Pastor Scott Carlson

Which famous person would play you in a movie?
Red Skelton
 
What is your most embarrassing moment?
If I knew better I wouldn’t answer this question but since I don’t… :)  Several years ago  I went to a conference with my wife that was 95% women in attendance.  About 10,000 ladies were there.  I had gone to the restroom and believed that it was the men’s room.  At least I was fairly confident of that  fact when I entered.  A few minutes later three giggling women came in.  I thought I was in big trouble. Scared out of my mind I froze.  After a few moments they realized they were in the wrong bathroom and ran out screaming.
 
What are your pet peeves?
I would say having to breathe in other people’s cigarette smoke and people who follow too closely on the highway.
 
What is your favorite movie and why?
This will come as no surprise.  Heidi………….not.  Is there a better movie than Rocky?  I would have to include Rocky II, III, IV, not V, but most definitely VI.  I am waiting for Rocky VII.  He shows that you can’t count out an underdog.

What would you like to ask God when you get to heaven?
Can we go for a walk?

If you could time travel, where would you go and why?
I don’t know if I would really like to see the crucifixion of my Lord but I would love to have watched Jesus interact with his disciples.  Especially between Peter, James and John.  I would have also liked to walk with Joshua.  Very interesting General.

What is your favorite food/restaurant?
Anything Barbeque

What are your hobbies/interests?
Tennis, Snow Skiing, Movies, Attending and watching College football and basketball and most things outside.  I will try most things at least once.

Who first introduced you to Jesus Christ?
Mark Case & Scott Garner

Who most influenced your walk with Christ and why?
Scott Garner, James Reeves, Gene Sanders, (former youth pastors when I was a teenager) Howard Geis (former Music Minister while I was a teenager) and Alfred Fedelleck.  The first four men were there to each play a role in calling me to Christ and showing me how to follow Christ.  Alfred taught me to pray and the importance of prayer by his passionate pursuit of God through prayer.  He was a constant encourager.

Please tell us about your family.
I married my best friend 24 years ago.  Sarah is the love of my life and my soul mate.  God has blessed us with three children that we love with all of our hearts.  Each of them are uniquely different. God has proven to us that He can make three opposites.  Alaina, 22 is a graduate student at Palm Beach Atlantic Universty and anticipates graduating Pharmacy School in the spring of 2011.  Nathan 20, & Rachel 18, both live at home and are currently working toward their college education at Tulsa Community college.

Please tell us about your call to Central.
God has always made it clear in each ministry move that I have made.  Coming to Central is no exception.  To make a very long story short, God used the health of my grandmother to put me in a position to even be open to leave the church I pastored in Northern Missouri and one thing led to another and poof…Here I am.  We have been at Central since June 1, 2006.

Please tell us about your upbringing.
Here is the skinny.  I grew up on a farm west of Enid, OK from 1962-1969.  My brother and I moved to Hobart, Oklahoma with our parents on Thanksgiving of 1969.  My parents divorced in the early 70’s. I lived with my mom until I graduated high school in 1980.  I have tremendous respect for single parent families and the love that the church must show them if we desire to reach them.

If you couldn’t do what you are doing now, what would you do?
Something that interacts with children.

What do you love the most about your job?
I get to work every day with God’s people.

Please share your salvation experience in how you came to Christ.
My parents divorced when I was in fifth grade. I was surrounded by alcoholism, depression, family conflict, and abuse throughout my childhood and early teenage years. I struggled greatly with trust and with believing that God really did love me. I didn’t trust religion because I thought, “Why would God allow all the heartache to take place while I was a kid.”

Through some friends I was encouraged to give God a chance through a personal relationship with His son Jesus Christ. It was hard at first to open my heart, but because of the loneliness inside and the growing awareness that there had to be more, I opened my heart by asking Jesus Christ to forgive me of my sins and to enter my life as my personal Lord and Savior. It was on June 1st, 1979 that I asked the God of the universe to forgive me and make me His son. I have never regretted that decision.

God turned my world upside down. I’m far from perfect and have “blown it” often, but God has never left me. He has been my constant friend and Lord, through the good and bad times. If you’re searching for something more and tired of carrying the load of life by yourself, I encourage you to give Jesus Christ a try. Ask Him to be your Savior and forgive your sins. Ask Him to reserve a place in heaven. Ask Him to help you live your life for Him. Just ask Him.

Please share your call to the ministry.
It is really difficult for me to separate my salvation experience and ministry call.  When I gave my heart to the Lord I gave all of me to Him.  It was almost as if a few years earlier God had whispered in my ear, “One day you are going to know me and you will serve me as well.”  I didn’t struggle with my call.  Day by day the Lord showed me that he wanted me preaching His gospel and being a pastor was the role he set aside for me.  I do not consider my calling to be any more or less important than any other call on God’s child.  Each of us is to be obedient with the talents and calling He has given us.