Date: Fri 27-Sep-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

church-Plodinec-Baptist

Full Text:

with photo : Once A Stranger To The Church, New Pastor Is Now Right At Home

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Stephen Plodinec wasn't raised in church.

In fact, he rarely set foot inside a church for the first 20 years of his

life. But now, at the age of 33, the new pastor at the Bible Baptist Church in

Newtown has devoted his life to the church.

Mr Plodinec arrived in Newtown about a month ago to begin his first ministry

along with his wife, Karen, and three children, Stephen, 5, Timothy, 4, and

Kimberly, 3. He takes over for Pastor Michael Thorn who departed in February

to take an associate pastor's position at a large church in South Carolina.

The new pastor comes to Newtown after spending most of his life on the West

Coast, moving around to places like Boise, Idaho, Portland, Ore., and San

Jose, Calif.

Like many Americans growing up, Mr Plodinec did not attend church each Sunday,

frankly, as he admits, because there were a lot better things to do.

At age 20 and living in San Jose, it had been 13 years since he had been in a

church, two friends invited him to join them for a service at a

non-denominational church and he agreed to go on a "whim."

Since he hadn't been to church in so long, Mr Plodinec decided he might as

stay and listen to the sermon. It turned out to be one of the most worthwhile

decisions he has ever made.

"I had never heard the Christian gospel before. For the first time, I heard

how Jesus had given his life at the cross so that others could live," the

pastor recalled.

Mr Plodinec said he found himself agreeing with everything he heard in the

sermon and soon became active in the church.

Now, during this time, Mr Plodinec had gotten a job at a computer software

company where he had been elevated to head of purchasing.

"I was doing real well," he remembered. "I was driving up in my Blazer to Lake

Tahoe every weekend to ski. I was living the life."

However, though his life seemed to be going great, he discovered It was only

doing well from a worldly point of view. Internally, he was not doing well.

"That's when I was saved," he explained. "I realized I was lacking

reconciliation with God."

Soon after, the pastor married Karen, whom he had met in church, and headed to

the Western Baptist College in Salem, Ore. By 1993, the couple, which had

started a family, moved to Los Angeles where Mr Plodinec earned his masters of

divinity degree from the Masters Seminary at the Grace Community Church.

After earning his degree, the new pastor remained on as a staff member at

Grace Church and soon began talking with members of the Bible Baptist Church

in Newtown where Pastor Thorne was on his way to a new calling after seven

years. A visit to Los Angeles by members Ed Houston, Bill Kessler and Rich

Gustafson was convincing, and Pastor Plodinec was hired soon after.

The young pastor, a former water polo player who stands 6'4" tall, is an

exegetical Bible preacher, which means he begins preaching at the beginning of

the Bible and works his way to the end. He is also trained in the methods of

biblical counseling.

While her husband runs the church, Karen teaches children's Sunday school and

being involved in the women's ministries.

The Plodinec family lives in a house behind the church. They have enjoyed

their short stay in Newtown so far and hope it will be a long one.

"We'd like to be here 35 or 40 years," the pastor explained. "The people are

much friendlier here."