The Rev. Jerome Milton and his wife pose for a photo.

The Rev. Jerome Milton, the pastor at the Open Door Bible Church of Tyler, is celebrating 50 years of ministry, a calling allowing him to do what he loves — teaching, preaching, reaching others and changing lives through Christ.

At the young age of 10 months, Milton was abandoned along with his other siblings. Before his foster mother Datie Florence Brown adopted him, he was in 14 foster homes, one reform school and two orphanages.

When in the orphanages, Milton said he and the other children would often play church (where he was the minister) and school (where he was always the teacher). These moments helped show him his calling.

“It was just something inside,” he said. “It’s hard to explain, but I always wanted to be a minister, a pastor, a teacher and a coach.”

For 32 years he was the pastor at Greater New Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church where he retired.

After his retirement, he was asked to plant a new church in Tyler, he said.

Milton came out of retirement to grow the Open Door Bible Church in 2018. He is excited to see it grow in the years that he is able to pastor there.

“Whatever I have left, whatever energy I have left, I intend to have the biggest, the greatest, the strongest mission church in the state of Texas,” Milton said.

On Sunday at 11 a.m., at the Open Door Bible Church, 301 East Mims St. in Tyler, Milton will celebrate his 50-year anniversary in ministry.

Milton graduated from high school with a full-ride scholarship for football and track at the University of California — Los Angeles. He graduated from UCLA Magna Cum Laude and was a finalist in the 1976 Olympics for track and field.

After, Milton returned to earn a master’s degree in theology from Point Loma School of Theology. From the same school, he also received an honorary doctorate of divinity in 1985.

As a pastor, being able to see people give their lives to Christ and getting to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is always a monumental moment in his pastoral career, Milton said.

“People moving from death to life, from Hell to Heaven, from the devil to Jesus, I would say this is the most significant,” he said.

Every day Milton said he gets to see his teaching and preaching move people to grow in Christ. Knowing that God is using him to impact the lives of others is amazing, he said; many people and communities have grown right before his eyes, Milton said.

Throughout his years as a pastor, one of the hardest things to see is when people you love and nurture turn on you, Milton said. He has seen it happen to both himself and others, and knows that during hard times it is important to remain strong in faith and God.

“You forgive them, and you forgive them because it’s easy to mentally and spiritually wallow in it, and if you wallow in it, you can no longer pastor in it, you can no longer minister, you can no longer lead,” Milton said. “You show them by your example even though you bruised me, hurt me, wounded me, I’m not going to do to you what you did to me.”

Milton has had the opportunity to share the word of God at multiple churches. He pastored at Progressive Baptist Church of Tulare, California (three years); The First Baptist Church of Corcoran, California (one year); El Bethel Baptist Church of Overton (one year); Greater New Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist (32 years); and The Open Door Bible Church of Tyler (three years).

“It’s not a job, it’s a calling,” Milton said. “You’re not going to make a million dollars, but if you’re willing to make a million-dollar difference, then accept your calling to the ministry.”

Since the age of 15 he has been preaching the word of God, Milton said. With 50 years in ministry, he is grateful for all the people who have supported and encouraged him throughout the years.