor”
Collins contended that preaching “is not something that people just sign up to do” but something God calls the true preacher to do. Therefore, said Collins, “You ought to treat him right.”

“Some people are so disrespectful to the preacher these days,” Collins argued. “They talk to him any kind of way.”

Collins also contended that a congregation should create an atmosphere so favorable for its pastor that it becomes a joy for him to serve.

“It is unprofitable for you if the preacher is preaching with grief,” explained Collins. “If you see that the preacher's tires are bald, it's alright to ask him what he needs. There's a blessing in blessing the preacher.”

Tinsley began his preaching ministry under the younger Collins' pastorate, and he regards Collins as his “father in the ministry.”

The installation service concluded with the presentation of gifts, acceptance remarks by Pastor Tinsley and his wife, Cheree, and a benediction by Marquise Collins. Dinners were available for congregants after the service.

Other ministers in attendance at the installation program were the Reverend Amos L. Horton, pastor of Reed Chapel Baptist Church in San Augustine and moderator of the Sabine Valley Baptist District Association and the Reverend Anthony Q. Brooks, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Newton County, Texas and a lifetime member of New Union Grove.

Although Tinsley's pastorate at New Union Grove was made official at the April 2 ceremony, Tinsley assumed his duties at the church back in October. Since then, the church has already recruited a new member: Chadwick Garrett.

Garrett, a native of San Augustine, grew up regularly attending church services. But he was without a regular church home when he returned to San Augustine after having resided in other places such as the Phoenix, Arizona area, Houston, Texas, and Nacogdoches.

After turning down several invitations to accompany the Malone family to New Union Grove services and Bible studies, Garrett says that he eventually perceived the invitations as coming from Jesus himself and “decided I did not want King Jesus to stop asking me to go to church again.”

After attending a Bible study and a Sunday service back in January, Garrett joined the church during the invitation to discipleship. He was baptized on Wednesday, March 29 during the church's prayer meeting and Bible study.

Chadwick Garrett says he was inspired to join the church after he felt of love and observed the dedication and faithfulness of the members of New Union Grove. He also cited the teachings of Tinsley as a contributing fact.

“I really got something out of Pastor Tinsley's lessons,” said Garrett “I like it when a preacher preaches a sermon or teaches a lesson that I can follow and understand.”

Garrett attended the April 2 installation service and says it was “one of the most joyous occasions” he has attended “in a very long time.”

Archie L. Tinsley, Jr. was born in 1970 in San Diego County, California and raised in California as well as Douglass, Texas, an unincorporated community in western Nacogdoches County. Tinsley received his ministerial training as a mentee of the Pastor Marquise L. Collins of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Winona, Texas and as a student at International Theological Seminary based in West Covina, California.

New Union Grove Baptist Church was organized in 1971 as an offshoot of nearby Union Grove Baptist Church. Every Sunday, the church, located at 154 County Road 331 (just off Highway 147) in San Augustine County, offers Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. followed by a worship service at 10:00 a.m. The church hosts a prayer meeting and Bible study on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.

For more information about New Union Grove Baptist Church, you may visit the church's Facebook page by visiting Facebook and typing in key words “New Union Grove” and “San Augustine, Texas.”

To view Pastor Tinsley's installation program, you may visit the link or visit YouTube and type in the keywords “New Union Grove”, “Installation”, and “Tinsley.”