Worship & Senior Adult Pastor- Charles Keown

Charles Keown is in his 42nd year at Lakewood Baptist where he has served as Minister of Music and Youth, Music Minister and presently as Worship & Senior Adult Pastor. He was raised a preacher’s kid whose dad, Dr. Wallace Keown, pastored several churches in Alabama for over 40 years. His dad passed in 1994. His mother lives in Dothan and at the age of 97 still attends Pathway Baptist Church. His older brother Tommy retired in Atlanta, GA after serving Lifeway in Nashville . His sister, Sherrill Holloman, has served as a missionary in Korea and Senegal, Africa.

At the age of nine his dad led Charles to Christ and in seventh grade he felt the call of God to the Gospel ministry. He was licensed by Northside Baptist Church in 1975 where, as a junior in high school, Charles served as Interim Music Director for 3 months. Afterward he served as Minister of Music at Pleasant Hill Baptist in the Selma, AL.

Upon graduating from Selma High School, Charles enrolled at Mobile College where he majored in religion and minored in Music. During college Charles served Franklin Creek Baptist Church in MS as Minister of Music and Youth. Between college and seminary he served as full-time Music Interim at First Baptist Church of Headland, AL. Charles then entered Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY where he received his Masters Degree in Church Music. While in seminary he worked as a painter for the school and served River View Baptist Church in Mt. Washington, KY as Minister of Music and Youth. Upon graduation from Seminary in 1982 Charles was called to serve Lakewood.

On New Year’s Day 1987, he married Linda Scarborough, a graduate of Baptist Bible Institute, now The Baptist College of FL, and a Minister of Music herself. They’ve been married 37 years and have four children. Joy Lin is a professional cellist in Baton Rouge, LA and is married to Grant Bedillion, a professional violist. Jon Mark graduated from Columbia International University, has played guitar and viola and works at WildLeap in LaGrange, GA.  He married Kasey Barrow who has a Masters Degree in Speech Language Pathology. They have 2 daughters, Ava Wren and Eden Janie. Jes David is a graduate of Columbus State University and has played violin. He now serves in the United States Coast Guard. He wed Elizabeth Hamilton and they have 3 daughters, Raelynn Ann, Willa Kate, (born Feb 13 which is Charles’ and Jes’ birthday also), and Lucy Mae. J.D. graduated from Calvary Christian and served a year in United States Coast Guard. He has played piano, guitar and bagpipes. Charles plays trombone with Lakewood’s Orchestra.

God is good!