Houston’s sports fans have been afforded a rare treat this year. Not only did our city host one of the livest Super Bowl’s in recent memory, we also have the privilege of being the host city for this year’s Major League Baseball All-Star game. A lot of young folks don’t get into the boys of summer, but I do. Baseball is a sport that I have always loved. A lot of ‘jocks’ decry baseball as the ‘softest’ of the big 3 (football and basketball) because it’s what they consider a non-contact sport. For those folks out there who continue to question the ‘manliness’ of baseball, I’d love to see you turn a 4-6-3 double play with a 200 lb right fielder barreling at you full throttle, cleats up..or better yet, grab a bat and step up to the plate and take a few swings at a 90 mph fastball coming down the pipe from a 6-4 lanky dude who’s damn near halfway to the plate when he releases the ball. Ya feel me?
So here we are enjoying the baseball all-star game, and we get to see all the STARS in the league do what they do. It’s considered an honor to be voted in by the fans, it’s considered the utmost respect to be voted in by fellow players. I haven’t been watching much baseball this year, but I still have a deep love for the game. It’s a game that my grandfather played, a game that my father played, a game that I played and a game that I teach my son and daughter whenever they show the slightest interest.
I’m a fundamentalist, I think every player should bat AND field a position. Of course, they don’t do that in the All-star game (and the wuss American League), the pitcher doesn’t have to bat like they do in the National League. Instead the All-Star game is meant to be a display of superior talent by the best of the best, with the added intent of avoiding any injury or strain at all cost. I guess I’m a bit more locked in to the dynamics of All-Star games, since I recently attended a conference, which can only be considered as an All-Star gathering of ministers in Dallas at the E.K. Bailey Expository Preaching Conference.
Just like baseball purist to the All-Star game, the E.K. Bailey Conference attracts the best of the best evangelical talent in the country. It is a conference that church pastors attend to sharpen their pastoral skills with the elders of the craft. It is a conference that preachers attend to strengthen their sermon toolkit. It is a conference where Believers who enjoy being fed the Word by master theologians gather to eat. And this is where, we will weigh anchor from our safe harbor of secular issues such as baseball, and head off into great waters.
That’s not my phrase, I got that from Dr. Gardner C. Taylor. He is commonly referred to as not only the dean of Black American preachers, but rather the dean of American preachers. Dr. Taylor is a world known evangelist and speaker, and has served as the pastor of Concorde Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York for many years. Dr. Taylor is an Oberlin man, who studied with and help train Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Taylor preached the invocation for both of Bill Clinton’s presidential inaugurations and in 2000, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The highest honor a civilian can earn. I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Taylor preach for the first time at this conference on a Thursday night..and let me tell ya’ll, he’s a bad man. He got up to the podium and began his sermon and after he gave all the initial welcomes and acknowledgements, he gave us this joke (please excuse the fact that my written words can in no way compare to the pace, delivery and enunciation of his classical Southern Louisiana drawl combined with his astute literary presence):
An ol farmer was in his wagon going to town, and being a part of the litigious society that we live, happened to be involved in an accident with an automobile. The dispute of which ended up in a courtroom before a judge. And the judge queried the farmer,
“How can you claim to sue for personal injury, when I have the sheriff testifying that immediately after the accident, you were proclaiming that you had never felt better in your life?”
“Your honor, I can explain that” said the farmer, “When I was struck by the automobile my wagon was overturned. When the sheriff drove up, he saw my pig shaking and he pulled out his gun and shot and killed it. After he shot my pig, my mule stumbled and the sheriff shot him too. Then the sheriff turned to me and said, ‘How do YOU feel?’, so of course I replied, ‘I’ve never felt better in my life’.”
At this point of course, the whole congregation cracked up laughing, and as Dr. Taylor paused for a moment and enjoyed the laughter, his smile slowly faded and he turned his tone to a more ominous note of determination laced with purpose and declared to the still chuckling crowd, ‘For we have been in this snug harbor long enough, we must now weigh anchor and set sail to do business in great waters.’ So now you can see how I ‘jacked’ Dr. Taylor’s elegant sendoff and used it as my own. You gotta watch me with that one, I’ve got that Southside ‘jacker’ in me.
The whole conference was like a treasure trove of spiritual wisdom and resolute faith. Before Dr. Taylor spoke, was Dr. James Earl Massey another one of those famed 'Oberlin men'.
Dr. Massey broke down how every believer is a temple that is indwelt by the Spirit of God. Those of us who feel that Spirit, get REAL hyped on stuff like that. Dr. Massey broke down the original Greek and Hebrew words for temple and explaining particulars of the original Jewish temple and customs of the High Priests. For those that are into the historical and societal intricacies involved during Biblical times, Dr. Massey is like a bubbling fountain of Biblical knowledge and perspective and I so greatly enjoyed his spirit.
That same night we also heard from Dr. Robert Smith Jr. from Birmingham, Alabama. His sermon was entitled, ‘Living Beyond the Minor Cord’. His premise took root in the musical realm, more specifically the contrast between major cords, which typically illuminate hope, harmony and happiness vs. minor cords, who’s somber tone normally forebears, dread, doom and dreariness. Chopin’s funeral dirge played in the low minor cord in the background of Dr. Smith’s oration, which changes to the ‘Saints go Marching in’ major cord like most New Orleans funeral processions. Dr. Smith then proceeded to recite a long list of Bible verses, which typified this minor cord, major cord progression, such as Psalms 23:4
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death– minor cord (low and gloomy);
I will fear no evil; For thou art with me; they rod and thy staff, they comfort me. – major cord (bright and hopeful)
There was a non-stop barrage of talented men of God, stepping to the podium and delivering sermon after sermon, reinforcing each attendee in spirit and in truth. From the likes of Dick Sheppard and Dr. Stephen Ofor, to the likes of Bishop Kenneth Ulmer. Those of you who don’t know Bishop Ulmer, he’s the pastor of Faithful Central Bible Church at the Forum in Inglewood, CA. When Bishop Ulmer turn came to speak, he started with this humble statement.
“I pray that God will release me from my ego, so that I will not strive to impress you.”
He then proceeded to illuminate Exodus 28:1-3, with his title being, ‘The Danger of a Naked Preacher’. Bishop Ulmer used vivid real life metaphors to drive home his point of naked flesh vs. holy garments and by the time he was finished, everybody in the ballroom was on their feet applauding and making joyful noises unto the Lord.
The last speaker to address the convention was Dr. Joel C. Gregory pastor of Gregory Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas. A man, who Dr. Gardner Taylor declared as ‘a man who’s preaching gift has called into question his ethnic origin.’ Dr. Gregory’s sermon was entitled, ‘God’s Hacker- Overcoming a Ministerial Inferiority Complex’. He took us on a wonderful journey through Judges 6:11-21 with the inspiring story of Gideon. Even though Gideon was from the smallest clan, of the smallest and weakest tribe, God still called him to service, declaring him as a ‘mighty man of valor.’ Dr. Gregory then weaved through the real life story of General William Booth, the minister who eventually founded the Salvation Army and used his life as an example of the fruits of holding steadfast in our faith in Jesus. He ended the sermon with a simple statement for all who were in attendance, the instruction was to go out and preach the gospel of the Holy Spirit, oh ye mighty men of valor.
My intent is not to tell all of the sermons plots and scriptural illustrations, but rather to give highlights of an evangelical congregation that has few rivals throughout the world. Whenever we can put aside race issues, denomination differences, financial issues, gender issues and just focus on the Word of God, beautiful things can happen. And this E.K. Bailey conference in Dallas every year is a prime example of this fruit of love.
For this experience, I owe a deep gratitude to my wonderful ( and very crazy!)uncle, Pastor Lloyd W. Scott, Sr. (pictured in the middle), of Eastern Star Baptist Church in Port Arthur, Texas. He was me and my wife’s chaperone, mentor and ‘hook-up’ for the conference and for that we are very grateful. I would encourage all who are looking to be amongst Jesus’ ‘All-Stars’ of preaching to seriously consider attending this E.K. Bailey Conference, which takes place every July in Dallas. Unfortunately Dr. Bailey has passed away from our world, but his spirit and vision still lives on in the work and spiritual scholarship that abounds in this conference. Don’t be fooled though, this type of event isn’t for everyone, it’s only for those souls who are ready to venture out from their safe and snug harbor and set sail for great waters. Don’t be afraid to get in the game and play ball..oh ye mighty men of valor.Shout out to Rev. Delwin Benton and the entire congregation of Lyons Unity Baptist Church in Houston, TX. Ya'll keep moving from glory to glory.
