Brothers Share Love for Ministry

Norman Hunt is pastor of , a church with 600 regular worshippers. His younger brother Johnny leads a congregation about 10 miles southeast of Hopewell: , a mega-church with more than 10,000 members.        

There's no rivalry, no jealousy. The two have nothing but respect and love for one another.

"We've used everything from their buses to their buildings," Norman said. "There are advantages to your brother being pastor of the biggest church in the county."

In fact, Norman said his younger brother was instrumental in introducing him to God. At age 25, Norman was happy in his job at Carolina Power & Light. Johnny had become a Christian three years earlier. Norman said he noticed a difference in his brother's life.

"The night Johnny came to see me, he simply said, 'I know you've heard that I've been going to church and I quit the pool hall, but I want to tell you what Jesus did.' And he began to weep. That impacted my life in a way I'd never felt."

Norman became a Christian on Feb. 2, 1975. Immediately, he began getting weekly invitations to share his testimony. By September of that year, he said he knew that God wanted him to be a pastor.

"So many people were so surprised when they heard I got saved," Norman said. "They'd say, 'I'm really glad. You needed it.' When I was lost, I lived to the extreme. I've never known moderation in my life. I've gone from being the wildest person to (the) biggest fanatic."

The Hunt brothers attended Gardner-Webb University, where they were known as Hunt 1 and Hunt 2. Norman spent a few years at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Luther Rice Seminary but never finished his degree "because I started pastoring."

After serving churches in North Carolina, Norman moved to Georgia to work with Bailey Smith Ministries. Johnny was at First Baptist Woodstock when the church was located downtown. He knew the Hopewell folks were looking for a pastor, and encouraged Norman to check it out.

The Canton church was small, with an average attendance of 60, no steeple and no sign. Twenty-one years later, Hopewell sits on 31 acres and is building a family life center large enough to seat 1,000 for worship and 500 for banquets. When finished, it will feature a full kitchen and six basketball courts to accommodate its expanding sports ministry.

Besides the family life center and an administrative building that is also under construction, an annual "Back to Bethlehem" outreach attracts 20,000 visitors during its nine-day run. More than 350 volunteers work long hours to recreate the town of Bethlehem at the time of Christ's birth. The event is a natural extension of the church's emphasis on outreach and evangelism.   

At 61, Norman describes himself as a very passionate preacher. After more than three decades in ministry, his fervor for sharing the gospel hasn't waned. Emotions surface easily as he expresses his gratefulness for what God has done in his life.

"I'm intentional about my conversation about spiritual matters," he said. "Everybody knows how to talk about the Braves and the weather. I intentionally tell people what God did for me. My testimony is a big part of who I am. It's been 36 years and I still see and understand the power of my testimony."

ABOUT PASTOR HUNT

Hobbies: Golfing and fishing.

Family: Norman and Vickie Hunt have been married 31 years. They have two adult children and a 16-year-old.

ABOUT THE CHURCH

 is at 75 Ridge Rd. The contemporary service begins at 9:30 a.m. The blended service starts at 11 a.m. Sunday school is held both hours. For more information, call 770-345-5723 or go to www.hopewellbaptist.com.