Excuse me, but did you ask me if I had ever been on Broadway? Well, yes, as a matter of fact I have. I have walked on Broadway, and I saw “Phantom of the Opera” there. I have never performed “on” Broadway, but last week I did perform “at” Broadway. That was not in New York City but in Rainsville, Alabama. It was not at a Broadway theater, but at a Broadway Baptist Church.
I spent the first 20 years of my life attending Broadway Baptist Church. I started going to church there nine months prior to my birth and, with the exception of a short period of time, did so until I married and moved away. Many firsts in my life happened at that church. Rev. A.J. Hodgins was my first pastor. My mother taught me one of my early life lessons after I had gone forward in middle of pastor Hodgin’s morning sermon. No, I did not go forward to make a Christian commitment. I went forward to ask the pastor if I might have a drink of his water from the pitcher on the side of the pulpit. I honestly don’t remember if he gave me a drink or not, but I do remember that mother gave me something when we got home. It was a long time after that before I ever went forward in a worship service again, and for an entirely different reason.
It was there that I learned the Ten Commandments. Mama taught me several of them the Sunday my friend Farron and I decided to use our Sunday school offering for a Coke and a candy bar from the Esso station next door to the church. She taught me to remember the Lord’s Day and keep it holy: thou shalt not steal, and thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor Farron. I was also found guilty of coveting my neighbor’s house, because I wanted to live there after we got home to mine!
It was at Broadway that I professed my faith in Christ and was baptized. Rev. Jim Griffin was the pastor then. I played guitar in church for the first time there and sang “Get High on Jesus” and “Amazing Grace” to the tune of “House of the Rising Sun.” I was asked to play guitar with our youth choir. I’m not sure if that was because my playing was that good or if my singing was that bad.
When Rev. Nolan Ford was pastor there, the church licensed and ordained me as a minister of the gospel. Pastor Ford gave me the opportunity to deliver several of my “first and worst” sermons. He became my mentor in my early days of ministry. Jean and I were wed at Broadway, by Pastor Ford and my brother, Briggs. I was invited back to Broadway numerous times while Dr. Kevin McCreless was pastor there do various things such a revival, a January Bible study and to play and sing.
I had never been back to do a program of my stories and songs as Bro. Billy Bob until last week. I was scheduled to come in 2020, but instead Covid came in my place. Then it was heart surgery that kept me away for a while, but then finally, last week came and so did Billy Bob. It was so great to see so many old friends that I didn’t recognize! Oddly, they didn’t all look like they did way back when, but then, neither do I.
It’s always good to be back in Rainsville and especially to be back at Broadway!
Bill King can be reached at bkpreach@yahoo.com or 334-728-5514 (office).
