Brian Self

Accomplished Pastor bringing more than 20 years of expertise in cultivating and shepherding community. Successful providing discipleship, welcoming new members, facilitating pastoral care and preaching to community. Accomplished in contributing to spiritual formation and disciple-making efforts. Excited to bring talent and spiritual leadership to growing church.

• Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Cordova, South Carolina, 2008-01-01, present, 2024-2025, Leading Master Life discipleship class. Leading Best News Ever evangelism training from NAMB., 2023, Began the 'One Mile Mission', a focus on the one mile radius around the Church to which we could minister and serve., 2019, Lead a building initiative through a 'New Visions Committee' to add educational rooms, fellowship hall and kitchen, and new office space., 2016, Concluded with a 52 day fast donating the money from the meal fasted to the New Visions Fund.
• Bi-Vocational Pastor, Open Bible Baptist, 2005-11-01, 2007-07-01, Increased membership from 12 to 50; most additions as new believers., Led extensive building project renovating a grocery store into a sanctuary, educational rooms, and fellowship area.

• Chairman of Annual Planning Committee, 16
• South Carolina Baptist Convention, Represented OCBA on Nominations Committee, 2011-2013, Credentials Committee, 2010

• Oceana, West Virginia, Summer and Winter trips (on-going)
• Guntersville, Alabama, 2012
• New Jersey, Hurricane Sandy Relief, 2013
• Jamaica, 2012-2018
• Eastern NC, Hurricane Relief in Atlantic, NC
• West Virginia, Flood Relief sending money
• South Carolina, Flood Relief sending supplies
• Cayce, SC, Special Olympics Truckers’ Convoy Western NC Hurricane and Flood Relief, 2024

• Child Name: Dustin
• Child Name: Joshua
• Title: Pastor
• Date of Birth: March 12, 1974
• Marital Status: Married

I was born March 12, 1974, to David Self and Belinda Alexander. My parents divorced when I was three years old and both remarried and had children. Living with my dad, he made sure our home was a godly and caring environment where Jesus was welcome and conversations about Scripture were the norm. We were deeply involved in our church with my dad serving multiple times as a Deacon and my stepmother serving as a Sunday school teacher for the children.

At the age of 8 I made my profession of faith in Christ as my Lord and Savior. I took that very seriously and began diving into the Bible wanting to learn all I could. I was part of the Church’s Bible drill team and won multiple awards in those competitions. I continued to move into the youth ministry and was very involved in all our activities. Even as a youth I began to sense God calling me to ministry of some kind, but I never pursued that in prayer and never spoke of it to my parents.

Moving forward to 1995, I married Michelle. After a few years together, we began serving as teachers in the youth department and working in the nursery getting our feet wet in ministry. At the time I was working at Lexington Component Inc. advancing from a press operator to Lead Supervisor over a 13-year period and was blessed with two sons, Dustin (1999) and Joshua (2003). Eventually we moved our membership to another church and; after a short period, began serving in multiple areas. I became a teacher and was elected as a Deacon and Missions Director. Michelle was hired as the Church’s Treasurer. All of this was God’s way of giving us opportunities and experience we would need for the future.

During this time, I had begun to feel some discontent with my life. I knew there was more God desired of me but had no idea where He was leading. I began searching in prayer and Bible reading wanting to know more of God’s word so I could learn His will for our lives. Once again, I began to sense God’s call to ministry as a Pastor. This was not what I was wanting to hear because I felt there was no way I could possibly do this. My shy and reserved personality never wanted to be in the spotlight. But Michelle and I continued to pray about this together and after coming to agree that this indeed was God’s will for us, we began moving in that direction. I shared this with my Pastor, and he began allowing me opportunities to preach.

I began looking for opportunities to further my education. While continuing to work at

Lexington Components Inc., I was able to attend Master’s Divinity School and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry. Also at this time, God opened an opportunity for me to serve as a Bi-vocational Pastor at Open Bible Baptist Church in Clover, SC. Needless to say we had our plates full. But God was doing amazing things in our home, our jobs, and in the church we served. It was an incredible time for us experiencing God’s love for us in wonderful ways.

We still lean on those times now.

After a few years of serving this church, God opened another opportunity for me to leave Lexington Components and serve Ebenezer Baptist in Cordova, SC. We made the move and began serving in January 2008. While at Ebenezer, God provided another opportunity to further my education at Trinity Theological Seminary. In May 2014 I received a Master of Arts degree in Theology with High Distinction.

In January 2025 I celebrated 17 years of service with Ebenezer Baptist. In these years God has done so much to grow my faith and grow my family closer together with Christ and each other. God has allowed my family to serve in various areas of the Church and has given my wife and boys a wonderful heart for serving others. We continue to see God’s hand of grace, mercy, and power at work in our lives and in His Church. My oldest son, Dustin (25) recently married and moved to Asheville, NC where he serves as the Worship Pastor at Brookstone Church’s Burnsville campus. My youngest, Joshua (22) recently graduated Clemson University and is also pursuing his call to ministry in Music and Worship. Michelle and I are excited to see how God will use them in His future. We are also excited for the new opportunities God will open for us to continue to grow and serve together in His kingdom.