Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – December 10, 2024 – Joel Boyd McMasters was drafted by Major League Baseball twice. Once by the Cleveland Indians in the third round of the 1965 draft following his career at Bay High School. McMasters was drafted a second time by the Houston Astros in the first round of the 1966 draft from Southern Baptist College at Walnut Ridge.

In 1968, McMasters was pitching for the Astros’ Class A farm club in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Greensboro Patriots.

Joel McMasters and wife, Barbara

“I started the season 7-0. I was on top of the world,” McMasters says. “I came home during the season and told my Dad I thought I felt God calling me to the ministry. But I didn’t listen. I went back to Greensboro and had a terrible rest of the reason. I finished 7-6. The way I look at it, I wasted the next six years of my life. Sometimes, I think of the people I might could have led to the Lord during those six years if I had just listened.”

McMasters says he finally surrendered to preach in late 1974. He was ordained by the first church he pastored in April 1975.

Joel McMasters’ family gathers at Ridgecrest Baptist Church to celebrate Joel’s 50 years of ministry. (L-to-R: Robbie McMasters (son), Amy McMasters (daughter-in-law), Ella McMasters (granddaughter), Audrey McMasters (great granddaughter), Makayla McMasters (married to Jake), Claire McMasters (great granddaughter), Dr. Jake McMasters (grandson), Emily Gibson (granddaughter), Ty Gibson (married to Emily), Sage Gibson (great granddaughter), Barbara McMasters (wife), Joel McMasters, Seth McMasters (grandson)

This past Sunday, McMasters was asked to preach at Ridgecrest Baptist Church at 610 Powell Street in Jonesboro. McMasters’ son, Robbie, just happens to be the church’s pastor. Joel and wife Barbara are members. The occasion was a celebration of fifty years of ministry for the elder McMasters.

“I was privileged to grow up in the home I grew up in,” the younger McMasters told his congregation as he introduced his dad. “We lived right next to the church, so I felt like we were always at church. I am proud to have had the godly parents that I had.”

Robbie said his dad had quite the reputation during the early days of his ministry. “He was known as a fire and brimstone preacher,” Robbie said. “He would beat on that pulpit and walk up and down the aisle preaching his message. He also had his signature handkerchief because it was just a matter of time before the sweat would start pouring from his face.”

Joel McMasters has pastored at ten different churches during his fifty years of preaching. Center Hill Baptist (Jonesboro), Trinity Baptist (Dixie), Fairview Baptist (Jonesboro), Macedonia Baptist (Jonesboro), Tenth Street Baptist (Paragould), Twin Oaks Baptist (Kennett, MO), New Hope Baptist (Wynne), Fellowship Baptist (Walnut Ridge), Central Baptist (Trumann) and Broadway Baptist (Bay). McMasters continues to “supply” in pulpits at various churches when needed. McMasters is scheduled to preach this Sunday (December 15) at Grace Temple Baptist near Paragould.

Joel met and married his lifelong mate, Barbara, in 1968. “I can’t thank Barbara enough for supporting me all of these years,” he said. “She has followed me wherever God sent me.” In addition to son Robbie, Joel and Brenda also had a daughter, Jo Ella who was tragically killed in a traffic accident in 1990 at the age of 15 while attending Brookland High School. She was in the 10th grade.

Joel McMasters pulls out signature handkerchief during his message Sunday at Ridgecrest Baptist Church

McMasters pulled out his signature handkerchief during his message this past Sunday. He didn’t hold back leading the congregation through scripture laying out what a person needs to do to go to heaven. When he referenced a passage that might make someone in the service uncomfortable, McMasters would add a disclaimer: “I didn’t say it, God said it.” He told the congregation “My God is the same God I’ve been preaching about for fifty years.”