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Networking for God
Rev. Gaston Smith is a mover and shaker
“The history of African Americans in the
Baptist Movements began on American plantations just before the
Revolutionary War. One of the first African American institutional bases
established during the Revolutionary Era was formed in 1773, when the first
Black Church was organized in Silver Bluff, South Carolina.
“A slave owner, George Galphin permitted the preacher, David George, to be
ordained as the first regular pastor. George became a Christian while in
slavery in Georgia. He displayed superior intellectual abilities and
leadership by teaching himself to read and write with the aid of his
master's children, using the Bible as a primer and text.
It was not long before he helped organize the Silver Bluff Church, and
watched it grow from eight members to thirty in the period just before the
American Revolution. The ex-slaves tied the origins of the Black Church and
its growth and development in the Revolutionary Era into the new quest for
freedom. The church provided the vehicle for individual leadership,
institution-building and community organization. A look at its roots reveals
why it was held onto by the Black Pioneers and Refugees and transplanted
initially in Canada, and later in Africa. Insights into the church as a
communal organization help to explain why it has remained the center of
African American Communities in the United States.”
Fast forward (from the foregoing text excerpted from Dr. Leonard Jeffries,
Jr.’s African Americans Search for Truth and Knowledge), to the 21st Century
and one would find a somewhat different Black Church. And, God forbid, a
much less effective Black Church. Unfortunately, religion has evolved into
an industry. And, like all other industries, the bottom line is profit.
Faith based funding aside, African American News & Issues would be remiss
(as Black America’s uncompromised editorial voice), if we didn’t share the
following excerpt from The Black Church and Current-Day Moral Guidance with
our estimated 2 million readers: According the author, Dr. Willie G. Scott,
PhD: “ In recognizing the historic role of the Black church, there is little
reason to debate whether or not the church is losing its potency as a source
of moral value. That point is a given.
“The more relevant question is how must the Black church, historically the
moral redemption of the Black community, respond.” We suspect, if Rev.
Gaston Smith, a Houston born Renaissance pulpiteer, would respond: “That’s a
good question. And I’m glad you asked?” Then again, Gaston, the youngest of
the highly successful Smith Clan, has such a humble spirit, until he
wouldn’t even bother to talk about the problem. Instead, he would apply his
mother, Dorothy Gilliam Smith’s method of dealing with nettlesome problems
and become a committee of one to start fixing what’s broke, rather than
waste time discussing it. Perhaps that’s how “The Miami-Houston
Connection”), now in its third year, started. For sure, the concept of
fellowship is nothing new, but The Miami-Houston Connection has turned the
tradition into a network for God.
“It just gives my wife, Kim and I an excuse to come home to see our folks,”
Rev. Smith wont to say, tongue-in-cheek. But the Smiley High School/ UH
grad, who has become a mover and shaker in the hotel industry, fully
understands the positive impact networking for God could have on struggling
Black churches that’s badly in need of a “revival.” Then again, the
Miami-Houston connection may, indeed, be unique in its origin. Thus, African
American News & Issues would be remiss not to include a historical timeline
for the annual event. That has grown from two to four churches (and
growing), in only three years. Gaston, the son of Dorothy, a former barber/
entrepreneur and James, who has retired from Southern Pacific Railroad,
surely is loyal to his roots and seldom turns down an invitation to preach
at his home church.
And his visit certainly rejuvenates Dorothy, the Smith matriarch, who raised
four outstanding sons and two lovely and talented daughters, and also
founded the Melody Barber Shop and later a real estate agency in the Scenic
Wood/North Forest/Houston Gardens area. She never doubted that Gaston would
be a preacher, although the business acumen-- that he learned at her knee--
made him such a “mover and shaker” in corporate America, it was unlikely
that he could afford to take a salary cut to become a full time pastor.
Nevertheless, God had other plans for Gaston, who has pastured churches in
Houston, Dallas and is the current pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in
Miami, Florida. Gaston, who was called into the ministry a very young age
(at his home church, Pleasant Hill, BC, 1510 Pannell, in Fifth Ward), had
relocated to Miami to become Director of Operations at the Royal Crowne
Plaza Resort.
Cutting to the chase, God ordered Gaston’s steps to Friendship BC and when
was installed as pastor, his “Father-in the ministry,” Rev. Harvey Clemons,
Jr. and a large contingent of his original church traveled to Miami for
their favorite son’s installation services. Although Gaston never missed
many special events at Pleasant Hill, he raised the bar when he decided to
bring two bus loads of his congregants to Houston. After Pleasant Hill
reciprocated the following year, he again raised the bar and arrived in
Houston for what has become officially the Miami-Houston Connection. Not
only did he bring bus loads of his own church family, was accompanied by
Rev, D.L. Powell, Pastor of New Shiloh BC in Miami; Rev. Arthur Jackson III,
and the Carol City BC family (outside Miami) and Rev. D.L. Powell, Pastor of
Second BC of Richmond Heights, Florida.
To add spice, to the already spirit filled 3-day event (July 9-11, 2004),
Rev. Erick Anderson, Gaston’s childhood friend came in from Dallas to
network with those networking for God. “These are the kinds of events that
should be put on national TV, instead of all of that negative stuff that
they’re filling our people’s heads with,” said Leocadia Hooks, a TSU
Librarian and Coordinator of Special Events at Pleasant Hill. “It’s a strong
testimony to invalidate the allegations that Black people can’t come
together, or that our Black churches aren’t as divided and ineffective as
some want to believe.” Amen, sister Hooks. Amen!
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