CLINE WILSON BORDERS

Cline Borders was born on the family farm near Shelby, North Carolina in 1926. As a boy, he swam and fished in creeks, snitched watermelons, built campfires to cook fish and sweet potatoes, “rode” trees, and rolled wheel rims with the tenant farmers’ children.

Borders was drafted and saw action in Germany after the Battle of the Bulge as a member of the 79th Division, US Army. He retells harrowing accounts of crossing the Rhine River in an assault boat and taking a covered bridge in Kettwig, Germany. After VE Day, he was promoted to staff sergeant and commanded the American guards at a German political prison camp.

Borders was married, farmed and was vice-president of a cotton gin after his military service. He was called to preach after his second child was born and attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary while pastoring a small church. Rev. Borders eventually pastored two other churches in the Carolinas. He served in the Seminary Extension Department of the Southern Baptist Convention as the representative for the eastern seaboard.

His last and longest ministry was as director of missions of the Kings Mountain Baptist Association, now known as the Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association.