Last week Billy Joe Daugherty died. He was a well known Minister for one of largest churches in Tulsa, the Victory Christian Center. My encounter with him was over 20 years ago and is a part of this story.
20 years ago Carol and I were members of the largest church of Christ in Oklahoma. I was a deacon there and had organized a men's leadership class that met once a month on a Tuesday night. I patterned the class after Leadership Tulsa (of which I was an Alumni) and about 40 men attended. Each month we would have a one hour presentation followed by one hour of discussion. One month was on education and the speaker would be the Superintendent of Tulsa Schools. Another month was on the needy/homeless and one of the police officer member of our church would give us a talk followed by a bus trip to the housing projects and the places where the homeless slept.
I had one month where I invited Billy Joe of an Assembly of God background to speak and to be followed by a church of Christ Minister of a large local church named Terry. I gave both men the topic, "Religion and the Brotherhood" and told them that they could take it anywhere they were led. each was paid a $100.00 dollar honorarium. I thought that the result would be clear. After all Terry was one of "our" brotherhood and Billy Joe was of another denomination and of differing beliefs. To the surprise of everyone their talks were extremely similar in that they were both reading the same current books and thought about this subject in a way that was both enlightening and connecting. They both centered their comments on the need to reach out to those without Jesus and not spend our time in competition for those who already believe. It was an electric moment, a mountaintop experience.
The Tulsa World newspaper chose to cover the event and the following Sunday produced an almost Full page story lead on one of the sections of the paper. They interviewed me, Billy Joe and Terry. Cool right?
Here is the rest of the story. The following Tuesday, I get a call from Terry. He was catching all kinds of flack from the "Brotherhood" because of the implication that "somehow we were brothers with the likes of Billy Joe". Other churches had cancelled some of terry's speaking engagements and he was not happy. He said to me, "Mike, why did you have to put it in the paper?"
Later that month I received phone calls (at my work) from "Brotherhood" ministers from Alabama, Texas, and Arkansas challenging our right to have such a class. Of course, by this time, the class time in their story was Sunday Morning worship. Marvin Phillips (our church's minister) and I where "written up" in some conservative paper called "Contending For The Faith" and the story got bigger and condemned us in so many words.
How did it affect Billy Joe. He sent a nice letter praising the class and thanking us for the opportunity to share as brothers in Christ. He then called an invited Marvin and I to attend a leaders meeting at hid church and for Marvin to give a talk. They met on a Monday night and instead of 40, there were 400. Billy Joe talked and led worship for about 45 minutes and then introduced Marvin and telling the group about our church and the wonderful things we were doing. Marvin was well received and after his speech was over, Billy Joe asked that a love offering be taken for our church. He gave us about $800.00.
I met Billy Joe one time after that and he remembered and talked the experience with us.
I ask you in light of the subject, "Religion and the Brotherhood". Who was my brother in this story?
I have always been fond of Billy Joe Daugherty and his spirit and his intent. He will be missed.
We, Christians, struggle way too much trying to decide who is "worth" our fellowship. I don't have time for that. God gets to make that decision.
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