Former Arkansas pastor Sam Cathey honored at SBC Pastors’ Conference

Former Arkansas Baptist pastor Sam Cathey (center) president of Sam Cathey Ministries and Southern Baptist pastor, and his wife, Lucille, were honored during the evening session June 17 of the two-day Pastors' Conference at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Cathey helped organize more than 100 churches across the country and has preached at more than 100 state and national conventions. Looking on is former Arkansas Baptist pastor Grant Ethridge (right), president of the Pastors' Conference and pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton, Va. Photo by Van Payne

NEW ORLEANS – Sam Cathey, 77, former pastor of First Baptist Church, Bearden, and a native of Camden, was honored for his lifelong work in evangelism and church planting at the 2012 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Pastors' Conference Sunday, June 17.

CatheyCathey is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Immanuel Baptist Seminary.  He is and his wife, Lucille Lawson, have three daughters.

In addition to pastoring in Arkansas, Cathey served as pastor for 10 years in Michigan; serving in various denominational capacities. While in Michigan, he assisted in establishing more than 200 new churches. From 1989 to 1996, he served as Pastor of Graceway Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Okla.  

Saved at the age of 10, Cathey was called to preach at age 16 and led his own father to faith. Over the years Cathey preached across the United States in numerous revivals, Bible conferences and evangelistic meetings.

He president of Sam Cathey Ministries and past-president of the National Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists. 

Cathey is the author of five books and has written for a number of periodicals.

He became a full-time evangelist in July 1996.