From the boy to the man,
From the man to the husband,
From the husband to the preacher,
From the preacher to the father —
God kept His hand on Pastor Claude H. Glover all the way through.
He started as a boy, barefoot laughter, sunlight in his smile, running fast through childhood miles. A dreamer with pockets full of imagination, a heart leaning toward revelation.
Psalm 139:13 whispers, “He formed us in the secret place,” and even in those early days, you could see grace on his face.
Storms came, but storms could not steal destiny — they only taught faith, bravery, and dependency.
From the boy to the man…
God kept His hand on Pastor Claude H. Glover all the way through.
The boy became a man — not swiftly, not softly, but with trials and tests. He learned responsibility before applause, learned courage without a crowd, learned that real strength is humble, steady, reliable, unshaken by the loud.
Proverbs 24:16 says, “A righteous man falls seven times and rises again,” and rise… he did. Every setback taught him something new, every valley reminded him God still knew.
He worked, he prayed, he showed up, and he stayed.
From the boy to the man…
God kept His hand on Pastor Claude H. Glover all the way through.
Then the man became a husband — God’s timing, God’s covenant, God’s plan. He stood beside Elnora, not by chance, but by calling; not in perfection, but in partnership. Their marriage became ministry, their journey became testimony.
Ephesians 5:25 tells husbands, “Love as Christ loved the church,” and he loved with devotion, intention, and prayer. He held her heart like treasure, carried her storms without measure, and built a home where God felt welcome.
From the boy to the man,
To the husband with covenant true —
God kept His hand on Pastor Claude H. Glover all the way through.
Then the husband became a preacher — not because the crowd chose him, but because Heaven called him.
He preached hope like medicine, love like oxygen, grace like inheritance. His voice lifted walls, dried tears, restored faith — not through performance, but through compassion and lived testimony.
He served through pulpits and pews at Baldrock, Woodward, Springfield, Macedonia, Shady Grove, and others, where saints were strengthened, families were encouraged, and souls found direction.
He wasn’t just a preacher — he was a shepherd, a counselor, a confidant, a man who preached not just on Sundays, but in living rooms, kitchens, hospital hallways, and quiet nights when prayer became breath.
From the boy to the man,
From the husband to the preacher —
God kept His hand on Pastor Claude H. Glover all the way through.
Then the preacher became a father — a provider, a protector, a foundation of wisdom.
He raised Debra, Anthony, Regina, and Marcus, and has been a steady covering of love for Stan and Annette — teaching each of them how to stand tall, how to walk in truth, how to honor God with purpose.
He didn’t just talk faith — he lived it in everyday ways:
- Sitting at the hospital with Debra, never rushing, never wavering, just being present when presence was healing.
- Praying for Regina, lifting her burdens before God when her strength felt thin, believing what James 5:16 promises: “The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.”
- Helping his sons — Anthony, Marcus and Stan — with engines, tires, tools, not just because things needed fixing, but because relationships needed building. Those garage lessons were love in motion, fatherhood in action, legacy being tightened like bolts and screws.
His home became classroom and sanctuary. His words became compass and anchor. His fatherhood became blueprint for generations.
From the boy to the man,
To the husband, the preacher, the father —
God kept His hand on Pastor Claude H. Glover all the way through.
So today, we honor not just the titles he held — but the journey God wrote:
The child who dreamed, the man who stood firm, the husband who loved deeply, the preacher who uplifted whole communities, the father who left legacy in every name he raised.
Perfect? No. Faithful? Yes. And faithfulness is Heaven’s definition of greatness.
When generations speak his story, they will say: “We are who we are because he lived well.”
And when Heaven opens its book, Matthew 25:21 will echo: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
From the boy to the man,
From the husband to the preacher,
From the preacher to the father —
All the way through…
God kept His hand on Pastor Claude H. Glover all the way through.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You today for life, strength, and purpose. Thank You for this man and for every chapter You continue to write.
Thank You for the wisdom he carries, the legacy he has given his children — Debra, Anthony, Regina, Marcus, Stan, and Annette — and the memories of love shared with Elnora, which continue to bring comfort, unity, and peace.
As he celebrates another year, renew his strength, refresh his spirit, and surround him with favor, joy, laughter, and health. Let every promise You spoke over his life continue to unfold, and let his days be filled with purpose and grace.
Bless this celebration, bless this family, and bless the legacy that continues forward.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Kind Words & Living Witness
This space is dedicated to the voices of family, friends, church members, and loved ones whose lives have been touched by Pastor Glover’s ministry. These words are a living testimony of God’s goodness.
It is my pleasure to stand before you to honor the man we celebrate today, Pastor CH Glover! I met Pastor Glover as a young woman fresh out of college, returning home to my roots where I grew up…
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I grew up in Springfield Baptist Church with my grandmother Ida Benton, my mother Ruth Bryant, aunt Rosa Lee Dardy and some of the Springfield greats, Lillian Adkins, Ada Heard, Mary Giles, Johnnie Lee Cooksey, Jesse Nolley and many, many more. They introduced me to God at an early age. I attended church, Sunday School, Bible Study – went to revivals, missions, conventions and much more. And through all of this, I learned God in the way that these great icons taught me. It was a Great and Amazing foundation.
When I met Pastor Glover, I had not yet got to know God for myself. To really know, know the word and have a personal relationship with Christ. I had a great foundation, I was given just what I needed and I had a village that prayed for me, believed in me, sacrificed for me. But when Pastor Glover became Pastor of SBC I did not have that personal know God for myself experience.
He came in to the church with a fresh wind that the church so badly needed. I was awed by him. He was so passionate about the church and the church members. He didn’t just come once a month on 4th Sundays like previous pastors. (You know back in the day we only met once a month and for us it was 4th Sunday), He showed up for Sunday School every Sunday and Bible Study every Wednesday. He wanted more for the church and the church members. He wanted us to know more about the Lord and how to make the word an everyday way of life. We went from having service only once a month, to two times a month, to finally every Sunday. Not only did he want our spiritual lives to be better, he wanted our physical surroundings to better too. We got running water and indoor plumbing and new pews and carpeting and after he had led us to doing all that could be done for that building, he built us a new church.
As a young Christian, I was amused and amazed by this man. He had such a zeal and passion for the things of God and God’s people. It made me want to know God better, I wanted to be on fire for the things of God like I saw in Pastor Glover. So thus began my quest to know the Lord personally. I read the bible from Genesis to Revelations with this new zeal. I had read the bible many times, but this time under the leadership and teaching of Pastor Glover, it was different, it was Rhema, it was a Right Now Word. It shaped who I became. I felt God’s presence, I heard his voice - things I had never experienced before and it was so Great. I started as a young, single Christian, but as I went through marriage and motherhood and ministry, I felt so blessed to be lead and guided by this man into a newfound relationship with Christ.
Now Pastor Glover sang many songs as he is a very talented singer, but there was one song that he always sang that set the church on fire, but not only did it set the church on fire, it gave strength to carry on at all times including the hard times. Now I see that this song is the also the title of his newly released book. When I sat down to write this tribute, I had no idea that this was the name of his book. I only had my memories of how powerful and anointed this song was every time he sang it and how the whole church was ignited upon hearing him sing this song. Because He Lives - It is wonderful to know that this song will go down in history as part of his legacy through this book title. Many people have sang this song, but there is something about his version that takes you to a much higher level.
If we just look at the lyrics “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow, because he lives ALL FEAR is gone because I know He holds the future, Life is worth the living just because he lives. That is such a powerful message. No matter the challenge, no matter the hardships or the fears, we can continue – because he lives. Rev Glover, you made that song, real for so many people. I want to thank you for that!
Now Pastor Glover also preached many great sermons with many great life changing messages, but there was this one sermon that he always preached titled ‘Come See A Man’. In that sermon, he talked about Jesus, the man who could do so many Great Things - Heal the sick, raise the dead, walk on water, feed the hungry, save your soul. It was a great message and it just made you appreciate Jesus and who he is to us even more. It made you trust in Him more and turn to him for direction and guidance even more.
So as I started to sit down and write about Pastor Glover, that message came to mind. “Come See A Man”. Now, I am in no way comparing him to Jesus, but in the earthly realm, Pastor Glover is someone who has done Amazing things. So when I talk about him, I want to say “Come see a man” Who can preach the word and change lives; Come see a man who can sing and make the whole church happy; Come see a man who decided he wanted to learn to play the piano later in life and he did just that; Come see a man who taught himself to play the guitar; Come see a man who can fix your car if it breaks down; come see a man who can pull out the sewing machine and make himself a suit; Come see a man who could physically build a room onto your house if you need it; Come see a man who built churches from the ground up; Come see a man who at 88 is still preaching the word and singing souls happy; Come see a man who is not slowing down, but continuing his commitment to his calling; Come see a man has now written a book outlining his legacy “Because He Lives”. Come see a man who has allowed himself to be lead and used by God to do Amazing things.
So I honor you today Pastor Glover and I thank you for the part you played in my life. I want to thank you for shaping this little lost girl into a Woman of God. Because you lived I am a better person. Not only me, but your family and friends and the whole community around you is better because you lived. Happy Birthday. I wish you many blessings.
My father has always been a steady place of strength — fixing cars, hanging pictures, praying for my healing, and helping with anything our family needed.
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My father has always been a steady place of strength in my life. Whether it was helping with maintenance around the house, fixing cars, hanging pictures, or taking care of the small things that felt big to me — he was there. When we needed prayer, healing, or guidance, he stood in the gap for us with unwavering faith. Whatever we needed, he showed up with love, wisdom, and patience.
I thank God for blessing me with a father whose presence, prayers, and hands-on support have carried me through every season of my life. Because He lives, your legacy lives on in us.