This is the on preaching podcast with H.B. Charles Jr.

The podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better.

Good day and thanks for listening to the podcast.

In this episode, I want to give a tribute to the late Reverend Dr. John A. Reed, Jr.

Dr. Reed went home to be with the Lord last week.

Before his death, he had served the Fairview Missionary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City for more than six decades.

Yes, I said that for more than 60 years.

He is a towering and landmark figure in the greater Oklahoma City community.

He was the lead of the Baptist Minister's Conference locally. He was the lead of the concerned clergy organization of Oklahoma City and surrounding area.

He served as the state convention president

for the National Baptist work there in Oklahoma.

He was one of the vice presidents

of the National Baptist Convention, USA Incorporated.

He invested in young ministers, young preachers, myself included.

And I just wanted to take a few moments to say a little bit about how my life has been marked by Pastor John Reed.

My story goes almost as far back as my birth.

Dr. John Reed served in my mother's hometown of Oklahoma City, and he was dear friends with my father.

And so just our visits regularly in my early days to Oklahoma City put me in his orbit.

I don't basically remember a period not knowing Pastor Reed.

As I mentioned, he was dear friends with my father. My father affectionately called him

buddy. And at a certain point, they started preaching for each other every year. My father had a

annual homecoming week of services that had to kick off the second Sunday in June

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