October 10, 2025 • 11 mins
What happens when a Welsh pastor follows love across the ocean and lands in Lynn, Massachusetts? Pastor Kevin Adams of East Baptist Church shares his remarkable 21-year journey in ministry and the wisdom he’s gained along the way. With refreshing candor and humor, he dismantles the myth that religious leaders are somehow less human than everyone else. “They expect me to be a sort of angel with wings,” he laughs, but instead he offers authenticity—leading a congregation of “broken angels trying to fly in the right direction, though they’ve got broken wings and most have lost their halos.” His passion for reconciliation and forgiveness, along with a love for classic literature and the “old-fashioned gospel,” creates a space where questions are welcomed and faith is explored without judgment.
East Baptist Church, founded in 1874 and rooted in its current location since 1961, stands as a beacon of enduring faith with contemporary relevance. “The gospel is free,” Pastor Adams reminds us, “Jesus bought it on the cross and hands it to people.” His invitation is simple and heartfelt: come as you are, no pressure, all welcome. Visit eastbaptist.org or join Sunday services at 10:45 AM to experience this warm, authentic community firsthand.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Yuan Godfrey.
SPEAKER_00 (00:11):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Today I have the distinctpleasure to introduce to our
listeners Pastor Kevin Adams.
He is the pastor for EastBaptist Church in the city of
Lynn.
He's been pastoring for over 21years, and we're so thrilled to
have him with us today.
(00:31):
Pastor Adams, how are you doingtoday?
SPEAKER_02 (00:34):
I am doing very well, thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
Wonderful to hear.
Can you please tell ourlisteners about East Baptist
Church?
SPEAKER_02 (00:43):
We started in 1874.
How about that for an oldchurch?
But where we are now on 300Western Avenue, uh, we've been
there since 1961.
So with an old establishedchurch uh in uh in Lynn with a
brand, well not a brand newmessage, an old message which is
(01:05):
contemporary.
SPEAKER_00 (01:07):
Beautiful, beautiful.
Love the enthusiasm as well.
So, Pastor Adams, what's thebackstory?
How did you get involved inpastorialship and become the
pastor of East Baptist Church?
SPEAKER_02 (01:22):
I became a Christian in 1974, but way back in Wales,
50 something years ago, gotinvolved in Christian work, uh
evangelist, etc.
etc.
Then was a pastor for 18 yearsin in South Wales, came over
here, fell desperately in lovewith this woman, and uh she kept
me here.
So I came over in 2004, and uh Ihave stayed here ever since, and
(01:47):
for some reason, this churchtook me and loved me, and I love
them as well.
How about that?
It's a love story, it's a lovestory, you know, and it's a
God's providence story in love.
(02:09):
People love those stories.
SPEAKER_00 (02:13):
I love it, I love it.
She sounds like a real blessedwoman, not a lucky woman, but a
blessed woman.
SPEAKER_02 (02:22):
Well, yeah, yeah, she bears with me.
Yeah, I think God sent her fortraining.
She I think God was wanting togive her patience, so she sent
me, but there we are.
SPEAKER_00 (02:34):
So, what are some myths in um pastorial ship that
you have experienced over theyears?
SPEAKER_02 (02:43):
Oh, all the big myth, of course, is that the
pastor is not human but sort ofdivine, and um, I love it when I
go and and meet friends or meetnew people in situations they
don't expect me.
So I go to the pub on a regularbasis and I start talking to
people, and uh, and then I askthem what they do, and uh having
(03:06):
talked to them for half an houror so, uh they ask me, and and
then I say, Oh, I'm a pastor ofa church, and they go, Oh, yeah,
oh, and they expect me to be asort of angel with wings, you
know, painted by Frau Angelico,the great uh the great Italian
Renaissance painter, but I'mnot, I'm a human being created
(03:29):
in the image of God, of course,uh, and wanting to share uh
naturally the gospel of Jesus.
So we're very real people.
That's that's the big thing, thebig thing people get wrong.
They think we're something else,and we're not.
SPEAKER_00 (03:44):
Very interesting, very interesting, Pastor Adams.
Um, very interesting.
Thanks for sharing that.
And you know, it resonates witha lot of uh listeners who you
know hear your um hear yourcandid response.
SPEAKER_02 (04:03):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, that's it, that's thetruth.
So there we are.
SPEAKER_00 (04:08):
So outside of outside of pastorialship, what
do you do for fun, Pastor?
SPEAKER_02 (04:13):
I read, and then I read, and then I do more
reading.
I love to read.
I I I'm involved in two bookgroups a month.
I love classic literature.
I believe God speaks throughclassic literature, you know, he
speaks through the Bible, firstand foremost, but classic
literature.
You learn about humanity.
People read such rubbish today.
(04:34):
So I'm encouraged reading thegreat work, great novels, French
novels, English novels, uh, eventhe Russian novels.
I get you depressed.
But there we are.
That's good.
So I love to read, that is it,whether it's philosophy,
history, I read it.
I love it.
I love books.
I'm a bibliophile.
SPEAKER_00 (04:53):
I love it, love it.
I love books myself.
Um, I can't get enough of enoughof it.
I just need more hours in theday to get through them.
SPEAKER_02 (05:02):
No, that's right.
SPEAKER_00 (05:04):
So, changing gifts, Pastor.
Can you describe one hardship orone of life's challenge that you
rose above and can now saybecause of it, you're better,
you're stronger.
What comes to your mind?
SPEAKER_02 (05:19):
I think when I was in Wales, uh, there was a
certain period in my churchwhere things went wrong, and uh
there was disagreement in thechurch, and you know, people
were unhappy, it was one groupdoing this, one group doing
that, and it was really, reallyhard.
And uh fighting through that fora year and a half, losing
members, etc.
etc.
But then after that, recognizingthat you know, we're all human,
(05:42):
and the people who left usdisagreed with us what we were
doing, were also human.
And and the key thing was you'vegot to you've got to reconcile
straight after that.
And we did.
We reconciled, they had theirown, they had their own, they
they they some of them went totheir own church, make their own
church, bit of a split, but thenwe recognized okay, let's make
(06:03):
the best of that, let's notknock one another, let's
recognize we all make mistakes,let's let's forget the past,
let's build the future, andpeople don't forgive.
People don't forgive.
We need to forgive.
Jesus about forgiveness.
I need forgiveness.
Not only do I need to giveforgiveness, I need it, and I
got it from Christ.
(06:23):
I gotta pass it on.
So that's that's what I'velearned.
And and I've learned that peoplewho come to church, it's not
just a pastor who um isn't anangel in that sense, it's the
people who come aren't angels.
So if you're not an angel, ifyou want to come to church, come
to our church.
You'll meet piles of people whoare not angels, but are trying
to fly in the right direction,though they've got broken wings,
(06:47):
and most of them have lost theirhalos.
SPEAKER_00 (06:52):
Well said, sir.
Well said, Pastor.
Love it.
We're all broken people.
Yep, we are, Pastor Adams.
Please tell our listeners onething they should remember about
East Baptist Church.
SPEAKER_02 (07:09):
I think the big thing for me, we preach the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
Old-fashioned gospel, that JesusChrist came to change lives.
He died on the cross, rose againalive on the third day, and we
believe he's coming soon.
And he's coming for people whohave blown it, he's coming for
(07:30):
the broken angels, all right?
The bad angels, in one sense, inorder to make a difference.
So that's what it's about.
Where we want, I could say lotsof things about the church, but
Paul once said, We preach Christand him crucified.
That's the big thing.
I love preaching that.
(07:51):
Do you know why I love preachingit?
Because the gospel is free, it'sbeen bought for goodness sake.
Jesus bought it on the cross andhe hands it to people.
So that's why I'm excited.
I love a bargain.
This is the best bargain anyonewill get.
We're unapologeticallyChristian, all right?
That's what we go.
Uh, but we want to be open, andthe other thing: any questions,
(08:14):
it's okay.
You can ask any question youlike in our church.
You're not gonna be hit for it,you're not gonna be hated for
it.
It's all right, and you canremain a seeker while you're
there as well.
Nobody's gonna push you becauseI believe it's God that does the
work, and if God doesn't do thework, then it isn't done, so
nothing happens.
So you can come and you can sitthere and you can listen.
(08:35):
Nobody's gonna attack you andthrow a Bible at you.
SPEAKER_00 (08:43):
Throw the sword at you.
I love your enthusiasm, Pastor.
SPEAKER_02 (08:47):
Um and I love and I love life is about enthusiasm,
it is about desire.
Augustine said it's aboutdesire, change desires.
Everybody wants change desires.
That's what we're about.
SPEAKER_00 (09:04):
Absolutely.
Um, it's refreshing and it'sreal and it's wonderful.
Thank you.
Thank you.
No problem, Pastor Adams.
How can our listeners learn moreabout East Baptist Church?
Do you have a website?
Yes, we do.
SPEAKER_02 (09:20):
Yeah, our website is eastbaptist.org.
So you can you can go on tothat.
But uh, having gone to that,come to know, come in person.
10 45 Sunday morning, come inperson, lots of other little
lots of other things we do, butstart by coming in person there,
get a feel of what we're about,and that's what it's about.
(09:40):
You can decide for yourself.
It might not be this churchdoesn't fit everybody, all
right?
It does, of course it doesn't,but it might fit you, it might
not, and God bless you if you gosomewhere else.
But if you want to try us on theway, we would love to add you to
the church, or rather, should Isay, God adds you to the church
to be more actually acts, as thebook of Acts says, but you know
(10:03):
what I'm getting at.
So we're very laid back, nopressure, but uh we love to
preach the gospelunapologetically and come along,
you'll be welcome, promise.
SPEAKER_00 (10:17):
People are looking for a place where they belong.
So, Pastor Adams, we reallyappreciate you.
We really appreciate you beingon the show with us today, and
we wish you and East BaptistChurch all the very best moving
forward, preaching the word ofGod in season out of season.
Thank you.
(10:37):
That's all right.
No problem.
God bless.
SPEAKER_01 (10:41):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on the
show, go to gnpnorthore.com.
That's gnpnorthore.com.
Or call 857 703 9406.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Yuan Godfrey.
SPEAKER_00 (00:11):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Today I have the distinctpleasure to introduce to our
listeners Pastor Kevin Adams.
He is the pastor for EastBaptist Church in the city of
Lynn.
He's been pastoring for over 21years, and we're so thrilled to
have him with us today.
(00:31):
Pastor Adams, how are you doingtoday?
SPEAKER_02 (00:34):
I am doing very well, thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
Wonderful to hear.
Can you please tell ourlisteners about East Baptist
Church?
SPEAKER_02 (00:43):
We started in 1874.
How about that for an oldchurch?
But where we are now on 300Western Avenue, uh, we've been
there since 1961.
So with an old establishedchurch uh in uh in Lynn with a
brand, well not a brand newmessage, an old message which is
(01:05):
contemporary.
SPEAKER_00 (01:07):
Beautiful, beautiful.
Love the enthusiasm as well.
So, Pastor Adams, what's thebackstory?
How did you get involved inpastorialship and become the
pastor of East Baptist Church?
SPEAKER_02 (01:22):
I became a Christian in 1974, but way back in Wales,
50 something years ago, gotinvolved in Christian work, uh
evangelist, etc.
etc.
Then was a pastor for 18 yearsin in South Wales, came over
here, fell desperately in lovewith this woman, and uh she kept
me here.
So I came over in 2004, and uh Ihave stayed here ever since, and
(01:47):
for some reason, this churchtook me and loved me, and I love
them as well.
How about that?
It's a love story, it's a lovestory, you know, and it's a
God's providence story in love.
(02:09):
People love those stories.
SPEAKER_00 (02:13):
I love it, I love it.
She sounds like a real blessedwoman, not a lucky woman, but a
blessed woman.
SPEAKER_02 (02:22):
Well, yeah, yeah, she bears with me.
Yeah, I think God sent her fortraining.
She I think God was wanting togive her patience, so she sent
me, but there we are.
SPEAKER_00 (02:34):
So, what are some myths in um pastorial ship that
you have experienced over theyears?
SPEAKER_02 (02:43):
Oh, all the big myth, of course, is that the
pastor is not human but sort ofdivine, and um, I love it when I
go and and meet friends or meetnew people in situations they
don't expect me.
So I go to the pub on a regularbasis and I start talking to
people, and uh, and then I askthem what they do, and uh having
(03:06):
talked to them for half an houror so, uh they ask me, and and
then I say, Oh, I'm a pastor ofa church, and they go, Oh, yeah,
oh, and they expect me to be asort of angel with wings, you
know, painted by Frau Angelico,the great uh the great Italian
Renaissance painter, but I'mnot, I'm a human being created
(03:29):
in the image of God, of course,uh, and wanting to share uh
naturally the gospel of Jesus.
So we're very real people.
That's that's the big thing, thebig thing people get wrong.
They think we're something else,and we're not.
SPEAKER_00 (03:44):
Very interesting, very interesting, Pastor Adams.
Um, very interesting.
Thanks for sharing that.
And you know, it resonates witha lot of uh listeners who you
know hear your um hear yourcandid response.
SPEAKER_02 (04:03):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, that's it, that's thetruth.
So there we are.
SPEAKER_00 (04:08):
So outside of outside of pastorialship, what
do you do for fun, Pastor?
SPEAKER_02 (04:13):
I read, and then I read, and then I do more
reading.
I love to read.
I I I'm involved in two bookgroups a month.
I love classic literature.
I believe God speaks throughclassic literature, you know, he
speaks through the Bible, firstand foremost, but classic
literature.
You learn about humanity.
People read such rubbish today.
(04:34):
So I'm encouraged reading thegreat work, great novels, French
novels, English novels, uh, eventhe Russian novels.
I get you depressed.
But there we are.
That's good.
So I love to read, that is it,whether it's philosophy,
history, I read it.
I love it.
I love books.
I'm a bibliophile.
SPEAKER_00 (04:53):
I love it, love it.
I love books myself.
Um, I can't get enough of enoughof it.
I just need more hours in theday to get through them.
SPEAKER_02 (05:02):
No, that's right.
SPEAKER_00 (05:04):
So, changing gifts, Pastor.
Can you describe one hardship orone of life's challenge that you
rose above and can now saybecause of it, you're better,
you're stronger.
What comes to your mind?
SPEAKER_02 (05:19):
I think when I was in Wales, uh, there was a
certain period in my churchwhere things went wrong, and uh
there was disagreement in thechurch, and you know, people
were unhappy, it was one groupdoing this, one group doing
that, and it was really, reallyhard.
And uh fighting through that fora year and a half, losing
members, etc.
etc.
But then after that, recognizingthat you know, we're all human,
(05:42):
and the people who left usdisagreed with us what we were
doing, were also human.
And and the key thing was you'vegot to you've got to reconcile
straight after that.
And we did.
We reconciled, they had theirown, they had their own, they
they they some of them went totheir own church, make their own
church, bit of a split, but thenwe recognized okay, let's make
(06:03):
the best of that, let's notknock one another, let's
recognize we all make mistakes,let's let's forget the past,
let's build the future, andpeople don't forgive.
People don't forgive.
We need to forgive.
Jesus about forgiveness.
I need forgiveness.
Not only do I need to giveforgiveness, I need it, and I
got it from Christ.
(06:23):
I gotta pass it on.
So that's that's what I'velearned.
And and I've learned that peoplewho come to church, it's not
just a pastor who um isn't anangel in that sense, it's the
people who come aren't angels.
So if you're not an angel, ifyou want to come to church, come
to our church.
You'll meet piles of people whoare not angels, but are trying
to fly in the right direction,though they've got broken wings,
(06:47):
and most of them have lost theirhalos.
SPEAKER_00 (06:52):
Well said, sir.
Well said, Pastor.
Love it.
We're all broken people.
Yep, we are, Pastor Adams.
Please tell our listeners onething they should remember about
East Baptist Church.
SPEAKER_02 (07:09):
I think the big thing for me, we preach the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
Old-fashioned gospel, that JesusChrist came to change lives.
He died on the cross, rose againalive on the third day, and we
believe he's coming soon.
And he's coming for people whohave blown it, he's coming for
(07:30):
the broken angels, all right?
The bad angels, in one sense, inorder to make a difference.
So that's what it's about.
Where we want, I could say lotsof things about the church, but
Paul once said, We preach Christand him crucified.
That's the big thing.
I love preaching that.
(07:51):
Do you know why I love preachingit?
Because the gospel is free, it'sbeen bought for goodness sake.
Jesus bought it on the cross andhe hands it to people.
So that's why I'm excited.
I love a bargain.
This is the best bargain anyonewill get.
We're unapologeticallyChristian, all right?
That's what we go.
Uh, but we want to be open, andthe other thing: any questions,
(08:14):
it's okay.
You can ask any question youlike in our church.
You're not gonna be hit for it,you're not gonna be hated for
it.
It's all right, and you canremain a seeker while you're
there as well.
Nobody's gonna push you becauseI believe it's God that does the
work, and if God doesn't do thework, then it isn't done, so
nothing happens.
So you can come and you can sitthere and you can listen.
(08:35):
Nobody's gonna attack you andthrow a Bible at you.
SPEAKER_00 (08:43):
Throw the sword at you.
I love your enthusiasm, Pastor.
SPEAKER_02 (08:47):
Um and I love and I love life is about enthusiasm,
it is about desire.
Augustine said it's aboutdesire, change desires.
Everybody wants change desires.
That's what we're about.
SPEAKER_00 (09:04):
Absolutely.
Um, it's refreshing and it'sreal and it's wonderful.
Thank you.
Thank you.
No problem, Pastor Adams.
How can our listeners learn moreabout East Baptist Church?
Do you have a website?
Yes, we do.
SPEAKER_02 (09:20):
Yeah, our website is eastbaptist.org.
So you can you can go on tothat.
But uh, having gone to that,come to know, come in person.
10 45 Sunday morning, come inperson, lots of other little
lots of other things we do, butstart by coming in person there,
get a feel of what we're about,and that's what it's about.
(09:40):
You can decide for yourself.
It might not be this churchdoesn't fit everybody, all
right?
It does, of course it doesn't,but it might fit you, it might
not, and God bless you if you gosomewhere else.
But if you want to try us on theway, we would love to add you to
the church, or rather, should Isay, God adds you to the church
to be more actually acts, as thebook of Acts says, but you know
(10:03):
what I'm getting at.
So we're very laid back, nopressure, but uh we love to
preach the gospelunapologetically and come along,
you'll be welcome, promise.
SPEAKER_00 (10:17):
People are looking for a place where they belong.
So, Pastor Adams, we reallyappreciate you.
We really appreciate you beingon the show with us today, and
we wish you and East BaptistChurch all the very best moving
forward, preaching the word ofGod in season out of season.
Thank you.
(10:37):
That's all right.
No problem.
God bless.
SPEAKER_01 (10:41):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on the
show, go to gnpnorthore.com.
That's gnpnorthore.com.
Or call 857 703 9406.
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