“In Luke, Chapter 12, Jesus made a statement to some of his critics,” said the Rev. Douglas Parham, president of the Clergy Coalition and pastor of the Community Church of God in Black Jack, Mo.
“He said that you can discern the wind and sky, but you cannot discern the time.”
For Parham, this means every generation must be aware of what’s happening in its own time.
“I think it’s very important that we observe what’s happening and be aware of what’s happening and the meaning of what is happening,” Parham said.
“What’s happening” now in St. Louis, in Parham’s eyes, is the city’s first African-American fire chief, Sherman George, has been demoted and demeaned by Mayor Francis G. Slay for standing on principle.
“Chief George was not demoted because of insubordination,” Parham said.
“He was demoted because he stood for a principle and because he had the courage to stand on behalf of his community – and courage is not really permitted in St. Louis in this day and time.”
In his response to George, Parham said, the mayor disregarded and disrespected the black community – which demanded a response from that community.
“I believe that, as a pastor, I have responsibilities that go beyond the sanctuary,” Parham said.
“We have to look at the responsibility of ministry as extending out to the community at large.”
A native of northern California, it was a job that transplanted him to St. Louis nearly 40 years ago. Parham was called to the ministry relatively late in life. He had already worked in corporate America for more than 30 years before becoming a pastor in 1988.
“Coming into the ministry is different, probably, for every called minister,” Parham said.
“I never had a spectacular epiphany, but I did have a turbulence of spirit. After taking some time to pray it out and discuss it with my own pastor, I understood that it was the call of God to minister.”
He says that one of the primary focuses of the Community Church of God is youth development.
“I believe that the minds of youth today are a battleground,” Parham said. “The church has to fight for the protection of Christian values among our youth.”
He says that young people are subjected to very many snares and temptations, and many youth lack adequate parenting.
“Children are entitled to a mother and a father, but they don’t always get it,” Parham said.
“But the word of God says that ‘He is a father to the fatherless and a mother to the motherless.’ I believe that is a mandate to the church – the church is expected to meet that particular challenge.”
But just as eager as Parham was to discuss his church’s mission to save its youth, he was fervent about the demotion of Sherman George and Mayor Slay’s failure to offer the city leadership.
“I think that we should be up in arms and we should be very alarmed about what has happened,” Parham said.
“Rather than demonstrate effective leadership, the mayor chose to bully the black community.”