Servant Leadership at its Best
This year marks 60 years since Dr. Laurel D. Buckingham–a farm boy convinced he was a failure in everything from farming to athletics to academics–graduated from what is now Kingswood University. When it comes to “Dr. B,” as he is known to most, what is significant is not the passage of time, but the purpose with which he has faithfully pursued his calling to reach a lost world for Christ.
Dr. B served as lead pastor of Moncton Wesleyan for 41 years. When he began the church had less than 150 people. Under his leadership it grew to around 2000. As the church grew, Dr. B turned down opportunities to move on to “bigger and better.” He remained steadfast and committed to see lives transformed by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, expressed in the growth of the Church in Atlantic Canada. That commitment was the catalyst for what he calls “believability,” challenging the small-growth mindset prevalent at the time. Today Moncton Wesleyan is one of many large churches in the Atlantic Provinces, led by men and women inspired and encouraged by Dr. B.
These days, Dr. Buckingham can be found investing his time and energy developing leaders, mentoring pastors and Kingswood University students, and consulting with churches committed to revitalization and renewal. Through the Buckingham Leadership Institute, he champions the need for strong leadership from pastors who will stay the course with grit, stamina, determination, and perseverance in the face of the challenges facing the church.
While Dr. B freely shares his decades of experience and lessons learned, the one thing you will not hear him talk about is retirement; there simply is no such thing as retiring from the mission to reach the lost for Christ.