FB family--I want to report-sadly- that the Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr.--Pastor Emeritus of the 5,000 members Allen Temple Baptist Church, Oakland, CA and former Pastor of Second Baptist Church, Columbia, MO has suffered a serious stroke. I spoke to his wife, Rev. Bernie Smith, yesterday. She reported that Dr. Smith is progressing well, but still needs our prayers. Dr. Smith is a giant in our midst. He is powerfully anointed preacher and visionary. He is the past President of the Progressive Baptist Convention and mentor to so many men and women of the Church of Jesus Christ across this country and around the world. When I was at Bethune Cookman University, he gave the one of the most simple yet powerful lecture/sermons Ive ever heard. In this contemporary religious culture of self-appointed bishops, slick pulpiteers, magic oil prophets, and popcorn preachers who claimed to have been called on Tuesday and want to pastor a church by Friday; a culture that produces men who will spend $1000 on gator shoes and a funky-monkey suit, but not spend $100 on an education, or more than five minutes caring for the poor and oppressed--men and women like J. Alfred Smith, Sr. remind us that the real sign of true Christianity is found in sincere commitment, integrity in thought, word, and deed, training of mind and spirit, and a transformative power that comes from God. As a sinner saved by grace I am proud to call J. Alfred Smith, Sr. my friend---let us remember him and his wife and family in our prayers.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:20:23 +0000
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