As of August 2017 Pastor Long has been called to serve in the national office of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as the president of the Disciples Home Missions. We will greatly miss Sotello but we eagerly await to see what God will do with this next stage in his life!

Pastor Sotello V. Long

Sotello V. Long is an ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. He was called to serve as the Regional Pastor in Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in South Carolina on March 15, 2003 and began work on May 1st of that same year. He accepted the call to serve the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - Aiken on March 1, 2014, while continuing on as the regional pastor.

This was a historically significant moment in the life of our Congregation when we unanimously chose the person we felt best to lead the flock - our Regional Pastor (i.e., Bishop in other denominations).

Pastor Long states: “We are on a positive trajectory aimed at improving lives with ministry grounded in the love of God! I thank God and the First Christian Church family for such a particular privilege to serve the Aiken community. I also thank all who joined in affirming this call to servant leadership.”

Pastor Long brings prior ministry experience from serving the General Church in evangelism where he coordinated and participated in evangelistic outreach ministries across the country. He also brings experience as a family life minister, coordinating youth and young adult ministries as well as promoting intergenerational ministry. In addition to his ministerial experience, Pastor Long has a background in athletics, education and vocal music. He is a former Atlantic Coast Conference basketball guard at North Carolina State University, a junior high teacher at Kinston Jr High in North Carolina and a collegiate choir member at North Carolina State University. Pastor Long is married to the lovely and gifted Elsie Dee Long who has her own career and is called to ministry of her own.

Pastor Long has an extensive resume of ministry experience which is enumerated below:

2003-2017 - Regional Pastor and Minister of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in South Carolina
1995-2003 - Minister of Evangelism in Disciples Home Missions, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
1990-1995 - Pastor Families, Young Adults & Youth & Director of Family Life Center for Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
July 29, 1990 - Ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of North Carolina
1989-1990 - Student Associate Minister/Interim Minister of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
1988-1989 - Student Minister/Summer Intern of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

His educational summary is as follows:
Currently Enrolled in Doctor of Ministry, Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, KY
2014 - Master of Divinity (M. Div.) Lexington Theological Seminary,
1990 - Master of Divinity (M. Div.), Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, KY
1982 - Master of Education (M. Ed.), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
1982 - Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. in Ed.), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
1975 - Graduate: Kinston High School, Kinston, NC

Pastor Long is the son of Carl and Ella Long and the elder brother of Cynthia Long & Teresa Whitfield, all of Kinston, NC. Teresa has passed over to glory. He has been pastored by Pastor William K. Raynor, First Missionary Baptist Church, Kinston, NC; Pastor Colonel Sutton, Grove Park Christian Church, Kinston, NC; Pastor Shelton Murphy, United Student Fellowship, North Carolina State University; Pastor Alvin Jackson, Mississippi Blvd Christian Church, Memphis, TN and Bishop Tom Benjamin, Jr. of Light of the World Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Indianapolis, IN.

A personal quote: "I have the heart of an encourager and a passion for sharing the gospel! I have been given a voice for Christ and the opportunity to serve as a partner in preparing people to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, witnessing and serving from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth and from the ends of the earth to our doorsteps. Let’s grow up in Christ by the word and the Spirit of God. Let’s meet the challenges ahead with God’s grace. Let’s walk in love and in obedience to God’s voice for ‘the just shall live by faith!’"