A house RESOLUTION

 

TO HONOR BISHOP Joseph Parks Sr. FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS IN GOSPEL MINISTRY; TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE TO HIS CHURCH, THE COMMUNITY, AND OUR STATE; AND TO WISH HIM GOD'S RICHEST BLESSINGS AS HE CONTINUES TO SERVE THE LORD.

 

Whereas, it is entirely appropriate to celebrate those individuals who give tirelessly of themselves to nurture the souls of men. Bishop Joseph Parks Sr. stands among their number as an outstanding minister of the gospel, one much admired by colleagues, congregations, and area residents at large; and

 

Whereas, Bishop Joseph Parks Sr. has been a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ for over forty years. In addition to serving at the Grace Community Baptist Church of Spartanburg, he is also president of Dothan School of Ministry and Church Leadership Institute. Having been trained in counseling, arbitration, and other disciplines and having been awarded a doctoral degree in strategic leadership, he is now serving as president of the National Employment Counseling Association, an affiliate of the American Counseling Association. He is a motivational speaker, counselor, and a certified church consultant and trainer who conducts workshops on church arbitration, Christian education, and the future of the black man in America; and

 

Whereas, academically prepared for the work of ministry, Dr. Parks is well trained with a Master of Divinity from the Virginia Union University and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology. Bishop Parks serves as an intentional interim, spiritual overseer, and consultant for five different congregations in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Maryland. As an intentional interim and pastor, he guides churches through their periods without a pastor and trains churches for Christian service; and

 

Whereas, all these activities have been demonstrated through his work with such churches as Reeder Memorial of Charlotte, North Carolina, Elm Grove of Reidsville, North Carolina, Connexion Point Church of Baltimore, Maryland, Emmanuel Baptist Church of Thomasville, North Carolina, and now Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina, to name only a few. In each of these situations, he has been attributed with "setting in order the things that are wanting" to smooth the transition for, and the acclimation to, a new senior pastor and to strengthen the household of faith for service through individual Christian growth; and

 

Whereas, on the national level, he served in official capacities in the Southern Baptist Convention, National Baptist Congress, and National Baptist Convention. He is also active with many other city, state, and national civic and religious organizations, including the Spartanburg Clergy Initiative and the National Clergy Initiative (a consortium of more than ninety-three various faith institutions and denominations), which he serves as director. On a global level, he serves on the board of directors of Global Missions, an ecumenical mission institute that provides aid to hospitals and schools abroad. Having traveled quite extensively throughout the United States and many other countries, including El Salvador, South Korea, Grenada, Germany, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and Israel, he has preached at the Religious and Government Forum sponsored by the United Nations Faith Institute for the sole purpose of preaching and sharing the gospel; and

 

Whereas. Dr. Parks and his wife, Evelyn, have been married for thirty-four years. As a husband, proud father, and doting grandfather, he considers himself richly blessed to have a wonderful family. With all he is involved in, he is, most of all, a willing servant of the Lord to preach His powerful gospel, and he is humbled that God would still consider him a worthy vessel. As a persevering minister who truly loves people, he simply wants to be known as a friend of God and a messenger for Christ; and

 

Whereas, because of his many years of spiritual nourishment of the people of South Carolina, Bishop Parks is due grateful thanks and best wishes as he continues to run the race the Lord has set before him. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, honor Bishop Joseph Parks Sr. for his faithfulness in gospel ministry; thank him for his service to his church, the community, and our State; and wish him God's richest blessings as he continues to serve the Lord.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Bishop Joseph Parks Sr.

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