Rev. Dr. Paul Martin 4.30.2016
I am pleased to be here on behalf of American Baptist Churches, USA, for our Interim General Secretary Susan Gillies in Valley Forge and our current President, the Rev. Judy Fackenthal of Indianapolis.
Bulwark Presence
When a person like me stands next to Dr. Paul Martin, he was a bulwark of a presence! Paul was a bulwark—that defensive and sturdy wall against a time of uncertainty. Seven years ago when ABSW was seeking a president who would bring a seminary experiencing uncertain times, Paul was our bulwark, a pastor with more than 50 years of pastoral experience to stabilize the seminary.
In the American Baptist family, Paul was always ready to be that bulwark. He provided able leadership at ABASA, American Baptist Association of Seminary Administrators. He was active in the McKee Consultation appropriately named after William McKee, the first African American to head up MMBB. And when the National Black Caucus suddenly found itself needing a new leader, Dr. Paul Martin was called to lead, a bulwark presence. He stepped up to bring order out of disorder.
In the American Baptist News Service press release, Judge Albert D. Matthews of Los Angeles and formerly President of the ABC Board of Educational Ministries said that Paul “was dedicated. He was warm and friendly. He never met a person he didn’t like. He was loyal to the denomination.” Dr. Martin loved being an American Baptist.
Today and at the other memorial services, the American Baptist family remembers Paul as a bulwark of a presence. Whenever the ABC family gathered, Paul was present. He was at Space for Grace in LA, attended faithfully the Biennial Mission Summits, and Paul was not just present at big events. He took time and often with his dear wife, Agnes to attend small events because he never met a person he didn’t like. Dr. Martin was a close friend of First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco where he would come annually to bring us the Word and at Agnes’ beckoning, go shopping in Chinatown!
For almost 60 years of professional ministries, Paul was a bulwark of a presence among us. Sadly, we still live and work and thrive in a world often fraught with disorder and chaos. While we no longer will have Paul in this life to continue serving as our bulwark, he has taught us what the Psalmist says in chapter 8,
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger (1-2).
Before Paul passed from us, he was writing his first book to be titled, “Decency and Order—A Biblical Perspective of Church Administration.” American Baptists will miss Dr. Paul Martin to serve as a bulwark of a presence in a world and denomination often in disorder and showing very little decency. But he has left a living legacy in each one of us to become bulwarks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!
Rev. Dr. Donald Ng