During the course of the E.K. Bailey conference, I was most intrigued and impressed with the up-close-and-personal encounter we had with Dr. Bailey. At the hotel, we were eating lunch between sessions, and Dr. Bailey came over and sat with us. I was always impressed by all of the ministers who seemed to know Rev. Miller; and also my father.
Interestingly, I wouldn’t know until years later that Dr. Bailey was actually the best of friends with my uncle, Rev. Monty Francis, of Waco. Bailey sat with us for at least one hour or so, sharing his experiences of putting the conference together, his congregational life, T.D. Jakes’ recent move to Dallas, etc. I found it impressionable how he had no issues or qualms with Jakes’ presence in Dallas; and that he had seen no problems with those who would decide to leave and become a part of his growing congregation. I couldn’t believe how personal and down-to-earth he was. As impactful as that experience was for me, nothing during that time matches another experience I had at that particular event. We were in a general session; and in walks the late Manuel Scott, Sr. By that time, I had read his two books; and had really grown to love his preaching. My Uncle Monty, my father and especially Rev. Miller had developed a deep respect, love and closeness to Dr. Scott. I was amazed at how he seemed to be so genuine, even in that passing and fleeting moment that lasted all but one minute. I remember, as he walked, he was apparently going blind at that time…he was impeccably dressed in a black suit, white shirt and black tie. He reached out to touch my head, grabbing my hand and, after asking who I was and following my response, he said, ‘Son…I know your family. I love you, son. Don’t you ever forget where you came from.’ That would be the only encounter I would ever have with such a great man and venerable sage, who has proven to be one of my favorite preachers of all time. It became surreal when, years later, I would stand to preach in the place he proclaimed the word for many years, at the historic St. John Church of Dallas.
By the time I would enter my final year of high school, I had worked up to being a young, itinerant, teenage preacher. I was preaching regularly in revivals for my mentors, the late R.L. Sanders (of Fort Worth), my uncles...Monty Earl Francis (of Waco, Tx) and Lloyd A. Pullam (of Denton, Tx).
A funny thing would happen to me on that same summer, after attending the Bailey conference. I was scheduled to preach in revival for my uncle, Monty Francis, at his church in Waco, the Pleasant Olive Church. As fate would have it, there was also another revival going on down the street, at a neighboring congregation. The evangelist there was none other than the highly regarded C.A.W. Clark, distinguished Pastor of the historical Good Street Baptist Church of Dallas!!! I will never forget stoically staring at the Waco Tribune-Herald local column seeing my picture plastered next to the legendary Caesar Clark. What a humbling (and for me at that moment….humiliating) experience for a 17-year old kid with private insecurities. One night my uncle took me over to meet Dr. Clark. Clark had finished preaching, and was standing up front to greet the local parishioners. I was immediately struck by his height. He was short in stature, but possessed a quiet serenity and coolness that seemed to shine through taller than a high mountain. As I approached him, I had the opportunity to ask him to sign my Bible. I told him that I was in revival down the street; he shared a few words with my uncle, whom he knew. All he said to me was, ‘….bless you!’ That was enough for me. It made my day!
I most enjoyed preaching at my home church, St. John 1st in Corpus Christi, at Friendship (where Rev. Miller served as Pastor), and for my preaching mentor, Earl Jackson, in Kingsville, Tx. and the late E. Thurman Walker, of San Antonio, Tx. These men, among many others, willingly allowed me to share from their pulpits, even when I often failed to do the best.
Their kindness, advice, counsel and confrontations are something I’ve never forgotten; and always consider to be a mark of God’s own faithfulness to me. So many of these ‘servants’ and ‘angels’ were a blessing to me spiritually and monetarily. Not just these men; but many others with whom I would encounter along the way. Just one example of this came just before my sophomore year in high school. My parents and I were traveling to take my elder brother, Keith, to Prairie View, for his freshman year of college. Staying over in Houston on Saturday and Sunday, I simply had to go by and see the preacher I had grown to admire, Gary (G. Emerson) Scott, of the Trinity Fellowship Church. He had left a congregation in Houston and planted his own church, in the Southeast section of Houston. As a result, it was difficult to locate where he would be on Sunday. However, my Dad (in some way) found his church, and there we were! He and his congregation were meeting at a Holiday Inn in Houston. We were late; but simply being there made me feel like a kid at Disney World. After service, Pastor Scott took us to his little portable office in the hotel, and personally let me see all of his books. I was quite astonished to see that he liked many of the same authors I was reading at that time, namely Max Lucado, Frederick Buechner and Paul Tillich. He then asked his secretary to write me a check for $150, and instructed me to invest in my ministry, but to also pick up a Greek Lexicon published by Baker. I was on cloud 9! This continued throughout my young ministry; and has never failed to impress upon me a desire to invest in the lives of young ministers that follow.
I really enjoyed my senior year of high school. Though in a relationship that somewhat put a damper on the experience, I must admit that I had a great year! My experience at the Bailey conference solidified my growing desire to be a student of ‘expository preaching’. In addition, I knew one thing up to that point: I had to go to school. At that time, I had the plan of attaining my doctorate by the age of 30, no later than 35. By this time, I had begun to communicate on a regular basis, in written communication, with Cleophus J. LaRue, a native of Corpus Christ who had become quite successful in the world of Academia and, by then, had become adjunct professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. My entire plan included one day attending Princeton as a graduate student. By my senior year, I had already envisioned my purpose, calling and the route I desired to take in life: to preach, to teach preachers, to teach in seminary, to write and to pastor. I had no desire to do anything else. That was it!
Over the course of my senior year, my major disappointment came in April of ’97.....
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