Ministry News

Like Father, Like Son

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Tuesday, 21 July 2009 12:02

The son of the late gospel artist and Pentecostal pastor Timothy Wright will take over as pastor of his father's church this week.

David Wright, 31, has been serving as acting pastor of Grace Tabernacle Christian Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., since May 13, but will be officially installed as senior pastor on Wednesday. Church of God in Christ (COGIC) Bishop James Gaylord, who oversees the congregation, will conduct the service.

Wright, a longtime organist at the church, started preaching at the church about a year ago, but said he never considered becoming a pastor. "I felt at peace with [preaching], and it was shocking to me because it was something I wasn't used to doing," Wright said. "I was used to playing organs; that came second nature. When it came to preaching, God just ordered my mouth, and I was cool."

Timothy Wright died in April, nine months after a car accident left him paralyzed from the chest down and killed his wife, Betty, and 14-year-old grandson, D.J. The 61-year-old COGIC minister was known nationally for his music ministry, having released more than a dozen gospel albums, including 1994's Grammy-nominated Come Thou Almighty King.

In the months before his father's death, David Wright said he had been preaching about victory and hoped that his father would recover. "Even while my father was yet in the hospital, I was just preaching victory," he said. "That no matter how things turn out, whether it's good or bad, at the end we have the victory. I was preaching victory for the congregation, but it was really victory for my dad. He's not in any pain any more. He's not suffering or having to deal with being paralyzed. So he has the victory. He's in heaven now."

As pastor, Wright said he has a vision to strengthen the 200-member congregation's youth ministry. "I want to keep the young people involved because the youth of the church is the strength of the church," he said. [charismamag.com, 7/20/09]