First Baptist Church of Huntington
Pastor Anthony J. Stradwick
Pastor Anthony J. Stradwick is the Husband of Christina Brown Stradwick. The father of four daughters, Alisha, Christina, Clarice, and Charity and one son, Anthony II. He graduated from Marshall University with a B. A. degree in accounting. He is a two-year graduate of Victory Bible Training Center.
Pastor Stradwick accepted God’s call to the ministry in 1996 at First Baptist Church in Huntington, WV, where he served as a Deacon and youth minister. Subsequently he would serve as associate pastor of King’s Dominion Ministries and pastor of New Breath of Life Ministries respectively. Later he would serve as deacon and lay pastor at New Life Church before returning as the current Interim Pastor at First Baptist Church.
He was employed over 21 years in housing with Rotary Gardens Apartments, the Housing Development Corporation, and the West Virginia Housing Authority.
He is founder and pastor of Salt of the World Ministries, Inc. and founder and director of the Shepherd’s House.
A Recovery Program (SHARP) on September 17, 2008.
Established, the Shepherd’s Houses, sober living homes for men, women, and families in recovery from the effects of substance use disorders.
The Shepherd’s House Program of Recovery and Transformation, a Christ based recovery program
that implements a holistic approach to recovery. This approach includes
bible study, church, Celebrate Recovery, Life’s Healing Choices, employment, and therapy to bring healing in all areas of the individuals life.
SOTW Ministries has organized annual fundraising events:
- The Gospel Fest is an annual event that brings ministry gifts and talents together to praise and worship God through song, dance, rap, poetry, mime, and drama. We celebrate individuals time in recovery with chips and coins.
- SHARP 5K Run for Recovery is a 5K walk run fundraiser co-hosted with a community
- Celebration of Recovery is a gathering to celebrate individual stories of overcoming addiction through personal relationship with God. Ministry gifts and talents come together to praise and worship God through song, dance, rap, poetry, mime, and drama.
- SHARP Lawn care and repairs was established on April 1, 2019. A Nonprofit Social Enterprise that gives individuals an employment opportunity to have income to meet their financial obligations for their families.
- New Year’s It’s a Rap Concert is a rap concert to bring in the new year in a safe environment without drugs and alcohol.
- Recovered Solutions Job Program, Program Coordinator (February 1, 2019-February 28, 2020) Developed all aspects of a job training program that provided training and support services for men and women affected by the opioid epidemic. Developing community support and partnerships for this training program to teach a trade to men and women in recovery while rehabilitating houses in the Fairfield West Community for affordable safe housing.
- “Dry Bones Come Alive” Sunday Night Worship Service was established on March 7, 2021. This is an evening worship service that encourages deeper relationship with God through praise and worship and the Word of God.
- Reconnection LLC one of 4 founding partners of a local outpatient behavioral health facility, licensed on December 2, 2021, to provide mental health and substance use disorder counseling and support services for individuals 18-62 years of age.