Though it’s been roughly two weeks since U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock preached a word during Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church’s 62nd Anniversary service, celebrating the church’s founding in 1962, his message is still reverberating.
And certainly, Warnock’s sermon was a message for a fellowship still mourning the loss of its founder, Reverend Dr. William A. Lawson. But the senator’s sermon was equally a message for Black people, Black organizations, and arguably, the world.
Here are excerpts from that sermon (from Joshua 1:1-9 where God speaks to Joshua after the death of Moses), along with what hearers took from it.
The Background Singers: Those Next in Line for Leadership
Warnock: Everybody acclaims and applauds Moses. But what about Joshua? To be Joshua requires its own set of special gifts. It’s not easy being Joshua. It is not easy being the assistant. Don’t sleep on Joshua. Thank God for Moses. But don’t forget about Joshua. There was a documentary film that came out a few years ago entitled “20 Feet From Stardom.” It was about the important role of the unappreciated and underappreciated background singers behind some of the biggest stars. Their names are not on the marquee, but in a real sense they are the ones who make the music magical and magnificent. For, no matter how great the voice of the lead singer is, it’s really the background singers, it’s really the choir who left lyrics to new levels. Thank God for Gladys Knight. But what is Gladys Knight without the Pips? We need Martha and the Vandellas. Diana Ross and the Supremes. Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. There is no Beyonce, H.E.R. or Doja Cat, no Drake, Two Chainz, Lil’ Baby or Kendrick Lamar. There’s no Nelly, Scarface, Slim Thug, Mike Jones, Megan Thee Stallion slim without those who mix the beats and keep the hooks and bring the voices behind the voice. So, give it up for the background singers.
For Wheeler: Dr. Marcus Cosby, for years, was Lawson’s “assistant.” And though Lawson deserves all the praise for his legendary career, don’t overlook the significant and often under-appreciated work Cosby put in then, and puts in now. (Jeremiah Simpson)
For the World: We make it so hard for our churches and organizations to survive after the founder leaves. Succession plans are important, and start with showing more love for those servants who aren’t the head honcho. (Gladys Phillips)
Joshua & Caleb’s Positive Report: Claiming the Victory to Come
Warnock: Joshua and Caleb, who were among the spies sent by Moses to bring back reconnaissance reports on the land of promise as they pondered whether they should take this on. And in the face of the negative reports of others, it was Joshua and Caleb who were a part of the intelligence service of Israel, who had the faith and the insight to come back and say that we are well able to possess the land. God has already given us the victory. We haven’t stepped inside of it yet, but we already have the victory. We haven’t signed the mortgage yet, yet, but we already have the victory. My name isn’t on the door yet, but I already have the victory. I don’t have the degree yet, but I already have the victory. I don’t have the diploma yet, but I already have the victory. Is there anybody here who wants to praise God for the victory on the inside?
For Wheeler: Pastor Cosby is that Joshua figure. He took over for our Moses, Rev. Lawson, and has led Wheeler to even higher heights. (La’Von Raye)
For the World: New leaders, transitional leaders have to travel through rough situations, often surrounded by naysayers. But they, if nobody else, have to be able to see the victory before it even comes. (Hinton Mackey)
Moses is dead: The challenge of Losing Your Leader
Warnock: What do you do when you are a mentor, moves on and your leader leaves and your parents pass on? I had a great father. He didn’t have all the degrees that I have. He was a pastor and a junk man. My dad didn’t go to seminary. He was brilliant, but he was not seminary-educated. I’m a senator, but my daddy was a preacher and the junk. Monday through Friday, he lifted old broken cars and loaded them on the back of a truck. That’s how he took care of his family. And then on Sunday morning, the junk man who spent all week wearing dirty clothes, put on his work clothes. The man who spent all week lifting broken cars on Sunday morning, he lifted broken people. He goes around picking up stuff and picking up people that other people have thrown away. We need to talk about Jesus the junk man. He can find you in some faraway corner of the world and lift you up to where you belong. Is there anybody here who’s ever been broken? You ought to thank God that there’s a junk man named Jesus.
For Wheeler: It’s the power of God that has and will pull this church through Rev. Lawson’s passing (Genevive Simpson)
For the World: We all lose people close to us, important to us. I remember when my high school basketball coach passed. She was like a second mother to me. She saw things in me I didn’t see in myself. I remember being crushed when I got the news she died. But my former teammates reminded me that she still lives as long as we continue taking those lessons she taught us. That’s spiritual to me. That’s what Rev. Warnock’s words meant to me. (Florinda Bishop)
What next: Proceed
Warnock: Moses assistant said, “My servant Moses is dead.” Period. “Now proceed.” Moses dead. Pause. Now proceed. There’s not even another sense between “dead” and “proceed.” Seem like he could have put another sentence or two, a paragraph. I think there’s a lesson in that. He said he’s dead. Pause. What do you do? I’ll proceed because the best way to honor your hero is to move on in the name of the Lord who is the header of every hero… Man and woman go and leave the earth. But there is but one God who was God yesterday, today and forever. The same God of Martin Luther King Jr. is the same God of Raphael Warnock. The same God of William Lawson is the same God of Marcus Cosby. And eyes have not seen, nor ears have heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who believe. Now proceed.
For Wheeler: Though Rev. Lawson has gone on to be with the Lord, God is not dead, and neither is Wheeler. (La’Von Raye)
For the World: We each got a job to do. Nobody can do it for us. Let’s get to work. (Jeremiah Simpson)
You are Not Your Predesesor: Be You
Warnock mentioned that as pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, the church pastored by MLK, that he’s been asked the same question by reporters countless times and in different ways for years. But they have all been essentially asking, “How do you plan to follow in MLK’s footsteps?” Warnock’s response: I’m not trying to put on his shoes. “My name ain’t Martin. My name is Raphael, and God’s got something for me to do. I just want to stand on the shoulders of those who have prepared the way. And the best way to pay tribute to them is to do my own work in my own time.
For Wheeler: We can’t expect Pastor Cosby to be Pastor Lawson. They two different people. Let Pastor Cosby do what God called Pastor Cosby to do. (Gladys Phillips)
For the World: Man, the word right there. Every Black person on the planet, every Black organization on this earth needed to hear that. (Hinton Mackey)
God Doesn’t Promise a Lack of Challenges: Have Confidence in God’s Power
Warnock: Confident in God’s power. That’s what we need in this moment. 1962; tough time. Sixty-two years ago, Black folk were struggling. 1962, that’s before the Civil Rights Act was passed. That’s before the Voting Rights Act was passed. The folk who started this church didn’t even have a voting rights law. They were in Jim Crow segregation. They had no right, no real access to the franchise and yet they stepped out on faith and started this church. And this church changed Houston and changed the world. You mean tell me that your mamas and your daddies and your aunties and your uncles started this church and that William Lawson invited Martin Luther King Jr. to this church and he stood with him in the struggle. You mean to tell me that they had the courage to do that and just because we’re going through a few things now, and you don’t agree with this or don’t agree with that, that you’re so deep that you’re not going to vote? Child, sit down. You’ve got to be kidding me. You mean, you’re not going to show up. Don’t you know that half of life is showing up? When you’re mad, show up. When you’re glad, show up. When you’re confused, show up. When you’re not sure, show up. But by all means, show up. Say, “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” That’s what courage looks like. It don’t take no courage to stay home… With that courage you can go anywhere.
For Wheeler: In the words of Kendrick, Wheeler, “We gon be alright” (Gerald Lowry)
For the World: Vote, Black people. Vote! There’s too much on the line. (Adrianne Walker)
