Belton, Texas 鈥� On Wednesday, February 6, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor hosted a special chapel service featuring two dynamic speakers. First, BerThaddaeus Bailey offered a dramatic delivery of the last speech ever made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Following his stirring performance, Bailey鈥檚 brother, Reverend Bertholomew 鈥淧rophet鈥� Bailey Sr., took the stage with a message of inclusion.
鈥淏rothers and sisters in Christ, we are a family,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淒r. King tells us that what effects one directly, effects all indirectly.鈥�
Bailey examined the Apostle Paul鈥檚 concern about divisive teachings.
鈥淗e knows that bad theology produces wrongful actions,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淏ad ideas produce bad practices.鈥�
Bailey drew a parallel between this intercession by Paul and the efforts of men and women who spoke out against slavery or efforts to block the Civil Rights Movement.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 going to ask today is, who is going to be the 21st century Paul?鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淲ho is going to stand up when wrongs happen? When that family member, that friend, that neighbor, that teammate, or that classmate says something, who is going to stand up for what鈥檚 right?鈥�
Bailey argued that, while believers should all be drawn together into one body, the community of believers does not need to all look or even behave the alike.
鈥淸Christ] died to create the multi-ethnic church,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淭here are distinctions in our unity. Paul isn鈥檛 arguing for a non-distinct church. The beauty in our unity is our diversity.鈥�
鈥淲e are better together, because we are stronger together,鈥� Bailey said.
