FOREWORD Seeing Rev. Dr. Spencer Lamar Booker initially gave me the wrong impression about who he is. He qualifies for that slogan, “You cannot tell a book by its cover.” The more time I spend with him, the more he opens Pandora’s box of who he is and flips the script on me about the reality of the person Spencer Lamar Booker without the title. The press interview with him also opened another door into his life that many people may not know. This book, The Renovation of a Shattered Wall in The Spiritual Autobiography of Rev. Dr. Spencer Lamar Booker is shockingly amazing, highly instructive, wonderfully inspiring, academically exploitative, personally revelatory, spiritually engrossed, theologically liberating, and mentally challenging. What a powerful narrative that will wake up true Christian believers and leaders who may currently be enshrouded by false narratives and beliefs damaging the Ministry of Christ. I used to know Rev. Dr. Spencer Lamar Booker as a flamboyant pastor. However, getting closer to him and hearing his deep convictions from my press interview painted a different image. He is a man of humility with great concern for others’ well-being carefully narrated in his Christian spiritual journey. He is a man who loves God. One of the most explosive narratives is how he responded with faith in God after an accident that almost claimed his life. In his spiritual journey, he turned cases of injustice to his family and other nuances, not to be bitter, but to help others find healing and freedom in Christianity. At a point during the interview in complex narratives, he alluded to the reality of life some people may still be struggling with. We may not be able to control certain things that happen to us in life or the friends that turned to be enemies, the backstabbers who hide their hands, or the joy that suddenly turned to sorrow, but our faith in Christ and our conviction in Christianity will carry us through.
FOREWORD This book helps to validate the importance of the challenges faced by pastors and church members. Such situations, instead of sinking us into despair, can be a springboard to greater heights. Subsequently, he made this statement; “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” I know some people may disagree with that common saying, but he was alluding to the way we choose to handle certain challenges in life will determine the outcome. Psalm 23:5 also echoes similar inspiration, “Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies, thou anointed my head with oil and my cup runs over.” Lord, have mercy! If God sets you up to serve him, no devil in hell can block your way. If you are a Christian denomination, especially an AME Church member, this book is a must to be read. You will learn many things you never knew about Rev. Dr. Spencer Lamar Booker. For example, the miracle of how God protected him in a car accident that could have ended his life. How he answered the call to Christ’s Ministry when he was about to drown. You will be amazed about what motivates him to be an armor bearer for the Christian faith, his great conviction, and his dedication to serving God’s people. The book takes people deeper into a spiritual strengthening journey that takes the reader to an explosive crescendo of joy for those who are truly dedicated to serving the Lord. He explains the reason why he loves the title, “A Man of God.” Not because of the pride of the title, but in humility to serving Jesus. This book: The Renovation of a Shattered Wall -in the narrative Spiritual Journey of Rev. Dr. Spencer Lamar Booker helps other pastors and members navigate the difficult challenges of ministry gracefully. A testimony to new pastors about lessons from those who have waded through the joy and challenges of Christian Ministry. Rev. Victor Vidal, Pastor, Grant Lovell, and Bethel AME Churches, Moberly & Macon, MO.
Like the old Christian saying; behind every successful man, there is a very powerful woman who does the heavy lifting. The Bible states, that He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD - Proverbs 18:22 NIV. Indeed, the day my eyes fell upon the former Gail Glover Lowe, I knew intuitively that she was the one. It was at Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Macon, Georgia. My heart leaped when I finally got to meet the daughter of Trustee Betty Lowe. However, it would be another year before I made my move when she later became mine! I as a pastor, implemented a parishioner profile application for all the members to fill out so I can better know the people of Allen Chapel. One profile stood out like a neon light. You’re right, she was Gail Glover Lowe. What caught my attention was that Gail was a career woman and a musician. What better qualifications? She was attractive, she was a Bell South professional, and she was a musician. But would she ever be mine? As time passed, I observed her faithfulness to God, as a faithful associate steward, a loving daughter, and a mother to a young six-year-old “Scooter.” But would she ever give me the time of day? I was so intrigued that I began to stalk her. If the law of the state and the new laws of the Church were enforced then, I would have been in trouble. I showed up wherever she was. I created a young adult ministry so we could have fellowship dinners in public. I followed her to the grocery store just to speak with her. I took the route to my Church Office that I knew she would take to drop off Scooter at school. All was just not coincidental, but concocted by me to be in her presence: “Oh, hey Gail, I did not know you shopped here! “Oh, hey Gail, roll your window down as she dropped Scooter off. “Oh, Sis. Gail sat here by me at the Young Adult Meal.” A TRIBUTE TO MY BELOVED WIFE “MY DEAREST” LADY GAIL
As time passed, word came that her Father Deacon Tony Glover was hospitalized. I made it my business to visit him when I knew she would be there. Indeed, by now she had to know I was stalking her. When the church musician decided he could not play or would not play contemporary gospel music, I made my move and called Sis Gail to join our musician staff. The rest is history. Lady Gail is what I affectionately called her, became my friend. Our friendship was indeed genuine at best. Her wisdom, knowledge, and strategic planning are among the strengths she possesses. She shared with me some of the best advice on financial budgeting for both personal and church. She shared with me how to handle deep personal matters. She assisted me in navigating the man for whom I would become. She pointed me the way out of some AME Church political issues that I had encountered. If she could be a friend like that, certainly she could be my wife. She said, “Yes,” at the Applebee’s Restaurant during lunch when I asked her to marry me. She took me home to her Father Deacon Tony Glover, and he stated, “I knew the little fellow was sweet on you when he visited me at the hospital.” As for her mother, Trustee Betty Lowe, I later discovered she was Daryl “Scooter” Lowe-Booker, Scooter’s grandmother. Needless to say, Mother Lowe gave us her blessings. And for little Scooter, he could not wait for us (including himself) to get married. After twenty-five years as a Business Specialist with Bell South Communications, she took an early retirement to join me as my partner in Ministry. She has followed me wherever God has sent me to pastor. Her love for the people of God is deep and unmeasurable. She serves beside me. Together we have created youth outreach ministries in all of the congregations served. Lady Gail would become the director of afterschool tutoring services. A TRIBUTE TO MY BELOVED WIFE “MY DEAREST” LADY GAIL
At New Grant, East Point, she set up a stellar model called the Summer Safety Initiative Program with three satellite locations serving youth during the summer and senior adults. Not to mention the daily program with over 50 kids enrolled that attracted the Title I director of the Fulton County School District because of the turnaround in her kids’ grades, attitude, and behavior. The biggest leap that Lady Gail made was to follow me as an Itinerant Pastor of the AME Church. To leave sunny Georgia the peach state and follow me to the cold snowy Midwest, Kansas City, Missouri and now St. Louis, Missouri attested to her loyalty to me. Furthermore, we had just purchased our new home in East Point. She did ask me, “HAVE YOU LOST YOUR COTTON-PICKING MIND?” Only to join me in Los Angeles the morning I accepted the appointment with these words, “I would never stand in the way of your career advancements.” Lady Gail took an early retirement from her career and pursuits to join me on this spiritual journey that God has carved out for me. Lady Gail makes me proud over and over again. Her partnership in ministry has been evident in her commitment to the local Church Women’s Missionary Society starting the First Lady Crystal Luncheon and annual classy fundraiser that nets over $8,000.00 to meet our annual budget. She served as the President of the Clergy Family Organization and as the President of the Midwest Conference and 6th Episcopal District Treasurer. Currently, Lady Gail is the 5th Episcopal District Treasurer of the Women Missionary Society under the dynamic leadership of Supervisor Alexia Butler Fugh. She has been crowned Clergy Family Queen of the Connectional Church. She has served as a two-time delegate to the WMS Global Quadrennial of the AME Church. Indeed, I salute Lady Gail, my partner in ministry. A true helpmate. A homemaker. A loving mother to my boys Scooter and Nicholas. A loving daughter to my Madear (My Mother). An Awesome First Lady to my congregation. A great source of inspiration to me. She is the Love of my life, Prayer partner, Lover, and Beauty Queen. She is the better half of me, and she is my best friend. And this woman has caused me great favor from the Lord. A TRIBUTE TO MY BELOVED WIFE “MY DEAREST” LADY GAIL
A TRIBUTE TO MY BELOVED WIFE “MY DEAREST” LADY GAIL
INTRODUCTION The Renovation of a Shattered Wall – How a Broken Vessel Becomes Precious in the Hands of a Perfect Porter - - The Almighty God – An Amazing Spiritual Autobiography of Rev. Dr. Spencer Lamar Booker. This book is the chronicle of my journey while wading through the challenges of life with guidance from the Almighty God to make me who I am as a messenger of the Lord today. It discusses my highs and lows, successes and failures, and the laudable achievements the Lord led me through to serve his purpose. It discusses my calling to the ministry and the challenges that I faced. It is a narrative of the rivers and oceans I had to navigate through for the kingdom, including the celebrations and victories that blessed my divine mission. Pastors and newly assigned Ministers to different churches will benefit from this book as a journey initiated, orchestrated, and designed by the Almighty for Christ Ministry. In this ongoing process of serving the Lord, I follow the footsteps of a Good Shepherd - - the Lord Jesus. This book will guide you to do the same in faithful commitment to serving the Lord in this earthly kingdom.
CHAPTERS 1 THE CALL OF GOD UPON MY LIFE PAGE -1- 2 DIVINE INTERVENTION – OUT OF THE DREAM OF UNCERTAINTY PAGE -4- THE NURTU 3 RING OF MY LIFE PAGE -7- MY MENTO4RS AND ICONS PAGE -11- 5 THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED PAGE -18-
CHAPTERS THE CHURC 6 H MY INTEREST PAGE -30- MY TRANSFOR 7 MATIVE LEARNING PAGE -34- MY BASIC TH 8 EOLOGY BELIEFS PAGE -44- MY APPEAL FOR9EPISCOPAL SERVICE PAGE -48- CON“TO GCOD BLE TUHE GLSORYI ” ON PAGE -53- NO PART OF THIS BOOK CAN BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
-1- 1 C H A P T E R THE CALL OF GOD UPON MY LIFE
-2- THE CALL OF GOD UPON MY LIFE “From the Depths of Despair to the Light: A Tale of Resilience and Divine Intervention” In the vast ocean of life, some moments plunge us into the depths of despair, testing our strength and faith. This is the story of my calling to preach when facing a horrific drowning but found salvation when I uttered a resolute “yes” in the face of drowning, drawing parallels to the biblical tale of Jonah – (Jonah 2:1-10) The story of Jonah and the whale is multifaceted, but above all, it is a story about reconciliation, forgiveness, and grace. Jonah initially disobeys God’s command to go to the wicked city of Nineveh and give a prophecy, causing him to be swallowed up by the whale as punishment. I was that Jonah, refusing to answer the call to the ministry that was upon my life. I denied the call because I thought I was too young. Furthermore, at the tender age of 7 years old, even before I was saved, and or made a confession of faith, I felt the call of God in my life but refused. I watched my Father as a preacher, I felt I would pursue other professional career; i.e., General Practitioner, U.S. Congressman, or Educator. On my journey of resistance while attending a Church School convention with other youths we were on our break at the hotel swimming. Enjoying the moments of pushing one another into the pool. I was pushed into 12 feet of water and was unable to swim. In retrospect, beginning to sink into the turbulent waters of a life-threatening situation, mirroring Jonah’s tumultuous voyage. The overwhelming waves of the water threatened to engulf me, pushing the boundaries of my human endurance. I had to make a decision. In that dire moment, a choice presented itself: succumb to despair or embrace the possibility of salvation.
-3- THE CALL OF GOD UPON MY LIFE As I grappled with the idea of drowning, and losing my very life, a pivotal moment arose when I heard a voice say “Will you preach my gospel?” I uttered a resounding “yes” – a profound affirmation, simultaneously I felt a hand lifting me from the swirling water that had engulfed me, and it was my big Brother David who became a savior at that moment by saving my life. This pivotal moment mirrored Jonah’s eventual acceptance of his divine mission. I too accepted my calling. In that single word, “Yes,” a profound transformation took place, shifting the narrative from despair to hope. Much like Jonah’s encounter with the whale, I experienced a rescue that defied logical explanation. It was as if an unseen force intervened, providing a lifeline when all seemed lost. The Lord’s grace manifested in the form of unexpected help, pulling me from the depths of despair into the light of safety. The aftermath of this life-altering experience sparked a profound introspection. The “yes” that echoed through the turbulent waters became a beacon of resilience, a testament to the strength found in surrendering to a higher power. This narrative challenges us to reflect on our own responses to adversity, prompting a consideration of the transformative power inherent in acceptance. In times of crisis, the parallel between this modern-day struggle and Jonah’s ancient tale serves as a reminder that, even in the darkest depths, saying “yes” to faith, hope, and divine intervention can lead to unexpected salvation. It underscores the idea that resilience often emerges when we relinquish control, trusting in something beyond our understanding. As we navigate the unpredictable seas of life, may this story inspire us to embrace the power of affirmation, even in the face of overwhelming challenges. The journey from drowning despair to salvation through a simple “yes” resonates across time, illustrating the timeless theme of divine intervention and the enduring strength found in surrendering your will to God’s will for a higher purpose.
-4- C 2H A P T E R DIVINE INTERVENTION: OUT OF A DREAM OF UNCERTAINTY
-5- DIVINE INTERVENTION: OUT OF A DREAM OF UNCERTAINTY It was a winter morning, rain pelting against the windshield as I settled into the cab’s passenger seat. The seat belt clicked securely into place, a precautionary measure for the slippery conditions outside. The cab driver seemed unfazed by the weather, his foot pressing a bit too eagerly on the accelerator as we navigated the wet roads. As I closed my eyes, suddenly, it happened. The cab hydroplaned, losing traction as if it had a mind of its own. The world outside became a blur as we spun in tight circles, the cab struggling to regain control. In a heartstopping moment, we reversed and collided with a deep embankment, the impact jolting us violently. The cab rolled in reverse, defying gravity as it ascended a hill. At the hill’s peak, it teetered momentarily before gravity took hold once more, sending us tumbling down the slope. Another embankment loomed ahead, and we crashed into it, the cab rolling in reverse yet again. My heart raced as the cab veered towards oncoming traffic, a terrifying prospect. Miraculously, perhaps by some divine intervention, the cab came to a sudden halt on the pavement. The cacophony of the rain was replaced by the sound of my own ragged breaths, adrenaline coursing through my veins. At that moment, I felt a profound sense of gratitude for sparing my life though in excruciating pain., a silent prayer of thanks escaping my lips. The cab wreck was a stark reminder of the unpredictability of life and the importance of caution on the roads, especially during treacherous weather conditions.
-6- DIVINE INTERVENTION: OUT OF A DREAM OF UNCERTAINTY You can only imagine how challenging experiences, like the car wreck and the subsequent recovery period, can serve as catalysts for personal growth and transformation through trials. The physical pain and emotional uncertainty led me to introspection and a deeper understanding of my resilience and faith. I had time to reflect, rethink, and recharge during that recovery period, but I was lured more into a dream of uncertainty. Then, my phone rang, and on the other side was a voice that awakened my dream of uncertainty regarding the next step of my ministry. The question was: Are you still interested in seeking the office of the episcopacy of the African Methodist Episcopal Church? Indeed, I was able to hear a Divine Intervention. I was encouraged to connect the timing of the phone call about pursuing the Episcopacy with a sense of divine direction that gave me a new purpose for ministry. When I Consider how the events in my life, including the car wreck, led me to this moment of considering a higher calling within the church: “Then sing my soul, My Savior God to thee, How great thou art?” Thank God for waking me up out of a dream of uncertainty to a vision of opportunity to serve in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I will say more about that vision at the end of this book.
-7- C 3H A P T E R THE NURTURING OF MY LIFE
-8- THE NURTURING OF MY LIFE A description of personhood from Samuel Proctor’s autobiography entitled, My Moral Odyssey, closely conveys the early experiences that shaped the foundation of my spiritual journey. Proctor wrote that Personhood is best nurtured and fostered at an early age in a family or a surrogate family environment where one is encouraged to cultivate imagination, set goals and organize life for his or her achievement, ask penetrating questions in a non-threatening atmosphere, test hunches and insights without fear of failure, and to piece together an understanding of the world that may be subject to revision as new knowledge and experience unfold.” What follows is an insight into the early nurturing and subsequent life experiences that have shaped me thus far. Also, I will share some valuable experiences gained through the educational and pastoral endeavors that shaped my theological girding. The statements may not all be clear. Moreover, the statements may appear to be elusive and disguised within an interconnected emphasis on the “we-ness” that has shaped me in the process of becoming who I am. My life has been nurtured by religious Christian parents. My father, the Rev. Benjamin Roosevelt Booker, Sr., was ordained an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, who pastored and later became a Presiding Elder. My mother, Mrs. Roxey Anna Booker-Walton, a domestic professional, a matriarch, and a loyal member of the Church of God in Christ Incorporated in Memphis, Tennessee was a founding member of the Bountiful Blessings Ministry, Inc., a powerful worldwide extension of that denomination that continues its work to this day. Although my parents divorced when I was eight years old, both continued to train me in Christianity. Both parents ensured that I was saturated in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and nurtured to know its power. I have four brothers and two sisters, all of whom share my family’s strong faith.
Left to Right: Rev. Benjamin, Sr., Benjamin Jr., Marvin, Spencer, Lady Roxey, Calvin, David, Anna, Cousin Frank -9- MARY IDELLA BOOKER September 14, 1950 – November 22, 1952 MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY BEGAN IN MEMPHIS, TN THE SEVENTH CHILD OF REV. BENJAMIN R. BOOKER, SR. AND MOTHER ROXEY ANNA BOOKER-WALTON
-10- A FAMILY MAN MARRIED TO LADY GAIL G. BOOKER I married the love of my life, Lady Gail Glover Booker in 1995, and entered a union that added new responsibility and stability to my life. She brought into my life two fine boys whom I cherish for their aspirations and dreams. Our family life has given me the stability needed as a man, husband, and father. No matter what, having a good Wife (Lady Gail) and two boys (Maestro Scooter and Nicholas Lamar) who look to me for guidance, solidified my commitment to the responsibility to nurture, protect, lead, and provide for my family. Despite all the flaws in my character, my family provided a solid foundation that motivated me to stand strong and continues to inspire me. LADY GAIL, MAESTRO SCOOTER BOOKER, AND NICHOLAS BOOKER
-11- C4H A P T E R MY MENTORS & ICONS
REV. Benjamin R. Booker, Sr. BISHOP John H. Adams BISHOP Richard Allen BISHOP Clement W. Fugh BISHOP T. Larry Kirkland REV. David Earl Booker Sr. BISHOP Gilbert E. Patterson BISHOP Donald G. K. Ming REV. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. BISHOP Frank C. Cummings BISHOP Vinton R. Anderson BISHOP Cornelius E. Thomas BISHOP William P. DeVeaux BISHOP C. Garnett Henning BISHOP John R. Bryant MY MENTORS & ICONS Furthermore, I have had great admiration for gospel preachers most of my life. To name a few: the late Bishop J. O. Patterson, Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Rev. Clay Evans, Bishop Ernest Lawrence Hickman, Dr. H. Ralph Jackson, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. my pastor Rev. Dr. Elmer Martin. Lately, my life has been impacted by Bishop Cornelius Ebert Thomas, Bishop Fredrick Hilborn Talbot, Bishop John Hurst Adams, Bishop George Kenneth Ming, Bishop Frank C. Cummings, Bishop William P. DeVeaux, Bishop T. Larry Kirkland and Bishop Clement W. Fugh. My formative years were filled with imitating some of these great gospel bearers and they remain as an aggregate model for my ministry. -12-
CALLED TO PREACH AT AGE 17 ST. ANDREW AME CHURCH REV. DR. ELMER MARTIN, SR. FATHER IN THE MINISTRY -13- I was nurtured in a community in South Memphis where all the infestations of criminal activity were the order of the day. Despite my involvement in the lifestyle of my inner-city neighborhood, I felt the call on my life. A strong desire to be a preacher burned inside of me. As a result, I accepted Jesus as my personal savior on August 14, 1976, at age 14. God’s plan was further revealed when, one day, not able to swim, I was drowning in the local swimming pool, and just at the time of my giving up, a hand reached out and my brother, the Rev. David Earl Booker, saved my life. This event helped me realize that I had also been drowning in a pool of sin, and through Jesus Christ, my Savior was saved from drowning in both! As a result, I gave the Lord my life completely. Licensed to Preach in 1979 By Presiding Elder J. C. Miller Ordained Itinerate Deacon in 1982 By Bishop William Franklin Ball Ordained Itinerate Elder in 1984 By Bishop C. E. Thomas
-14- I was educated in the Shelby County Public Schools. I graduated in 1980 from Fairley High School in Memphis, Tennessee. When I was 17, I accepted the call at an annual conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tennessee. I developed the motto that “Ministry is my life. My life is my ministry. God called me, and God can depend on me.” I entered Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, in the fall of 1980 to further my education. Being the first in my immediate family to go to college, I had to finance my education through student loans. However, I was able to continue my liberal arts education by entering the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). My major was political science. Being a Political Science student in a Predominantly White Institution was difficult. The instruction on racial superiority (unwritten) was part of the course description. Because I never had this type of racist experience, my G.P.A. dropped very low, and I dropped out of college. This incident had a profound effect on me. The academic dean told me I would never study again in a bachelor's program and that, furthermore, I should seek a trade or job as a laborer. She attempted to influence my mentality to believe that because I was an African-American male, higher education was not for me. However, because destiny was ahead of me, I was able to re-enter Morris Brown College and graduate with honors. In 1985, a local minister assisted me in re-entering Morris Brown College. Thanks to God, I matriculated with high expectations. Growing closer to the call of the Lord, I changed my major from Political Science to Philosophy and Religion. I graduated with honors. In 1987, I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND & TRAINING
-15- I continued my education at the Interdenominational Theological Center at Turner Seminary where I received a Master of Divinity Degree. To further my gifts, I received a scholarship to United Theological Seminary to matriculate toward a Doctor of Ministry degree. The scholarship was granted by Mother Selma Richardson, the widow of Dr. Harry V. Richardson, the founder of the ITC Consortium. Because of my irresponsible behavior, I dropped out. Finally, I enrolled in the Inaugural Doctor of Ministry program offered at Payne Theological Seminary. I was in the cohort led by Bishop John Richard Bryant and Rev. Dr. Ray Hammond, M.D., From Praxis to Preaching. Graduated in 2018, earning a Doctor of Ministry Degree. I will tell you more about this experience. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND & TRAINING FAIRLEY HIGH SCHOOL, MEMPHIS, TN 1980 MATRICULATED UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA 1983 MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE, ATLANTA, GA 1987, B.A. DEGREE INTERDENOMINATIONAL THEOLOGICAL CENTER AT TURNER, ATLANTA, GA 1990, M.DIV. FELLOW OF THE CONGRESS OF NATIONAL BLACK CHURCHES (CNBC) 1992 MATRICULATED UNITED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, DAYTON, OH 1995 EMANUEL BIBLE COLLEGE, MACON, GA 1998, D.DIV. POLICE CHAPLAIN TRAINING EAST POINT, GA 2004 PAYNE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, 2018, D.MIN GRADUATION DAY AT PAYNE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY MAY 2018
-16- My work experience is very limited in the secular world. I attempted to be a computer analyst but did not complete the program. I tried to be a door-to-door salesman with the Amway Corporation, but it did not work.I was employed by the Georgia Mental Health Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. There, my title was Health Technician (HTS). As an HTS, my duties were evaluation and intake. Before admitting patients, I interviewed them, asking certain questions to determine their mental health status. I would report the state of the patient to the psychiatrist using certain categories, such as suicidal, homicidal, drug abuser, etc. I saw only to be released and days later returned with the same problem. There appeared to be neither a cure nor healing for many patients. As a result of my deliverance, I prayed for many of the patients in my private devotional period. Being a state hospital employee, I could not witness to these patients nor pray with them. Nevertheless, I consistently caught myself during the evaluation process witnessing to the patients the power of God to heal, deliver, and set them free. Needless to say, my career ended. In 1991, I was honored to be nominated by Bishop John Hurst Adams to be a fellow of the Congress of National Black Churches (CNBC). The National Fellowship for black pastors was a component of CNBC designed to place ministers in the secular world for a period to discover working modules for the black church and its constituents. During my fellowship with the Congress of National Black Churches, I was assigned to work for the Atlanta Economic Development Corporation (AEDC). I was placed in the Housing Development Department of AEDC. For nine months, my duties were to assist in developing community organizations designed for neighborhood development. The hardest challenge I had while employed at the Atlanta Economic Development Corporation, AEDC, was completing the affordable housing contracts. AEDC would go into deplorable black neighborhoods to finance and build affordable housing. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND & TRAINING
-17- As this was an Atlanta city government agency, this position gave me an introduction to “Politics Practicality” and “Urban Politics 101.” The project was part of a new program for urban renewal in inner cities through housing and economic development. However, once these homes were built, many who were previously led to believe they could qualify to purchase property were denied. The neighborhood residents (before AEDC built homes) were poor, making less than $10,000 a year. The homes would be sold to families who earned $35,000 or more. Usually, the new residents were black and subsequently experienced what I entitled “Black on Black Displacement.” Throughout this process, I observed how black people were exploited on a bureaucratic level. I witnessed the removal of an entire community of low-income renters being displaced by the construction of the Georgia Dome, the host stadium of the 1996 Olympics. This was disheartening to me because I saw my people become overlooked by people who did not care. Through my experience at AEDC, my focus on ministry became clearer. Who will stand with the poor, the underclass, and the overlooked? Lord, if you need somebody here, I am. Send me. I was challenged many years ago to study hard and stay in school. Your education is a gateway to a better life. My struggle to reach that goal has been difficult. Being a victim of a broken home, influenced by twisted and conflicting views, and engaging in extra-destructive activities, I lost my focus and, at several points, broke my concentration on educational endeavors. Nevertheless, I persevered and pressed on for the mark of excellence. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND & TRAINING
-18- C 5H A P T E R THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-19- My most enjoyable work experience is in the sacred community, the Church. I believe that the church requires much attention and approach the ministry as full-time employment. I desire full-time ministering. The church is an institution built in the heart of the community whose mission requires it to be a social institution for social change. Over the past 43 years, I have pastored several churches on a full-time basis. During this time, I have received a strong theological and spiritual undergirding, which I would like to share. First, I thank God for the itinerancy of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The systematic method of the AME Church allowed me to grow to these theological understandings. A pastor’s duties range from church administration to church facility development to spiritual guidance. My first pastorate was Bethel A.M.E. Church in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee, a small town located north of Chattanooga, Tennessee, known for the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo. The town is very small, with a population of 70,000 people. Only 5% are African Americans. From this contextual setting, I developed the concept of identity. Many members had no sense of identifying their blackness with self-worth, self-pride, and self-help. Consequently, I responded to this identity crisis by teaching God’s awareness and providence for all people. I affirmed within the souls of the members that they are somebody. The next two appointments carried me into the inner cities of Chattanooga and Atlanta – with a supply service in between. Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church was in the community of Autumn Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The city’s biggest housing project was located nearby. Additionally, poverty is present in every avenue of the community. Of course, this community’s conditions fostered all the familiar inner-city problems: drug pushers, drug abusers, alcohol abusers, prostitution, gambling, and gangs. THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-20- My challenge was to make the church the institution to help the community. The members who commuted to church once a week demanded my removal because of the programs introduced for social changes to the community. Needless to say, I was appointed to another charge. The next appointment was in the community of Fifth Ward in Atlanta, Georgia. St. Mark A.M.E. Church was in the heart of this community. It was a big Gothic structure that had been closed for years. This church had three parishioners who desired to see the door re-opened. Compared to Autumn Park in Chattanooga, the problems were magnified in Atlanta’s Fifth Ward community. With the help of the Lord, I established a food bank and a drug and alcohol anonymous group called the New Life Team. We organized the youth into a community gang program that sought to give nonviolent images to them. The experience was rewarding. Between the two urban appointments mentioned above, I served as supply pastor of Mt. Tabor A.M.E. Church in Keysville, Georgia. Keysville was an underdeveloped area with deplorable living conditions. There was no city government, no police department, and no running water; the sewage system was outdated, and many homes had outer toilets. During my short tenure as pastor, a member of the church, the Honorable Emma Gresham, the mayor of the town, set forth a campaign to reactivate the city government and city charter. Mt. Tabor became intricately involved and supported Mayor Gresham’s efforts. We hosted numerous marches to bring attention to the campaign and gain assistance in the effort. Many forums were held at the Georgia State Legislature House of Assembly. God moved upon the hearts of legislators and judges, and the city was granted the long-needed assistance to move forward. This was one time in my ministry that I experienced firsthand an entire underprivileged town with subpar living conditions that lacked basic needs. THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-21- The need was apparent, and the church was patently clear. – Mt. Tabor AME Church stepped up as needed and served as town city hall, social center, school, and library. Serving in this rural area between two appointments in urban areas educated me in ways that no amount of formal education could match. God interrupted the similarity in the conditions of the two urban locations with the stark contrast that revealed the many variations of oppression among God’s people. This vividly reminded me that an entire town tucked away in a rural area, deprived of basic human needs, was as significant in God’s eyes as the pressing, often exposed suffering in our cities. Together, the ministry experiences in these two distinct urban areas with similar challenges and my time at Mt. Tabor further clarified my theology about the church’s broad mission and helped solidify my commitment to a responsive ministry. I left Mt. Tabor for my next appointment, further convinced that God had ordained me to use the yearning that I carried in my baggage of ministry to reach out to those who are caught up in the red district of sin, as well as those blocked by the red seas of oppression, for God can save them all. I left Mt. Tabor confidently carrying the deeply rooted yearning that tied my experience to the suffering and struggles of others, fully surrendered to God’s will and plans, for surely God had delivered me. My next appointment was at Allen Temple in Woodstock, Georgia, north of Atlanta. Woodstock was a great town. My ministry experience in this area provided me with an update on my views on race relations. The city was 95% white Republicans, with only 3% African Americans and 2% Hispanic. In this setting, I discovered that people can be loving and caring with each other. I was accepted for who I was and became a vital part of that town's political, social, and spiritual systems. THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-22- Again, I realized that God had prepared me for such a time as this and was adding to me. Woodstock was the hometown of Newt Gingrich, defrocked Speaker of the House of the United States of America. I warned Newt that he would be short-lived as an American politician. Indeed, he was stopped in his tracks. In Woodstock, I experienced an interracial congregation and understood that God made people the same. Regardless of ethnic background, people had a commonality of needs. Therefore, my ministry took on a new theological meaning, “We, the church, seeking to meet the needs of all people.” Allen Temple was a two-Sunday church that was once a part of a circuit. By the power of God, Allen Temple became a full-time church and was on the path to becoming a mega-church in the area. We began the first building expansion program that ultimately led to its relocation and new sanctuary. Subsequently, I was assigned to the pastorate of Greater Allen Chapel in Macon, Georgia. I served that church for four years. During my tenure, we developed a community church outreach named “A Seven-Day-a-Week Ministry.” GED classes were set up, a full-time social worker was hired, and a stellar afterschool program and a substance abuse ministry were developed with a full-time psychiatrist. I was then assigned to Nelson Chapel, Bainbridge, GA. At Nelson, we were able to build upon the vision of establishing a state-of-the-art Child Care Center Christian school with over 100 students. Allen Americus, Georgia, was a great church, my wife’s favorite. But I was moved too soon to St. James, Monticello, GA. THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-23- I was moved to St. James to stabilize the people of God. While at St. James, with the Lord's help, we constructed a state-of-the-art Office and Fellowship complex for 1.1 million dollars. We cleared off hundreds of trees and created a parking lot. THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-24- My next appointment was New Grant, “Atlanta’s East Point of African Methodism,” where the Lord did mighty work. We witnessed super membership growth at New Grant. Souls were saved, lives were delivered, and ministries were developed. The New Grant facility was completely renovated with a new roof, a new HVAC system, new windows, new pews, and a new mural. New office space was developed to support meaningful ministries. THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-25- At the invitation of Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, I transferred from the sixth district to the fifth district and was appointed pastor of Bethel, Kansas City, Missouri. Once again God showed up and showed out. As a pastor and people, we were able to renovate the sanctuary and put fifty more years back into its physical plant existence. We started the city-wide Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, rally, and celebration that drew thousands of citizens from all walks of life. Indeed, a celebration of diversity in unity THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-26- Currently, I serve as the pastor of Historic St. Paul’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which I affectionately call The Cathedral at St. Paul, St. Louis, the oldest AME Church established west of the Mississippi River, the Mother Church of the 5th Episcopal District of the AME Church. What an honor to walk in the footsteps of outstanding African Methodist icons. St. Paul A.M.E. Church was the initial birthplace of the St. Louis Chapter of the NAACP in 1913. It was also the church home of Annie Malone, Madame C.J. Walker, and Ethel Hedgeman Lyle, one of the lead founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. St. Paul is noted for its birth of denominational leaders in both clergy and lay. Outstanding Pastors have been elected from the pulpit of St. Paul as Bishops to serve throughout various Episcopal Districts of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I follow in the footsteps of distinguished Pastors who have led this great congregation, such as Frank Madison Reid, Sr., George Wayman Blakely, Vinton Randolph Anderson, and C. Garnett Henning. Attorney Benjamin Edwards retired and served on the Judicial Council of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Indeed, since coming to The Cathedral at St. Paul together, we have been able to renovate the entire facility to the tune of approximately 1.2 million dollars. The church facility has new subfloors with fresh carpet, a redesigned pulpit, a new roof with copper edges, and new flooring in the fellowship Center. Additionally, Bishop Vinton and Vivienne Anderson's Conference room is fully furnished. Across the hall is the Flex Room for the Youth Safety Initiative Program after school and summer ministry. All classrooms on the third floor have been renovated. The Historical Archives Center has been fully restored. THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-27- THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-28- The Renaissance Revitalization Community Development Corporation, a subsidiary of St. Paul, is on the precipice of constructing a 66-unit Senior Adult dome projected for 15 million dollars. We are in the process of creating a partnership with St. Andrews Senior Adult Resource Services that will enable us to maintain our ownership through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development THE RENAISSANCE REVITALIZATION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED
-29- THE CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS SERVED PASTORAL MINISTRY PREACHING, PLANTING, PROMOTION 12 The Cathedral at St. Paul AMEC St. Louis, MO 1 11 Bethel AMEC Bethel AMEC South Pittsburg, TN Kansas City, MO 2 10 Quinn AMEC New Grant AMEC Chattanooga, TN Atlanta East Point, GA 3 9 Mt. Tabor AMEC St. James AMEC Keysville, GA Monticello, GA 4 8 St. Mark AMEC Allen Chapel AMEC Atlanta, GA Americus, GA 5 7 Allen AMEC Nelson Chapel AMEC Woodstock, GA Bainbridge, GA 6 Allen Chapel AMEC Macon, GA
-30- C 6H A P T E R THE CHURCH MY INTEREST
-31- All the churches I have served required my full-time service. I discovered that in each context, a need existed for spiritual enrichment and work to bring about social justice for the people of God. Moreover, I increasingly ascertained that pastoring is more than merely praying and preaching on Sunday mornings; the pastoral ministry is a prophetic priestly role that involves multiple components ranging from counseling, church, and community advisor to the director of family life activities and events. Fueled by the experiences and influences herein, coupled with a desire to transform myself, I have matured from an irresponsible to a responsible person. As a result of reading the book, “The Responsible Self,” I have concluded that life owes me nothing, and in fact, I owe my life everything. I have matured from an inpatient to a patient person. I have taught myself to pace my life expectations, a very difficult task, and have come to realize that time is important as well as timing. Achievements in my life include being selected to be a Fellow of the Congress of National Black Churches in 1990 -1991. I was a Jordan Scholarship recipient three times during my matriculation at Morris Brown College. I found favor in the hearts of the founder of the Interdenominational Theological Center, the late Dr. Harry V. Richardson, and his wife, Mrs. Selma T. Richardson.I was selected to be a member of the Kiwanis Club in Woodstock, Georgia. I was appointed the Lead Chaplain of the East Point Police Department. I sponsored the first citywide Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebrations in Bainbridge, GA, East Point, GA, and Kansas City, MO, respectively. The achievements I am most proud of are leading over 1000+ souls to Christianity, having baptized over 600 people, and several sons and daughters who accepted their call to ministry in my forty-five years of ministry. THE CHURCH MY INTEREST
-32- My primary life interest has been the work of the church. I love to see church growth. I studied the ministries of other churches to understand their effectiveness and success. I integrate these models into the ministries of the church I pastor and build upon their strengths, success, and dreams for growth in service. I take great joy in seeing new ministries develop, survive, and thrive. Additionally, I am deeply committed to community involvement and growth. I intentionally engage and develop relationships with local community leaders, residents, and politicians to exchange ideas for the growth of the community. I employ the caucusing process as one of the strategies to help the community effectively. In my current city, I enjoy strong community relations and have contact with persons in varied areas of community interactions, such as the Mayor, members of the Board of Aldermen, the Police Chief, law enforcement officers, National and State Representatives, local civics and social justice leaders, the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Education, and residents throughout the community. Strategic work in the community is rewarding and offers the opportunity to help shape a positive environment. My special interest is the youth of the community. I interact with the youth consistently. In each of the churches I have been blessed to serve, I have worked with the congregations and communities to develop numerous ministries, using the insights gained through my formative religious experiences and the aforementioned, nurtured by my parents in Christian faith and teachings. I have maintained some essential principles of my faith from my training as a child, and they continue to be effective in working with youth and adults. I believe God can do anything if one has faith. I believe God can answer our prayers. I believe that Jesus died for my sins so that I can be sin-free. I believe that God requires our works equal to our faith. If I want to be blessed, I must do that which is pleasing in God’s sight. If God is to answer my prayers, I must be responsible for my actions. THE CHURCH MY INTEREST
-33- My training says God can miraculously do anything. In recent years, I have discovered that God works miraculously when I take the proper steps to make it happen. For example, we believe God will make it all right. If I don’t take the first steps as God leads to make it right, it won’t get right. God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves. When we seek God’s wisdom and follow God’s means and ways, God helps. Many believe God can feed the hungry and provide shelter for the homeless. God can do only when we give of our resources to bring about a change. Only when we step out and give of ourselves does God step in and help. THE CHURCH MY INTEREST
-34- C 7H A P T E R MY TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
-35- A transformative learning experience in adulthood changed my life forever. While I was attending the Call to the Wall, a Christian Education Conference in Las Vegas, NV, on July 10, 2010, a date seared in my mind because it was also my oldest son’s birthday. I received a troubling call that my big Brother Marvin Louis Booker had been murdered while detained at the Van Simonet Detention Center in Denver, CO. This atrocity would profoundly and forever shape my prophetic and political perspective. This incident caused all my training, education, calling, and passion for serving to evolve as never before. At this pivotal point in my ministry, I faced a disorienting dilemma that triggered a new unchartered territory and made a pivotal shift – the transformation from preaching, planting, and promotion to activist, organizer, and Liberator. I became a civil rights activist, community organizer, and a prophet of liberation regarding police killings of unarmed Black Men. Who is going to stand in the gap, as Ezekiel 22:30 asks? MY TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
-36- MY TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING My Autobiography/Context/ Synergy/Dilemma Preaching, Planting, Promotion Activist, Organizer, Liberator Civil Rights Activist, Community Organizer & Prophet of Liberation Police Killings of Unarmed Black Men At this point, the presenter develops a conflict assumption that led to a disoriented dilemma that triggered a new unchartered territory in ministry.
-37- Significantly, I was catapulted into the role of catalyst for my family, leading our family in the pursuit of healing, direction, and legal action, understanding clearly that God had called me at this moment to be a vessel of his healing power for my family. As God led me through my pain, my whole family experienced the healing of a rupture that had affected us all when my parents divorced early in my life. As a result of their divorce, my mother and father did not speak to one another again. I challenged both on a conference call to recognize that their son’s murder at the hands of five sheriff’s deputies was a resounding mandate and opportunity for them to forgive and press on for vindication for Marvin and the family. From that point forward, I watched my Mother and Father talk to each other, share ideas, and foster communication in the family. Indeed, I was proud to be their baby son. My Brother had yearned for my parents to be together, and his life was not in vain, for his death allowed us to see our Mother and Father stand together for justice on several occasions. The senseless killing of my brother, Marvin Louis Booker, happened when he was arrested on July 9, 2010, for failure to appear. We found out later that he had appeared in court. Nevertheless, he was arrested and detained for the next 10 hours and subsequently transported to the Sheriff's office. He was detained without food for 10 hours and was called for a final booking at 3:00 a.m. When directed to sit during that process, he refused rather than do so and chose to be placed in the I-8 cell. As he went toward the cell, he realized his shoes were in the pit, and as he moved to get them, he was attacked by five sheriffs and was murdered at their hands. For the next four years, I led the fight for justice for my big brother. All involved, from the Mayor, the High Sheriff, and The District Attorney, down to the five sheriffs, denied, covered up, and illegally committed perjury in the murder of my big brother. MY TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING
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-40- During this period when our family stood for justice, my father died on February 28, 2013, the day before my baby son, Nicholas Lamar's Birthday, March 1st. My father’s death affected me in a mortal way that took a while for me to process. Truthfully, I still have not overcome the loss of my mentor, Presiding Elder Benjamin Roosevelt Booker, Sr. Subsequently, we heard about Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner (“I can’t breathe,” which are the same words my brother breathed before he took his last breath) and Mike Brown in St. Louis. Being a pastor in St. Louis and involved in fighting a municipality for the murder of my brother, I find God using me to stand and speak from the liberation theology articulated so strongly in our Zion. I stand and speak truth to power as a prophet and civil rights activist for social justice and liberation. So much derived from this epidemic in America of Police Killings of African American unarmed men. MY TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING Michael Brown was murdered by Officer Daren Wilson in Ferguson August 9, 2014. Wednesday, August 13, 2014. “A march down West Florissant Avenue from Chambers Road ended at the corner of Canfield Drive, not far from where Michael Brown was shot. A crowd of about 100 people congregated at the corner. They were surrounded on three sides by police who were keeping their distance. Later, three armored vehicles approached the crowd, which had been largely quiet and peaceful. Some members of the crowd grew agitated. Police at one point conferred with the Rev. Spencer Lamar Booker of St. Paul AME Church, the organizer of the clergy-led parade, where demonstrators have been gathering throughout the day. The conversation ended with Booker announcing, “The parade is over. Let’s all move on now.” Kajieme Powell, a 25-year-old mentally challenged young man, was killed by two officers after responding to a call that Kajieme had stolen two canned energy drinks and a packet of pastries from a local convenience store on August 19, 2014. Kajieme had a butter knife and raised it toward officers several feet away. VonDerrit Meyers Jr., an 18-year-old teenager shot to death on October. 8, 2014, after an off-duty officer saw three males on the street while working his second job as a security officer. As he was driving close to the males, one of them ran away, and the story got cloudy from there. Meyers’ death came about two months after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson and added tension over police-civilian relations in the St. Louis region. MURDER OF UNARMED BLACK MEN
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