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The Rev. Rodney Lackey talks about the black leaders he admires.GAINESVILLE — Antioch Baptist Church has been a pillar of the African-American community for many years, and the Rev. Rodney Lackey Sr. continues to fill that leadership role.
Lackey, who has been at the church almost six years and is a native of Monroe, has seen many changes during his time in Gainesville.
"We’ve experienced some very positive growth," he said. "Spiritual formation and a total remodel and upgrade addition estimated at about $1.2 million. Our membership probably has doubled since I have been here; we are right at 600 (members)."
But Lackey still isn’t satisfied, there are still many developments he is trying to see through.
"Our vision is to totally own this entire block, and we want to do a family life center, day care," Lackey said. "Try to buy as much property in the community and redevelop and bring some affordable housing for low income people."
Longtime Antioch Baptist deacon Royce Stephens said Lackey’s role has been influential in the church and the community.
"He’s a good leader, planner and motivator," Stephens said. "We consider him a dynamic preacher, a leader, educator ... he’s a good God-fearing man."
Lackey lives in Flowery Branch with wife, Sonya, and two sons, Ryan and Rodney Jr.
Stephens added that Lackey seems to have energized church members and motivated their involvement.
"We’ve had Bible teachers and Sunday school teachers certified to teach, which is something that had not been done previously," he said. "We have increased the number of deacons in the church, the number of ministers have increased including men and women."
Ruby Brawner, longtime member of Antioch Baptist, said Lackey, 41, brings a young determination to the church.
"He is strong in what he believes in," she said. "He may be young, but that doesn’t make the church not grow ... we have a lot more programs at the church, the Women of Grace program and the youth program."
And this Sunday, the church’s growing youth ministry will present a special black history program in celebration of the special month. The speaker at Antioch Baptist will be Maurice Riden II, a freshman at Flowery Branch High School. Riden recently spoke at the Newtown Florist Club’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration and won an essay contest about King sponsored by the organization.
"We are excited about that our young people will do various tributes to influential African-Americans," Lackey said. "It gives our youth, as well as our elders, a sense of self-worth that we have contributed to our history and that there is more to our history than just slaves and sharecroppers. There have been some very positive and powerful African-Americans who have contributed tremendously ... it’s important for us to keep that in the forefront as our young people develop."
Stephens, one of the first African-American police officers for Gainesville, agreed that it is important to take a look back at history’s leaders from time to time.
"I think it is important for our young people coming along ... they need to know what the pioneers did," he said. "What sacrifices were made, even sometimes the loss of life to have the privileges that we have and the opportunities that we have now."
Lackey added that there are many African-American leaders that have inspired him, but he cites Martin Luther King Jr. and Howard Thurman as the most influential.
"Howard Thurman was a very well-known, accomplished theologian who really did a lot in the development in what we call liberation theology," Lackey said. "Which teaches that scripturally the Bible is not meant to entrap and enslave people ... we need to break the shackles and the chains of inferiority, and God never intended for us to be inferior and that we are great people."
Lackey added that King also was a great theologian and that "the things that he (King) taught during the (civil rights) movement were based on his strong belief of what Jesus taught."