by Tim Hester

CORINTH, Miss. (BNc) — As a young man, Guy Hester began his preaching career at a small country church in Northeast Arkansas. Since then he has spent the last 60 years proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Guy says his greatest asset during his preaching career has been his wife of 57 years, Shirley. Guy and Shirley have four children (two sons and two daughters), ten grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, with one more to be born soon.

Their influence in the work of the kingdom encouraged both their sons to become preachers, and their daughters to marry preachers, thus adding to a family line of preachers which includes Guy’s dad (deceased), three brothers (one of whom is deceased), an uncle (deceased), two nephews and one of his grandsons.

Although Guy received his formal education at both Freed-Hardeman College (now University) and Indiana State University, his greatest training as a gospel preacher came from two other sources.

He was fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend Gus Nichols’ Friday night classes in Jasper, Ala. But Guy says, “I grew up under the influence of my father, S. F. Hester, a gospel preacher who encouraged me to preach and taught me more Bible and how to preach than any college or school of preaching would ever be able to do.”

Guy has tried to be this same kind of influence in the lives of other young men who have a desire to preach the gospel. In addition to those of his own family he has taught, encouraged and supported many young men to preach and to teach.

One preacher friend of Guy’s jokes that, when Guy read the command to go into all the world and preach, he thought he had to do it all himself.

His career has taken him to work full time with churches in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa and Arkansas.

He has traveled even further to speak in gospel meetings and on lectureships. He, also, for a period of six years, 1987-1992, made four mission trips each year (26 in all) to Guyana, South America, where he preached, founded and directed the Vreed-en-Hoop School of the Bible.

For his many years of hard work and dedication to the cause of Christ his family is inviting his friends to join them Apr. 16 in the fellowship hall of Fraley’s Chapel church, just outside of Corinth, Miss, for a dinner in his honor.

For more information, contact one of his sons by e-mail: Ferrell Hester or Tim Hester.

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