PASTOR NATHANIEL BATISTE

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Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you...Hebrews 13:17

Pastor Nathaniel Batiste, Sr is the youngest of 11 children born to the late Robert & Mary Stewart Batiste. A lifelong resident of St. James Parish, LA Pastor Batiste is a firm but loving father of five (5) children, 14 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Like most fathers he is proud of his children BUT like most grandparents Pastor has a glow when he talks about those grandkids...

Pastor is a 1976 graduate of St James High School. After High School he traded his Wildcats black & gold for Jaguars blue & gold where Pastor attended Southern University of Baton Rouge. Our Pastor was a member of the acclaimed SU Human Jukebox under the Direction of Dr. Isaac Greggs...marching & stepping to the beat.

But in June of 1979, Pastor felt the tugging on his heart by a much higher power & accepted the Lord as his personal savior, and his calling to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was Baptized July 1979 by the late Rev. Joseph Thomas. One month later, he preached his first sermon in August 1979...with fire running through his veins Pastor continued to march & step but now he is marching & stepping to the beat of the LORD.

Pastor Batiste received his license to preach the gospel April 15, 1981. He was ordained on August 18, 1984, by Central Union Missionary Baptist Association under the Presidency of the Late Rev. Samuel Jones and the Pastoral ship of the late Rev. Joseph Thomas. Clothed like a solider ready for battle, God sent this solider out into the world giving him cover at New Home Ministries where he served as an associate minister under the late Prophet Robert C. Blakes for some 12 years.

Upon the instructions of the Lord, Pastor Batiste packs up this armory and joins the Greater Woodville Baptist Church where he served as associate minister under the late Rev. Earnest Howard.

Battle tested & war chest filled with armory, God returned this solider to his original beginning. Pastor Batiste returned to St. Luke Baptist Church under the late Rev. Joseph Thomas and then the late Rev. Leon Franklin.

With the passing of Pastor Leon Franklin in March 2020 along with the restrictions of COVID, St. Luke Baptist Church was without a Shepherd to lead its flock for nearly 17 months...

And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding...Jeremiah 3:15

On August 15, 2021, the St Luke Baptist Church Congregation elected Rev. Nathaniel Batiste Sr. as Pastor. But before he could be installed, Hurricane Ida brought forth her path of devastation and destruction to our community on August 29, 2021. Our community was without electrical power for nearly 1 month. But being the obedient shepherd that he is, our Pastor jumped into action to check on & render aid to God’s house despite the damages sustained by his own residence.

Finally, on October 23,2021 in our hurricane damaged church Pastor Blair Mitchell of Plymouth Rock Baptist Church of Houma, LA installed Rev. Nathaniel Batiste as the Pastor of St. Luke Baptist Church.

God called a man to service and Pastor Batiste answered that call. Whenever you have a talk with Pastor his love for Jesus flows throughout the conversation...in fact his commitment is so deeply embedded in him that one can feel his passion in his words.

Webster defines craftsman as a person who is skilled in a particular craft. Webster, also, defines crazy as mentally deranged, extremely enthusiastic...

What does this have to do with Pastor? Well, our Pastor is a craftsman skilled in several crafts, but he is a man gifted with the essence of the Holy Spirit and as he likes to say, “He Is CRAZZZZY about JESUS!!”

Pastor, May God continue crowning your head with wisdom and knowledge and keep you safe as you shepherd over your flock. May you continue marching and stepping in obedience to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.