James Earl Massey to Receive High Honor

February 3, 2012

By Carl Stagner

Dr. James Earl Massey has been selected to be honored at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference on Wednesday, February 8, in Chicago, Illinois. Massey will be one of five “Beautiful Are the Feet” honorees, chosen for a lifetime of faithful service to the kingdom of God and social justice.

The prestigious honor, presented by the interdenominational organization based in Chicago, is awarded to pastors involved in ministries that exemplify the message of Isaiah 61:1–2, “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn…” (NIV1984).

Massey reflects, “I’m grateful for their kindness. I never feel as if I have earned anything. I’m just grateful that they recognize what the Lord has done…what the Lord has allowed me to do. It gives me a great deal of joy to watch what the Lord is doing.”

Over his lifetime of ministry, Massey has served numerous roles, including pastor, theological educator, scholar, and musician. He credits divine guidance for all he has accomplished. “My own hope is that persons will see through my life the blessing of being guided by the Lord. I want that to be the hallmark of what people see as they watch my life—being obedient to his call and watching his work as he directs. That’s very real to me, and I hope it will be real to other people as well.”

Dr. James Earl Massey is dean emeritus of Anderson University School of Theology in Anderson, Indiana, and former speaker for the CBH radio ministry.