A small town church that feels like family with roots that date back almost 130 years is how Pastor Pepper Dill describes his congregation at First Baptist Church of Bangs. Like many, Dr Dill returned to Brown County after leaving Howard Payne.
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Dill wasn’t a student of HPU however, but rather one of the faculty charged with growing the university. While here in the early 90’s, he served as interim pastor at FBC Bangs and other Brownwood area churches, so coming back to take the job in 2010 was a homecoming for Dill.
Before you ask, yes, Pastor Dill has a doctorate, making him Dr Pepper Dill. And yes, his office is adorned with clocks, bottles, and other Waco born soft drink memorabilia.
There have even been moments in his life that reflected his name sake. “My first year teaching after I had my doctorate, the three finals that semester were scheduled on the same day at 10, 2, and 4.”
Born into a church loving family, ministry was not quite a foregone conclusion, but you’d be forgiven for thinking so. “My father was a pastor and eventually a missionary, Mom and Dad loved the Lord, it was a part of their life. So, I don’t remember a time when I didn’t go to church.”
Dill felt called to ministry as a youth, but he wasn’t really sure in which capacity. “At about age 16 I surrendered to the ministry. There were only a couple things kind of niched as ministry. There was missionary, but I didn’t wanna go to Africa. (laughs) So I thought it can’t be that!”
Other avenues into ministry were closer to home, with his father as his youth pastor. Dill couldn’t see himself doing that, nor could he envision himself as the music minister for a church. “I couldn’t see my self leading hymns and cantata’s, so that wasn’t it. I thought, since I had the gift of gab it had to be pastor.”
After consulting several seminary institutions, Dill was told to get a Liberal Arts Degree, so that he would “learn to relate to all kinds of people.” During his education, Dill was faced with several instances of trusting God when what he’s saying doesn’t make sense at the time.
From feeling called to international missions, to missionary work in the states, to finally experiencing a talk that showed him his course. “This guy came to chapel, and I don’t remember what his name was, I don’t remember what he did other than he did something in Christian Universities. And he challenged us to minister in colleges while pursuing another degree.”
Taking more college level courses was NOT on Dill’s radar, though. “I remember bargaining with God, saying ‘Is Africa still an option?’ I would rather do that” than take another test or enroll in another class.
However, while earning that other degree at LSU, Dill took his love for education to the next level. An opportunity to teach at a bible college one year into his doctorate would later lead Dill to the communications department at Howard Payne in 1990. After moving from teaching to administrative roles at HPU, Dill left the Brownwood area in 2003, only to return seven years later.
Dill describes his preaching style as Exegetical, going step by step through the text of the books and chapters of the bible. He also praises music minister Corey Ash, who is also the band director at Howard Payne. “He has such a heart for worship. He does a nice job of blending so we have choruses and hymns.”
Dill says Ash “sets the table for worship, and lights the fuse before I preach.” Sunday morning is not all about the sermon for Dill, he says it is about “worshipping and celebrating God, in that hopefully we’re better able to hear from God.”
From praising his staff, to leading his congregation to praise The Lord, Dr Pepper Dill is proud to be where God has called him. FBC Bangs is located on 2nd Street and has Sunday school at 9:30 and worship service at 10:45 every Sunday morning, with youth, kids activities, and bible study on Wednesday nights after a longstanding meal at 5:30. They can be contacted through their website, or by calling 325-752-6724.
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