An Interesting Neighbor

“He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.”

The verse is Proverbs 28:19. Chat with the Rev. Nate McConathy, the new pastor at Union Hill Baptist Church west of Purcell, and it is quickly apparent why he tells a visitor it is his favorite Scripture.

And if McConathy sounds familiar, it’s likely because Nate’s father, the Rev. Barry McConathy, preached from the Union Hill pulpit more than 21 years before stepping down at the end of 2020.

That’s right. Nate is a preacher’s kid who felt called to the ministry when he was 16 or 17.

Originally from Houston, Nate graduated in 2005 from Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in youth ministry and a minor in sociology. Four years later he graduated from Rockbridge Seminary in Springfield, Mo.

He and his wife, Whitney, have been married 16 years and have two children.

Mollie, 8, will start third grade this fall at Washington and Reed, 4, is headed for pre-kindergarten there.

For five years Nate was one of three youth pastors at First Baptist Church in Rogers, Ark.

He’s spent the last 11 years as youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Yukon.

Union Hill is his first assignment as pastor.

Despite the family connection to the rural church, Nate said his father never mentioned that he might apply.

He’s not one to pull strings, Nate said of his father, and “didn’t want the church to think he was trying to manipulate the situation.”

“He didn’t want anyone to think anything shady was going on,” Nate explained, adding “I never dreamed I would be here.”

Rather it was the Union Hill youth pastor who reached out to Nate.

When Nate sent him his resume, the youth pastor handed it to the search team.

Nate was invited to deliver a guest sermon on May 2. He chose as his topic “Characteristics of Christ,” drawing from the 13th chapter of Luke.

The church’s response was quick. Nate was offered the pulpit that night. And just as quickly, he accepted.

Nate is careful to not compare himself to his father, although “he was a great pastor and I want to be great as well.”

He defines his calling in the simplest of terms.

“I have desire to help people to love Jesus (and) to love other people,” he said. “The biggest thing we can do to love Jesus is be honest, open and vulnerable to other people ... so they can be themselves. People who make mistakes, but are forgiven by God.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned over 10 years, you have to start with love. When we love people the way God loves us – unconditionally – is when people’s lives are changed by the Gospel.”

As he settles into a new role in a new church, Nate isn’t letting any grass grow under his feet.

On Saturday he and 16 parishioners will fly to Haiti on a week long mission trip during which they will build a new church for Calvary Baptist in Canan.

Accompanying him will be Hunter Askew, Stephanie Branch, Jacie Carr, Amy Comforth, Aubrey Comforth, Emily Comforth, Tony Comforth, Andrew Dewbre, Jordan Ford, Matt Henderson, Kara McDonald, Brody Moore, Paul Moore, Acie Rod, Sunny Sanders and Josh Shade.

On July 11, the church will host Destination Dig, a vacation Bible school open to youngsters fifth grade and younger.

The VBS will meet at 6 p.m. through July 15.

And one month to the day after VBS ends, Union Hill will resume regular Sunday worship in the sanctuary.

That will include one hour of discipleship (Sunday School)  and one hour of worship.

To that end, Nate is working on involving more people in the church by allowing them to serve different ministries.

Union Hill presently has three deacons and Nate is putting together a church leadership team.

“Church is necessary,” he said. “The world needs a church; our culture needs a church.”

Presently, Nate is preaching on “Be About It,” which explores the virtues in Scripture “that the church – people – should be about in their lives.”

“After that, we’ll jump into the Book of John and measure our lives against  Jesus. He has to be our ultimate measure.”

Nate attended a non-denominational church for a year and has friends who are ministers in other denominations like Assembly of God and Christian.

But Southern Baptist “holds closest to what I believe,” he said.

Although the denomination is poised on the brink of a battleground between ultra-conservative and ultra-liberal factions, Nate eyes the future as a middle-of-the-road moderate.

“We need to be people who understand the far reaches,” he said, “but real lasting change always comes from common sense right in the middle.”

Union Hill has about 220 who attend weekly services and is ranked the denomination’s largest rural church – outside city limits – in Oklahoma.

To Nate, the church and politics are like oil and water. They don’t mix.

Nate said he’s judgemental and pessimistic by nature.

“Those are the things I pray for most about myself,” he said.”I want people to see Jesus when they see me and I work constantly on seeing the good in people and good in the world.”

He makes it a personal pledge.

“We will always be a church as long as I’m here that sets aside trivial differences ... and always focuses on being like Jesus,” he said.

“If anyone is looking for a church to belong to where they don’t have to explain themselves or apologize for who they are or who they’ve been, this is the place for them!”