Hoge Hockensmith
Charles Hoge Hockensmith is a native son of Irvine and Estill County. His great grandfather Jacob Hockensmith settled on Crooked Creek in what was the Estill County in 1790. Hoge was born in 1925 to Charles Hoge Hockensmith and Nell Louise Roberts Hockensmith. He attended the local schools and graduated form Irvine High. He then attended the University of Kentucky, majoring in Political Science and Law. He is World War II Veteran having served in the United States Navy.
Hoge married the former Nora Lee Johnson of Hazard. They have three children, Charles, Janette and Sarah, all of which are University of Kentucky graduates. They have six grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Hoge led many Southern Baptist churches as Pastor. He served churches in Hazard, Paintsville and Lexington in Kentucky. In addition, pioneering for Southern Baptists in the North, he acted as Pastor for Ohio churches for nineteen years. He started the Tri-Village Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio. He ended his career as a regular Pastor in 1973 at Broadway Baptist Church in Lexington.
Brother Hockensmith was also active in his denomination’s Southern Baptist Convention in various capacities. While in Ohio, he served as President of the State Convention of Baptists. In a broader role, Rev. Hockensmith was on the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. It was in this capacity, a very meaningful one to him, that he helped draft “The Baptist Faith and Message”, which are the Articles of Faith for all Southern Baptist Churches, schools and institutions.
One of his areas of service about which Rev. Hockensmith has warmest feelings is his role with the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board. He was a Crusade Evangelist for many years, leading crusades in Brazil, Africa, the Philippines, the Caribbean, Venezuela, Panama and Costa Rica. In addition to this world wide evangelizing, Rev. Hockensmith also led tours in Europe and the Middle East, visiting over fifty countries in his years of traveling with and for the Lord.
Hoge Hockensmith has been active in community and civic affairs as well. In particular, he has had leadership positions with the Republican Party. In 1991, he ran unsuccessfully for Kentucky Secretary of State on the ticket with the gubernatorial candidate Larry Forgy.
Having retired, Rev. Hockensmith did not abandon the pulpit or waiting congregations. Since retiring form fulltime ministry in1973, he served twelve churches as an Interim Pastor. His years of influence as a Pastor and evangelist continue even now continue to go far beyond the walls of churches. Many people have been influenced by his leadership and witness. Hoge himself estimates that at least seventy members of his congregations have gone into full-time Christian service during his ministry.
Though Hoge Hockensmith has served many congregations and has experienced many other communities and cultures, for him Estill County played that critical formative role. He states that, I’ve been all over the world but there’s no place that is more dear to me than Estill County. I had wonderful teachers and Sunday school teachers. The community has always been supportive and encouraging of its young people.”
One of the telling signs of Hoge Hockensmith is revealed when he concludes as a reflection on his own life by thinking of the success and influence of others, particularly the young. Estill Countains would insist on including young Hoge when he comments that “so many young people form Estill County have become extremely successful in a multitude of professions and careers and this is a wonderful place to begin!”
Hoge married the former Nora Lee Johnson of Hazard. They have three children, Charles, Janette and Sarah, all of which are University of Kentucky graduates. They have six grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Hoge led many Southern Baptist churches as Pastor. He served churches in Hazard, Paintsville and Lexington in Kentucky. In addition, pioneering for Southern Baptists in the North, he acted as Pastor for Ohio churches for nineteen years. He started the Tri-Village Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio. He ended his career as a regular Pastor in 1973 at Broadway Baptist Church in Lexington.
Brother Hockensmith was also active in his denomination’s Southern Baptist Convention in various capacities. While in Ohio, he served as President of the State Convention of Baptists. In a broader role, Rev. Hockensmith was on the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. It was in this capacity, a very meaningful one to him, that he helped draft “The Baptist Faith and Message”, which are the Articles of Faith for all Southern Baptist Churches, schools and institutions.
One of his areas of service about which Rev. Hockensmith has warmest feelings is his role with the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board. He was a Crusade Evangelist for many years, leading crusades in Brazil, Africa, the Philippines, the Caribbean, Venezuela, Panama and Costa Rica. In addition to this world wide evangelizing, Rev. Hockensmith also led tours in Europe and the Middle East, visiting over fifty countries in his years of traveling with and for the Lord.
Hoge Hockensmith has been active in community and civic affairs as well. In particular, he has had leadership positions with the Republican Party. In 1991, he ran unsuccessfully for Kentucky Secretary of State on the ticket with the gubernatorial candidate Larry Forgy.
Having retired, Rev. Hockensmith did not abandon the pulpit or waiting congregations. Since retiring form fulltime ministry in1973, he served twelve churches as an Interim Pastor. His years of influence as a Pastor and evangelist continue even now continue to go far beyond the walls of churches. Many people have been influenced by his leadership and witness. Hoge himself estimates that at least seventy members of his congregations have gone into full-time Christian service during his ministry.
Though Hoge Hockensmith has served many congregations and has experienced many other communities and cultures, for him Estill County played that critical formative role. He states that, I’ve been all over the world but there’s no place that is more dear to me than Estill County. I had wonderful teachers and Sunday school teachers. The community has always been supportive and encouraging of its young people.”
One of the telling signs of Hoge Hockensmith is revealed when he concludes as a reflection on his own life by thinking of the success and influence of others, particularly the young. Estill Countains would insist on including young Hoge when he comments that “so many young people form Estill County have become extremely successful in a multitude of professions and careers and this is a wonderful place to begin!”