Archbishop LeRoy Bailey Jr.
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| LeRoy Bailey Jr. | |
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 Archbishop LeRoy Bailey |
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| Born | April 25, 1946 Memphis, Tennessee USA |
| Occupation | Author Pastor |
| Spouse(s) | Reverend "Mother" Reathie Brown Bailey |
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Influenced
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Archbishop LeRoy Bailey Jr. is a pastor, author and Memphis, Tennessee native. He serves as the senior pastor of The First Cathedral, a megachurch in Bloomfield, Connecticut. His accomplishments have led him to being adopted as a paternal figure for several pastors and bishops.
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[edit] Early life
LeRoy Bailey Jr.’s was born April 25th 1946, the second of three children from the union of LeRoy Bailey Sr and Mrs. Vernada Breathett-Bailey. LeRoy Bailey Sr. was a steel technician and often traveled. Mrs. Bailey served as a secretary and organist at the Golden Leaf Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis Tennessee.[1] After the birth of their second daughter, around LeRoy's 4th Birthday, the marital union dissolved. Despite this turmoil, LeRoy, Jr. received Jesus Christ at the age of seven.
Reverend Leander A. Hamblin, the pastor of Golden Leaf Baptist Church having heard of LeRoy's mother's struggle after the divorce, arranged for live with him on weekends in his household. The rest of the week LeRoy Lived with his mother and grandmother [2] L. A Hamblin and his wife, having no biological children of their own, acted as parental figures for the remainder of his childhood and into his young adulthood.
Hamblin is considered by Bailey to be one of the few men who influenced his ministry. Bailey feels that as a result of Hamblin's kindness in adopting him as his son, he can adopt other men and women to become his children.
It was during the period of Hamblin' tutorship and mentorship that LeRoy grew spiritually. As he grew, LeRoy felt urged by The Holy Spirit to become a minister. He recognized this calling as a message from God. In early 1956, began to observe services from the pulpit of the church with L.A. Hamblin, He often given the responsibility to recite The 23rd Psalm or The Lord's Prayer during the service. His growth spiritual growth was made public in preaching preaching at Hamblins' Church. His first sermon was delivered June 18th 1956, at the age of ten, His text was Luke 33:34
34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
After delivering this sermon his fame within the City of Memphis grew tremendously. Every preacher in Memphis asked him to preach at their church[3] One of the sermons delivered at a Memphis church was entitled "Going into all the world" it was based on the The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)[4]:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
His spiritual growth and popularity earned him the right to tour with L.A. Hamblin, traveling across the United States preaching and teaching at several conferences. One of these events included the opportunity to preach to more than 5,000 people in Oakland, California as part of a youth rally and at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan at the time pastored by the late Clarence LaVaughn Franklin, a Civil Rights Activist in the city.
When LeRoy was not traveling, become a veteran of the evangelical circuit, he attended Melrose High School in Memphis Tennessee. He was also promoted to assistant pastor. [5]
[edit] Enter: The First Cathedral
In 1971, [6] Leroy Bailey was called to be the second pastor of the 1st Baptist Church, which at the time was located in Hartford, Connecticut. At the time of his arrival there were approxiamately 60 members.
[edit] LeRoy's vision and teaching
LeRoys' arrival brought new revolutionary teaching to the members of 1st Baptist Church . In fact, his first sermon preached was entitled "What in the world are you waiting for?", It was a sermon that began his push for growth in the church.
LeRoy established in his primary years at the church, his goals and objectives through sermons. One of these sermons, preached in 1974, was entitled "Going First Class", which was centered on the biblical passage Jeremiah 29:11:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"
- Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
LeRoy shared with the people in this sermon that was more to life then what they had experienced in the past and that he was determined to lead them into that lifestyle. The ministry grew tremendously. In 1970, LeRoy led the church into a larger facility.
In 1989, LeRoy led the church, now known as The First Baptist Church of Hartford, into a series of stewardship campaigns based on sermons with the themes of faith, equality, obedience and the hope for the future. For example, The third campaign entitled "Rise Up and Build" which raised funds for the construction of the The First Cathedral Edifice was based on; Joshua 22:26-27:
"That is why we said, 'Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.' On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, 'You have no share in the LORD.'
- Joshua 22:26-27
LeRoy allowed the people to contribute to his vision, by hold what he called " dream nights". An opportunity for members to communicate their hopes and aspirations in relation to the future of the ministry
Under LeRoy's Leadership, the church's membership has grown tremendously. As of 2005, the membership numbered over 11,000 [7] makking the cathedral the largest church in the New England Region.
[edit] New programs
As Pastor, LeRoy established programs within the local community, relationships with other missions and missions internationally and transcontinentally.
Local Programs
- First Academy, a Kindergarten through 3rd Grade, Elementary school.
- The Eagles Ministry, a drug-addiction recovery program.
- The New England International School of Ministry, a school of ministry for interested individuals.
- The First Cathedral Bookstore, provides Christian literature for student in the school of ministry.
Ministerial Relationships
- Willow Creek Association
- Churches Covered and Connected in Covenant a forum for church leaders[8].
- Glory Chapel International Cathedral's organization Youth Challenge Internacional which funds missions across The United States Central and South America.
- Bahamas Faith Ministries International the ministry of Dr. Myles Monroe.
Missions
- Missionaries in Kenya, St. Lucia and Trindad and Tobago.
- Nuevo Reto- a mission in Guatemala City.
- Building wells in South East Asia.
In 2001 after celebrating 30 years of pastoring The Rev. Dr. LeRoy Bailey Jr. was consecrated into the Bishopric, becoming known as Bishop LeRoy Bailey Jr.
In 2003, he authored the book A Solid Foundation: Building Your Life from the Ground Up.
In the year 2006, Bishop LeRoy Bailey was appointed Archbishop after the suggestion of Archbishop Ranier Laufers, the chief consecrator at his 2001 elevation. Bucking the general trend of individuals in his position as an Archbishop, Bailey continues to actively pastor The First Cathedral.
[edit] Personal life
In 1970, Dr. LeRoy Bailey married the former Reathie Brown. He is the father of three children Reva Nelva Bailey, LeRoy Bailey III, and Michael David Bailey. As of January 13th 2008 all members of Baileys' family were ordained as ministers.
[edit] Education
- Bachelor of Arts from American Baptist College, Memphis, TN
- Master of Divinity from Howard University, Washington, DC
- Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Tennessee Baptist School of Religion, Nashville, TN.
- Doctor of Ministry from Hartford Seminary, Hartford, Connecticut
- Honorary Doctorate Degree from Biblical Life College and Seminary, Marshville, Missouri.
- Honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from The New England International School of Ministry, Marshville, Missouri
[edit] Honorable positions
Membership Positions Held:
- Churches United in Global Mission (CUGM)
- Founding Member of Pastors in Covenant (PIC)
- Inducted member of Martin Luther King, Jr., International Board of Preachers at Morehouse College
- Member-American Leadership Forum (ALF)
- Member- Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance
- Past President and Member: Connecticut Missionary Baptist Convention
Leadership Positions Held:
- Corporator- Hartford Seminary
- Director- First Baptist Housing Development Corporation
- Chaplin- Hartford Police Department
- Prelate - Churches Covered and Connected in Covenant (C-4)
- Co-Founder of Connecticut Coalition of Churches (CCC)
- Overseer of the International Bishops Conference (IBC) USA
- Co-Adjutor of the International Bishops Conference with jurisdiction in the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean Regions
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ New York Times- A Megachurch Takes Shape in Bloomfield. Bill Ryan. December 13, 1998.
- ^ Archbishop LeRoy Bailey Jr. Make me Bigger. The First Cathedral.2007
- ^ The Hartford Courant-Moving the Flock-New Chapter for Pastor and Church. Gerald Renner.1998.
- ^ 2007 Biography of Archbishop LeRoy Bailey Jr. (an unofficial publication)
- ^ Archbishop LeRoy Bailey Jr. God is More than Enough. The First Cathedral.2005
- ^ The First Cathedral. The First Cathedral--Visitors’ Handbook. Bloomfield: TFC, 1999.
- ^ The First Cathedral. The First Cathedral--Visitors’ Handbook. Bloomfield: TFC, 1999.
- ^ Churches Covered and Connected in Covenant (C-4) official website
