Meet our Pastor Rev. Hoyle "Kip" Vinson, Jr.  He has been our pastor since January 23 2005.

He came to Oak Level in a time that was an answer to his prayer and Oak Level's.  He had been out of the ministry for 3 years, and felt rejuvenated by God to help a church in need.  Oak Level Baptist had just gone through a division and Rev. Vinson was going through some life changes.  The two met in the middle.  The church and his life combined to help each heal, and to move forward in God's will.

He came to Oak Level believing it was a once in a lifetime oppurtunity for a minister.  A blank slate of people wanting to experience the movement of the Spirit of God. People willing to do whatever was necessary to make their church what God intends it to be and follow a leader/pastor who is sold out to the will of God and will do anything he can to lead this church to the next step in God’s plan.

Rev. Vinson felt an irresistable calling by the Holy Spirit to do something special for God at a young age.  As he matured and moved deeper into finding what God’s will was for his life he felt led to go into fulltime ministry as a Pastor. He says, "I had learned enough to know that turning down God was something that would make your life feel unfulfilled until you answered God’s call and fulfilled His will."  He was helped and led into the right direction by friends and mentors who knew the right way and he has been blessed by God ever since.

He went to school and received his B. A. in History at Woffard College in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1994.  Then he moved on to receive his Masters of Divinity from Gardner-Webb School of Divinity in 1998.  His path in God has lead him through being a Youth Minister at Midway Baptist in South Carolina and Tuskaseege Baptist in Mount Holly, North Carolina.  Then he furthered God's call in his life by becoming Pastor at West Chester Baptist and Steep Bottom Baptist in South Carolina.

Rev. Vinson envisions Oak Level Baptist continuing its move to become a church after God’s own heart. "To grow we must continue to show the love that God has shown us and show the world what real Christianity is to us."  He hopes we will continue to grow physically and spiritually and be able to minister to those who are uneducated of the ways of God.  He hopes that in planning for the future of the church we can prepare the way for God to use us to further His work for MANY years to come.  He and the congregation are hoping to fulfill our Long Range Plan and work to make this community a better place to live.

He is leading our church into an era of growth, both spiritual and physical.