The new pastor of New Mount Olive Baptist Church is using his voice--his trained, tenor singing voice--to wow his new congregation.
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"Oh, he can sing!" exclaimed Rosa Thornton, a longtime church member. "He can preach, too. He's got it all in one package. But Lord, he can sing."
The Rev. Marcus Davidson, 34, is ushering in a new era at Mount Olive. Congregants describe him as a progressive thinker who reaches them with a methodical heart-and-head approach. He incorporates the call-and-response tradition of African-American culture.
On March 21 he will be formally installed as the 12th pastor of 91-year-old New Mount Olive Baptist Church on Northwest Ninth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. His father, the Rev. Green Davidson, will be there to perform the 4 p.m. ceremony.
Davison replaces the legendary Rev. Dr. Mack King Carter, who served as senior pastor of Mount Olive for 28 years until he retired last year. Carter wrote books, had a television ministry and was renowned for his intellect.
"It's humbling to follow such an astute biblical scholar," Davidson said. "He has embraced me."
Davidson preached his first sermon at 16 at his father's church in Leighton, Ala.
"Interestingly enough, I was 9 years old when I was called to preach," said Davidson. "When I told my father, he said, 'You need to go and pray.' At 16, I told my dad again about the calling. I told him I need to do it.
"But I agonized with it because I was so young," Davidson recalled. At first he thought he'd have to give up fun things like going to the prom. Finally, "I had to accept what the Lord was doing."
That first sermon 18 years ago was "a life-changing experience" for this son of a preacher.
Davidson has worked hard since his calling. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Alabama A&M, where he sang in the gospel choir. He has two master's degrees in biblical studies and is working on a doctorate from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He is the assistant treasurer of the National Baptist Convention USA.
He was the pastor of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Courtland, Ala., when a friend told him about the opening at Mount Olive. He had been at Pleasant Grove since 1999.
While his career has led him to this 10,000-plus-member church, Davidson almost didn't accept the post. Pestered by calls from telemarketers, he had a habit of lifting his phone receiver and hanging up without speaking.
When the search committee called, Davidson contemplated not answering, but something changed his mind. "The spirit of God said, 'Say hello.'" He was offered the job, beating out four other finalists, after the five took turns preaching Sunday sermons at Mount Olive.
Since he was hired in January, Davidson has impressed church members with his sermons, biblical knowledge and, of course, his singing. He is getting up to 800 people at Wednesday night Bible study, more than double the number who used to attend.
"He has an aura about him that's intriguing," said Dorsey Miller, a member who is a close friend of Carter, the retired minister. "He's drawing big crowds, younger crowds."
After Carter retired, Miller considered joining another church, but after Davidson's first two months, Miller decided to stay.
"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "He's concerned about the community and what the church can do to help the community...I am extremely happy God sent him to us."
Davidson, who is married and has a 4-year-old daughter, said he is looking forward to making his presence known in Fort Lauderdale.
"I want to work with the community, not as a pastor but on boards, working with young people. I've already met with the superintendent [of schools James Notter]."
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SOURCE: Sun Sentinel
Gregory Lewis
