Some sad news this week. Denny Denson, longtime pastor of First Missionary Baptist in Franklin, TN, and vocal promoter of racial reconciliation, passed away on Monday following a six month battle with pancreatic cancer. After being involved in the Black Panthers in his youth, he went on to become a pastor, and was someone who served as an example of what living out your faith looked like.
I had the privilege of knowing Denny through my work with Michael Card. Denny was a frequent guest on Mike’s radio program during the time I helped with it, and while Mike was writing A Sacred Sorrow, he taught a small group in a weekly Bible study on the subject. We met in a room at Denny’s church while Denny led another meeting in the next room, and the evening usually ended with conversation with Denny while we reset the room. Denny never failed to speak some words of wisdom to the rest of us.
Denny was an integral part of the Empty Hands Fellowship – along with Michael Card, Steve Green, Scott Roley, and others – a group of friends in Franklin, Tennessee that modeled racial reconciliation and making a difference in your community for many. President Bush talked about the Empty Hands Fellowship and quoted Denny during a speech in Nashville talking about his faith-based initiatives program back in 2003.
Six months ago, just after finding out he had cancer, Denny asked his friend Scott Roley, pastor at Christ Community Church, to let him address his church. Christ Community has the video of Denny’s talk on their website here. Denny concludes his comments by telling them how he wants to be remembered.
If I never stand again in your presence, it does not matter. Because I am like Paul now, I have fought the good fight. I am ready to be offered up. The only thing I ask you to pray for me for is this – that no matter what happens, I will still stand and praise, magnify, and lift the name of the Lord. That’s what I want to do.
What do I want to be remembered as? I want to be remembered as one that even in the midst of storms in my life, I still stood and said, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
Here are a couple other blogs / news stories that talk about Denny:
Kirk Whalum – “The Black Panther who Saved Franklin, Tennessee”
Wayne Shepherd – “Goodbye for Now”
Article in The Tennessean
Article in the Williamson Herald
On a related note, I know Mike Card would appreciate your prayers today. Wayne Shepherd mentioned on his blog that Mike’s mother passed away this week as well, and both her funeral and Denny’s were going to be today.