Senior Pastor Jeff Meyers of First Baptist Church Opelika died Thursday night; his unexpected passing has left the congregation and the wider Opelika community grieving a devoted pastor and friend.
Pastor Meyers served First Baptist Church Opelika with steady leadership and a pastoral heart that staff and deacons said shaped every aspect of his ministry. He led the congregation since 2016, bringing decades of preaching and pastoral care to the church family, and his death was described by church leaders as sudden and deeply sorrowful.
Church communications noted his consistent emphasis on compassion, humility, and faithful service, qualities parishioners say were evident in every sermon and pastoral visitThe Alabama Baptist.
Friends and colleagues remember Meyers for more than his pulpit presence. He was praised for an “unwavering devotion, compassion, and humility” that guided how he counseled families, supported staff, and engaged the wider Opelika community. Longtime members recall his willingness to sit with people in hard seasons, to pray without hurry, and to model a pastoral care that made the church feel like a home.
Local reporting and denominational outlets noted that the cause of death is being described as a medical condition and that the church is asking for privacy as the family and staff process the loss. Meyers was 52 years old, and his sudden passing has prompted immediate pastoral transitions at the church as leaders work to care for the congregation and support the family through grief.
Plans for memorial services and ways to honor Pastor Meyers will be shared by First Baptist Church Opelika when details are finalized. In the meantime the congregation and community are encouraged to hold the family in prayer, to support one another, and to celebrate the legacy of a pastor who invested his life in people.
Jeff Meyers leaves behind a ministry defined by faithful preaching, compassionate leadership, and a deep love for his church; his influence will be felt in the lives he shepherded and the community he helped shape.