Pastor Retiring, But Really Just Slowing Down Rev. Ashley Day Will Still Help, Do Radio Show

His ministry has taken him from Devon, England, to Coeur d’Alene and his voice is heard the world over.

But after 42 years, the Rev. Ashley Day is retiring, sort of.

He gave his final sermon in 18 years of sermons at the Coeur d’Alene Bible Church last Sunday, his 70th birthday. But he’ll still have an office in the church to help out. And he’ll still have a weekly radio show that’s broadcast in Coeur d’Alene on K103, in Spokane, in 12 other stations across the United States, in England and in all of the English-speaking nations of Africa.

And, as his son says, his work is hardly over.

“Ministry is not a career, it’s a life calling,” said the Rev. Andy Day. “It’s not something you retire from. He’ll do this to the day he dies.”

Ashley Day, who was born in England, heard his calling in the form of the Rev. Billy Graham’s voice.

He’d been working as the administrator for a language center in England when the famous preacher came to town. After listening to Graham, he quit his job, and traveled from town to town in places where there was a dearth of clergymen, preaching and then moving on.

Later, he served in the United States, from Kansas City to Oregon, then back in England for a few years and finally, at the Coeur d’Alene Bible Church.

“He’s been a real encouragement to the other pastors on staff here,” said Andy Day, who also is a pastor at the Coeur d’Alene Bible Church. “He brings a real sweetness to the ministry.”

By that, he means his father has a real love of people, he said.

“It’s hard to sit here and say what he’s done because it’s so much,” Andy Day said. “His main focus in ministry is preaching the Word of God and not glazing it over and skipping passages that people don’t really like.”

That’s how the radio show works, too, Ashley Day said. The show, called “The Bible Says,” studies the Bible verse by verse.

“It’s more of a Bible study than preaching, really,” he said. “Rather than preach what I think, I teach them what the Bible says.”

Retirement is “just beginning to sink in,” Day said. “It’s a bittersweet situation, now. I enjoy the ministry, but I feel it’s time for a younger man to take over.”

Cut in the Spokane edition

This sidebar appeared with the story: RETIREMENT SERVICE The Coeur d’Alene Bible Church will honor the Rev. Ashley Day’s retirement at a special service on Jan. 10 at 2:30 p.m. in Boswell Hall at North Idaho College. A reception at the church at 5350 N. Fourth St. will follow from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information or to obtain tickets, call the church at (208) 664-4883.