Most of the time, Dennis Laughlin can be found preaching from the pulpit as the senior pastor at Starkville Church of God. But occasionally, he sits behind the microphone from various athletic facilities at Mississippi State and throughout the Starkville community as a fill-in public address announcer.
“When I started doing it at the middle school and high school (games), it was just an easy way to help out at the schools my kids were going to,” Laughlin said. “When I saw the advertisement for (MSU), I was like, ‘Well, I’ve done at middle school and high school levels, I’ll give it a shot.’ I’m close here and everything, and it’s easy for me to fill in.”
Laughlin grew up in Houston, Mississippi, and although his parents were not very into sports, Laughlin became a Bulldogs fan from a young age thanks to his maternal grandfather. Houston High School also wears maroon and white and many of its graduates attend MSU, whether directly out of high school or by way of Itawamba Community College.
By the age of 16, Laughlin knew he wanted to become a preacher, and he later received his pastoral ministry degree from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.
“I was raised in church and just felt drawn to that,” Laughlin said. “My family, we went to church every time the doors were open. I don’t have anybody in my family who’s in full-time ministry, but they were faithful to church. I was involved in everything and just eventually felt like preaching was my call.”
After he earned his degree, Laughlin’s work took him around the United States, first to Maryville, Tennessee, for two years and then to Alton, Illinois — part of the St. Louis metropolitan area — for five more. He then returned to his home state and spent eight years at a church in Lucedale, and it was there where he first became involved as a public address announcer, starting with middle school football and high school baseball.
“(The middle school football coach) just kind of threw me up there, so I had to learn, had to run music, do a little bit of all of it there,” Laughlin said. “The baseball coach, he’s also a pastor, so we were friends, and he asked me to start doing varsity baseball.”
Laughlin and his family spent two more years in Southern Illinois before taking on his current role in Starkville in February 2021. His 18-year-old daughter, Jaiden, graduated last year from Starkville Academy, where his younger daughter, 13-year-old Molly Kate, currently attends.
Laughlin has served as a PA announcer for Starkville Academy softball and baseball, as well as peewee and junior varsity football.
Last summer, MSU put out an advertisement on Facebook looking for new PA announcers, and Laughlin, who had plenty of experience by that point, jumped at the chance, sending in a short video clip he’d recorded on his computer. He has since filled in as the voice of a number of athletic venues on campus.
Laughlin started with a few volleyball games in the fall and has also announced softball, baseball and men’s and women’s tennis.
“Especially when you do a whole season, you’re able to help create a good environment for the players and help get the crowd into it,” Laughlin said. “As a pastor, it gives you more connections. You meet people and form relationships. If they hear my voice at the ball games and like it, then maybe they’ll come to church and enjoy hearing it there too.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
