The Rev. Greg Barmer has preached from the pulpit at Washington’s First Baptist Church numerous times over the years, but never as the church’s senior pastor. That will happen Sunday.

Barmer, the church’s former minister of music, was named senior pastor in late 2017. He replaces the Rev. Dr. Jimmy Moore, who died July 18, 2016.

Barmer will deliver two sermons Sunday, at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. An installation and commissioning service is scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by a reception. Also at that reception, the Rev. Robbie Parker, the church’s interim pastor for a little more than a year, will be recognized for his service to the church.

In his acceptance remarks, Barmer told the congregation is considers Jesus Christ as the church’s senior pastor and himself as an “under shepherd” of the church.

Since the first of the year, Barmer has been on sabbatical, in part to prepare himself for the transition from music minister to senior pastor. Barmer came to the church in May 1995. He is a graduate of East Carolina University, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Institute of Worship Studies

“Through this process, when the committee began to first start talking with me, I sensed a call. It caused me to process a lot of things and look back over the past. I can really trace back to about five years ago when God began to re-adjust my heart, my desires, my interests and my passions,” Barmer said. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but I feel like I really can trace back for five years and see His hand in adjusting my desires, my passions and my calling. I don’t think God’s calling ever stops, but it certainly evolves, changes through the years and through the experiences He gives us.”

When the church’s pastor search committee began its quest to find a new senior pastor, it did not know to whom it would lead them. After several months of seeking the person who would be the best candidate, the committee began considering Barmer. After several discussions with Barmer and conducting a formal interview with him, the committee decided he was the man ordained by God to be the church’s next senior pastor.

“The committee’s desire to talk with me and their statement in one of our meetings: ‘We believe God is calling you to be a pastor. We have to decide if it’s at First Baptist or not.

That was really a stake in the ground for me — an Ebenezer in biblical terms. To stop and to evaluate what is God asking me to do,” Barmer said. “It’s just been an incredible journey with God showing me, confirming for me His hand and leadership along the way. I’ve begged for God to teach me some lessons … The rest of that equation is obedience. If I hear the voice of God and don’t obey, then I’m living in blatant sin.”

Barmer acknowledges giving up his music ministry after so many years will be difficult. “I think that will be a challenge; I do. I’m passionate about music. I’m passionate about worship. That’s where I’ve lived my life, done my job for all these years, while at the same time functioning as a pastor, I think, a pastor of sorts, an associated pastor. That’s been my function,” he said.

Barmer began his ministry at FBC in May 1995.

As for his sermon Sunday, Barmer said, “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do to challenge us all to rethink God’s potential for miracle power in our lives. It’s a line from a hymn — there goes my music background.”