Pastor Brother
Richard Goodwin
Testimony of Pastor Brother Richard Goodwin
As long as I can remember, my family has always attended church. One summer on my father’s birthday, he went forward and accepted Christ as his savior. My mother was saved as a teen. Then, my brother was saved. Many of the kids in my Sunday School class were also my public school classmates. During a revival, I went forward and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. When I was in High School, some of my friends drifted away.
After graduation from high school, I served a stint in the Army. Due to severe allergies, I was discharged and placed in the National Guard. My friend Jerry’s father who was also my Sunday School Teacher suddenly passed away. It had a tremendous impact on me.
I began a bus ministry at my church and then became a Junior Sunday School teacher. I realized that teens ask tough questions when my daughters became teenagers. I consulted my Pastor and enrolled into a small Bible College, majoring in Pastoral Administration. I later became a Youth Director, began preaching at my church, and for other churches as well.
Retiring after 41 years at L.T.V., I moved to East Texas where I continued preaching for various Pastors. In 2015, I lost my hearing, and went to Temple, Texas for a Cochlear Hearing Implant. While waiting in the prep area, a Chaplain came by and prayed with me. During that prayer, I told God that if he would let me hear, I would devote the rest of my life to fulltime preaching. Praise God, the surgery was successful. I can hear now with the help of the implant and the device that I wear.
In 2017, my church Pastor’s wife became gravely ill. I filled in while he spent months by her bedside. When she passed away, the Pastor then became ill himself. After he preached an amazing worship message on a Sunday morning, he passed away into glory that next morning. I was voted interim Pastor for over a year. Then my wife and I returned to our former church. I later accepted a fulltime call at Ebenezer Baptist Church in December of 2022. Since beginning as fulltime Pastor, God has blessed and continues to bless this church. The Lord has doubled our membership since joining this church. We just cannot outgive God. Both my wife and I have been so very blessed to have been called to this church where we feel the presence of God every time we walk into that church.
Richard and Veta Goodwin
Pastor Richard Goodwin and his Wife Veta
Veta Goodwin holds Grief Support groups, or you can set-up an individual one on one class with her. You can send Veta an email to RSVP with her below.
PASTOR RICHARD GOODWIN AND WIFE, VETA SHARE EASTER FELLOWSHIP WITH EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH MEMBERS
Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 was a fun day for Pastor Richard Goodwin, and wife, Veta, when they shared an Easter meal feast with other church members and guests in the fellowship hall. The time spent with our church family was very enjoyable and we thank all of you for the delicious dishes and help in making this day one to remember.
Pastor Honored to Perform Marriage Ceremony for Granddaughter
A huge honor was bestowed recently on Pastor Richard Goodwin when he officiated the marriage ceremony for Granddaughter Elizabeth. The wedding was held on April 12th at the Buck Creek Hall Barn in Lufkin, Texas. Elizabeth and Craig Pennington were married in a beautiful ceremony outside the hall overlooking a pond. Approximately one hundred friends and relatives of the bride and groom were in attendance. The bride was beautiful and all who attended enjoyed a wonderful evening. A few photos are shown here.
Pastor Richard Goodwin Officiates Wedding Ceremony of Granddaughter Elizabeth Curtis to Craig Pennington Recently
Newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. Craig Pennington Dance at Recent Wedding
Father Ben Curtis Escorts Daughter Elizabeth Down the Aisle at her Recent Wedding.
FROM THE PASTOR’S WIFE
Have you ever wondered why music can prompt various emotions from you? Just the words to songs can make us happy, motivate us, or make us sad. The song "Come Jesus Come" by Stephen McWhorter is one that prior to our last presidential election - most of us who are believers would gladly have welcomed Jesus to come and rapture us up right then. Things had become so out of kelter that we would gladly have been ready to go. On the other hand, after that election, our new leader has kept a lot of promises in a short time that we are feeling so much more patriotic, and our belief in God has strengthened. We now have hope that things will get much better in the future.
Now that things are better, we can listen to that same song and believe that Jesus did come in his own way to help us when we were praying as a country for Jesus to take over and put our country back with leaders who really do love our country. If you are a believer, then the words to this song may indicate to you that, Yes, Jesus did come by asking God to create a movement in this country that would help us to strengthen our faith in God.
If you are not a believer, then listen to the words to this song and ask yourself why you are waiting to put your life and your salvation in God's hands? The time is right now, why wait? I was 14 years old when I walked an aisle to the altar and gave my heart to God. I was very shy and very timid back then too (I really was). It took every ounce of courage I could muster up to walk up there and profess my love for God and ask God to forgive me of my sins.
Another song that I love to sing is "I'd Like to Meet the Preacher" by the group The Eleventh Hour. When I sing that song, since I am a believer, I am taken back to when I was 14 years old before I walked down that aisle to that altar. The Preacher of that church where I attended with my family, was Brother James Williams, at Victory Missionary Baptist Church in Pleasant Grove, Texas. He preached a message that pierced my heart., and I knew I had to take those steps to that altar for my salvation. The song refers to the unknown preacher who was preaching a message from the pulpit when my preacher gave his life to God. I thank God for that preacher as well although I don't know who it was.
Don't you see that one preacher helps one or more individuals go give their lives to God. And one or more of those individuals will become a Pastor who will in turn keep this carpet or floor worn through the years for others to make that walk up that aisle to give their lives to God. We all have an interest in this process because God has called on us to relay his message of salvation to others during our lifetimes. Why wait? The TIME IS RIGHT NOW! 2 Corinthians 6:2
By: Veta Goodwin, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Quitman, Texas