Doug Abner leaves a lasting impact

Clay County recently lost a good man in Pastor Doug Abner. His impact on our county will be felt for many years to come.

It’s been a minute since I had the chance to speak with him before he passed. But years ago, when he ran The Lighthouse Christian Book Store, I spent a lot of time talking with him. Not only was he an excellent pastor, he was also a good listener and a trusted counselor.

One of the best things Doug ever got me involved in was Promise Keepers, a Christian men’s movement that was especially prominent in the late 1990s.

In 1997, Promise Keepers held an event in Washington, D.C., called “Stand in the Gap: A Sacred Assembly of Men.”Nearly one million men gathered on the National Mall—often called the capital of Christian men—to pray, repent, and commit to becoming better husbands, fathers, and leaders.

It literally gives me chills as I write this, thinking back on that day.

Doug rented a tour bus and gathered men from all over Clay County to attend the event. He invited me along and asked me to cover it for the newspaper. I sat with my good friend Ted Woods on the trip, and Larry “Red” Smith kept us entertained. I can’t remember everyone who went, but the bus was packed. Many of the faces I remember are no longer with us.

One of the things I admired most about Doug was that he thought outside the box. He wasn’t limited to what was “practical.” He was a dreamer. He was a seeker. That vision rubbed off on me.

Even today, I try to think outside the box, and I owe that to Doug in many ways.

Another thing I remember about Doug was his fearlessness. In the mid-2000s, he and Ken Bolin helped organize the March Against Drugs right here in Manchester. It was a huge event, and it made an impact that transformed our county for years to come.

We live in a better place today because of Doug and Ken’s vision. Is it perfect? Not by any means. But it is far better than it once was.

Doug and Ken received threats. They were bucking the system. They were challenging the powers that be. What they undertook was enormous—something many people would not have had the courage to do.

In many ways, it was a war: a war on drugs, a war on corruption, and most importantly, a spiritual war.

We don’t have many men left with the courage Doug Abner and Ken Bolin showed. They were bold. They didn’t buckle. And they made a difference.

As a community, we will miss Doug Abner, but his impact continues today. I have no doubt he heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”