Bishop T. Garrott Benjamin "The City's Pastor" 40th Pastoral Anniversary!

Bishop T. Garrott Benjamin

The Past…where vision was birthed in this Man of God. The Present...Pastor and Community Activist, bringing social awareness with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. The Future...imparting wisdom and knowledge to a generation and building a legacy for the future to stand!

This was not like any other interview that I had done before. I knew that this was something special, something that I was going to remember for a life time. As I entered the building and I began to look around, my eyes were drawn to all of the articles and accolades that covered the walls along the hallway. I continued walking to the conference room to speak with Bishop T. Garrott Benjamin, Jr., a Man of God, full of Wisdom and Knowledge, and lovingly referred to as "The City’s Pastor." Bishop Benjamin has labored over 40 years in the city of Indianapolis, IN, and has been a consistent voice dedicated to bringing to light the facts on subjects ranging from politics to healthcare issues. Bishop Benjamin is there with a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other making it plain.

I asked Bishop Benjamin how it all began. He shared that the move to pastor the then Second Christian Church was not an intentional one, but even as a student pastor, God was inspiring, birthing and preparing a visionary pastor for Indianapolis, and the world. Bishop Benjamin recounted the beginning of his journey at 29th and Kenwood, as senior Pastor of the second oldest African American church in Indianapolis. First on his agenda was to diversify the church, which was then known as a "sophisticated" church, from a church where only teachers and principals attended, to a church where people with Ph.D's and G.E.D.'s worshipped the same God together. Preaching his first sermon entitled, "Under New Management," the tone was set. The congregation outgrew that location, and in several years after renovating the church, it was time to move. The church then relocated to 38th street and remained there for 20 years. God then began to speak to Bishop Benjamin, and he was led to build and develop a place that spoke to the needs of the people. His vision was a campus;  a place to worship that impacts people from the cradle to the grave.

With this vision, "The City Upon A Hill" was born. Now in Phase One, Light of the World Church is steadily moving forward to fill the needs of the community and to serve the people. The church has a common spirit "to help a Brutha out," with members realizing that it's not always about your hands up, but being willing to extend a hand out.

Bishop Benjamin has been blessed to be a part of a congregation of people and to serve 40 years in the same church, something that most pastors can only dream about. He is also the "father" of 45 spiritual sons and daughters in the gospel spanning across the country. This speaks volumes to the type of character and quality he exudes, and the legacy he is building for this generation to stand on. Even now, in the midst of his 40th Pastoral Anniversary, Bishop Benjamin is still allowing his footsteps to be ordered by God, and just when you thought he was settling down, he has just enlarged the coast at Light of the World by raising up Joshua.

As we continued to talk, I asked Bishop Benjamin about the three chord strand. He leaned forward and answered confidently, assuredly, and boldly with what the Lord was instructing and saying, that "God is building a strength in the structure of Light of the World Church." With Bishop Benjamin's three chord strand of  "Abraham" (Bishop Benjamin), "Moses" (Dr. Adams, who has been with the ministry for 20 years) and "Joshua" (Pastor M.E. Drane) now in place, Bishop Benjamin believes that the Lord is opening a new chapter in the ministry. With the team in place, "they are set out to stir up the body, to stir up the world, and take back what the enemy has stolen!" Light of the World is positioned to be "the most powerful place on the planet!" Bishop Benjamin went on to quote an excerpt from the poem "Singing of Angels," by Dr. Howard Thurman saying, "A crown is placed over our heads that for the rest of our lives we are trying to grow tall enough to wear," in other words, Light of The World Christian Church is not bragging, they are just putting the crown over their heads!

As we reflect on and celebrate the 40th Pastoral Anniversary of Bishop and his lovely wife, Lady Beverly Benjamin, all are invited to join in the celebration October 11-18, 2009. For more information on this celebration call 317-254-5922, or visit www.lightoftheworld.org.