Be An Original...well, An Original Copy! (Part 1)

Prior to entering ministry, I was a very unusual child.  My parents were avid attendees on the convention scene, especially their beloved National Baptist Convention of America.  My father thought it strange (though I didn't know it at the time) that I, as early as 8 or 9 years of age, would ask him to bring me tapes of the preachers at these conventions.  He would!  At that age, I would listen to the preaching of Asa Sampson, Gardner C. Taylor, Isadore Edwards, E.K. Bailey, A. Louis Patterson, Jr., Terry Anderson, Albert Chew, Manuel Scott, Sr. and many others.  Early on, I somehow knew these guys were the best at their craft.  Early on, I became struck by the oratorical ability of many of these preachers.  Little did I know that my father apparently didn't bring me the hooping giants; but those preachers who seemed to harness within me a singular appreciation for the content of the message.  To this day, I do not know if it was intentional or not. I seem to think it was unintentional since, even now, one of my Dad's favorite preachers is A. L. Patterson, Jr.  Nonetheless, I studied these guys, wrote out their words and often memorized their styles, expressions and words. This, at some point, led do a desire to learn more.  I remember wanting to write down the words I heard from Patterson, Bailey and especially M.V. Wade...until finally, I saved up enough money to get a dictionary.  I would learn them, and study those words. One day it dawned on me that I needed a thesaurus!  

At 10 or 11, I was heavily into Martin Luther King, Jr. Admittedly, I was more in tune with his oratory and charisma than I was the understanding of his cause among the plight of my people, at that time.  His words seemed to flow and just roll, like an art form of sorts.  He heavily reminded me of Gardner Taylor, but a younger, sharper version.  At some point I learned that they were colleagues in ministry and the Civil Rights movement.  

During all of this, I was unknowingly exposed to some of the best preaching through my father's pulpit ministry.  While my father was not an oratorical or hooping heavyweight, I would discover in college that he was a homiletical genius! I later realized he is one of the best teachers when it comes to sermon structure, delivery, simple communication, pulpit decorum and pastoral preaching.  His good friend, Rev. J. R. Miller, was also a huge influence on my preaching ministry.  I'm convinced that Rev. Miller was and is not only one of the best there is in preaching; but, like Kobe Bryant, he knows his craft like it is a natural instinct.  I have always believed him to be able to stand on the same stages as all of the aforementioned preachers, with ease. In fact, he has!  We as young preachers, looked to him as young basketball novices look to MJ. My Dad and Rev. Miller would often have Dr. Joe Samuel Ratliff to Corpus Christi to preach.  Instantly, he became one of my favorites.  He seemed to entail the oratory, the charisma, simplicity, intellect combined with a Pentecostal yet religio-conservative touch.  I didn't realize until many years later that Ratliff did this by intention, but simply made it seem like it was second nature.  As I reflect, I think of many preaching giants in my own world who influenced my life and later preaching: Cleophus LaRue, my uncles (Joel A. Ward, Monty Francis and Lloyd A. Pullam), my grandfather in ministry, Rev. A. L. Kennon.  Other influences were Harold Branch (the younger brother of E. Stanley Branch) and H. C. Dilworth, who heavily influenced J. R. Miller, my Dad, Cleophus LaRue and many others.  

At the age of 12 or so, I remember our city had a citywide Spring Break revival, held at my Dad's church.  They brought to town a young preacher, Gary Scott.  He sort of reminded me of Ratliff, but was also a little like Rev. Miller...but also had a voice and could sing.  I liked him a lot; but that was also a red flag for me.  I said to myself, "I can't do that!". This somehow stuck in my mind.  I had not earthly idea that the enemy of my soul was beginning to work in my mind then through comparison, feelings of inferiority and even fear.  Simultaneously, I remember one day going through my Dad's tape collection, when I came across a shiny, golden-looking tape.  (Whether this was a divine appointment or a scheme of Satan working in a little boy who shouldn't have been snooping through his Dad's stuff, I don't know). I went to my room, put that shiny golden tape from a place called 'Salem Baptist Church' in 'Atlanta,GA' with a message entitled 'Who's The Greatest' by a preacher with an equally shiny name as that cassette tape, "Jasper Williams.". And what I heard next literally floored me....this is a long blog, I'll have to continue with a part 2! Stay tuned...