Growth-minded Baptists have a new spiritual leader who, at 40, has eons of experience.
By EBONY WINDOM
Published June 26, 2004
DADE CITY - Ed Kuffel was only 16 when he preached his first sermon. He was the guest speaker at a revival. Kuffel came dressed up, sermon notes in hand. He felt energized.
That night, Kuffel shared a message of faith and salvation. He urged folks to "follow Christ."
People were listening.
At the revival, one woman answered the call. Dozens more recommitted their lives to Christ, Kuffel says.
It was a defining moment.
More than two decades later, Kuffel is still at it. And he's still revved up about Christ.
"Sharing God's word is the most important thing I do," Kuffel said this month.
Last April, folks at First Baptist Church in Dade City welcomed him as their new pastor, after not having had a permanent one for a year. In 2003, the Rev. Bruce Moore left to start a church in Wesley Chapel called CrossPointe.
Then Kuffel stepped in.
For nearly 10 years, Kuffel led LifeWay Baptist Church in Fresno, Calif. Then he wanted a change.
First Baptist is a great fit, says Kuffel, 40. New town. New faces. New church.
As pastor, he'll also spearhead a big project. Church members are calling it "the great expansion." Actually, it's the great move. The church plans a new 700-seat sanctuary on 60 acres near Happy Hill Road. Members will leave the 400-seat red brick building on Church Avenue, a building it has outgrown. To accommodate the crowds, the church now offers two Sunday morning worship services.
While the project was developed before Kuffel arrived, he says it's the right time to expand.
"East Pasco County is growing like crazy," Kuffel says. "There are going to be thousands of families moving into this area, and we're going to need a lot of space. That allows us to reach people for Christ."
Kuffel is no novice when it comes to making transitions. He helped LifeWay make a similar change. A few years ago, it took on a new identity. The church moved, took on a contemporary name and revamped the worship services. While "the great expansion" won't be as drastic, folks at First Baptist are glad to have Kuffel leading the way.
He has become affectionately known as Pastor Ed. Some say Dr. Kuffel. Kuffel earned a doctorate in ministry from Golden Gate Seminary in 1994, he says.
Kuffel actually met his wife, Carla, as an undergraduate. He remembers exactly when they had their first date: Dec. 28, 1985.
Fast forward 18 years.
Carla, 37, stays home with their twins, Jackson and Katy, 2. She sings in the choir at First Baptist and recently helped with vacation Bible school. Recently, the couple celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary.
They're still getting settled in. Dade City is a "beautiful little town," a place where the Kuffels plan to plant roots.
They will soon close on a three-bedroom home in Dade City. Kuffel can already imagine the twins graduating from nearby Pasco High, he says. In the pastor's office, framed photos show him cuddling with the twins. Tiny red handprints surround the frame. One shows the family - all smiles.
Nearby, books are neatly shelved from floor to ceiling. There are Bibles and antique books. Biographies. A copy of Abraham Lincoln's devotional book, and a book printed in 1641. Recently, Kuffel began reading a biography on Ronald Reagan. One of his favorite subjects is U.S. presidents and world leaders.
Kuffel is a leader in his own right, and takes his job seriously.
"Pastors come and go," Kuffel says, "but the relationships they establish last forever."
He describes his flock at First Baptist as "super people."
Some of Dade City's most notable are among the church's 600-plus attendees. The congregation includes elected officials, lawyers, doctors and entrepreneurs. "We've got people from all walks of life," Kuffel says, "but when they're here in church, they're just brothers and sisters in Christ. That's the common denominator."
Billboards and signs that advertise the church preface its name with the word "Exciting." Here, worship services are a blend of traditional and contemporary styles. Occasionally, Kuffel uses PowerPoint to help illustrate his message.
"I work hard and focus on application," Kuffel says. "I don't want to teach people "Here's what the Bible says' but "Here's how the Bible can make a difference in your life.' I try to focus on biography, not just theology."
When Kuffel is not preaching and teaching, he's spending time with his family. He builds towers out of blocks with the kids.
"Daddy sings with the kids when no one else is around," Kuffel says with a smile.
That's important to him. Kuffel's father suffered a fatal heart attack only months before that first sermon. Before it, they had talked about Kuffel's future. Kuffel shared with his father his calling to go into the ministry. At first, his father, a pastor, disapproved.
"He said, "I wouldn't necessarily wish this on any of my sons, but if God is telling you to do it, then you better do it.' "
