While growing up near Greensboro, N.C., Paul Welch dreamed of becoming a wrestling coach and becoming a teacher.

However, Welch says, God had other plans. In his senior year of high school, Welch felt called into the ministry. Upon graduation from Mars Hill College and Kentucky's Southern Seminary, the Rev. Welch began his pastoral journey, a journey that found him shepherding Baptist congregations in Kentucky and, in more recent years, in upstate South Carolina.

Now, after serving congregations with as many as 2,000 members, Welch has embarked on yet another journey as director of missions for the Orangeburg-Calhoun Baptist Association.

"My calling is to energize pastors and churches and to help coordinate efforts toward the kingdom's goal and help the association of 43 churches envision some of the things that we can accomplish together that could never be accomplished without one another," says Welch. "Churches are separated by distance. One of the challenges of the job is to break down the natural barriers of distance and communities to accomplish some kingdom growth -- bottom-line, how we can impact this region for our Lord."

Paul and his wife, Kathy, are the parents of three sons; one is a pastor at Walhalla, and their twins live in Greenville. The couple also has two grandchildren. For hobbies, they love to travel and to hike in the mountains.

Welch listed what he hopes his office will accomplish as the following: 1) Start new churches; 2) Work with local missions; 3) Build fellowship and cooperation between pastors and churches; 4) Put forth a vision in which Baptists can invest; 5) Provide cutting-edge and relevant training for pastors and churches; 6) Serve as a resource for pastors and churches.

For the immediate future, Welch states that he wants to make a connection with pastors and churches. Even though he's been on the job for only three weeks, Welch has already visited several congregations in the outlying areas.

"We also hope to re-establish the summer mission program at Santee State Park," he adds.

At present, however, Welch needs at least two important prayers to be answered. "We need a camper to replace the one that was stolen that housed our summer missionary, and if we can find a volunteer for this program, we can train him or her.

"We need to get real about what the mission of the church is and what our goals are," he insists.

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