One of the city’s most prominent faith organizations, the Baptist Ministers Foresight Alliance of Greater Indianapolis and Vicinity, has chosen its next leader.
Rev. Douglas Tate Jr., pastor of Psalms Missionary Baptist Church, will be officially installed as president of the organization during its next meeting on Jan. 1 at 7 p.m.
During a meeting earlier this month, Tate was unanimously elected to a two-year term to lead the organization, which includes Baptist pastors from about 30 congregations.
Tate said he is “humbled and excited” by the opportunity to serve.
“I have a heart for the office, because I was somewhat raised on the Foresight Alliance and it has done so much for me. Now, I want to make sure it is around for young ministers of the future.”
Next year will mark the 70th anniversary of the Baptist Ministers Foresight Alliance (BMFA), which was established by Rev. Ray Beverly.
Originally, the BMFA was created as an offshoot of the Baptist Ministers Alliance (BMA) of Indianapolis. BMA meetings were held on Mondays when many fulltime pastors are officially off.
However, bi-vocational ministers, or those who led churches and worked regular jobs, could not participate in those Monday meetings. They formed a new organization, the BMFA, which would allow them to hold meetings during the evening after work.
“We are often called the ‘night alliance,’” said Rev. Melvin Jackson, pastor of Christian Love Missionary Baptist Church and outgoing president of the alliance.
Although well respected as a minister, Tate is also known throughout the community as a successful barber, and along with his father Douglas Tate Sr., has operated Tate’s Barber Shop at 2343 W. 10th St.
Tate’s father also has worked as both a barber and a minister. After initially ignoring the call to ministry, the younger Tate became a preacher while in his 20s in 1985. He has been pastor of Psalms Missionary Baptist Church for 12 years.
Tate admitted that overseeing a church while also maintaining his business can sometimes be a challenge, but that God has given him “the grace and vision” to be able to balance both. Still, Tate plans to retire from barbering in early 2015 after 35 years to focus on ministry fulltime.
As far as the BMFA is concerned, Tate said he would like to “revive the fellowship” among pastors in the organization, provide ministerial training programs and strengthen community partnerships.
He is particularly interested in encouraging ministers in the alliance and men who are members of their churches to serve as mentors in local schools.
“We have many teens in this community who need good role models to come alongside them,” Tate said.
Jackson, who first served two-terms as president beginning in the 1990s, was elected again in 2012 to stabilize the organization. He said his proudest accomplishments include enhancing the BMFA’s preaching development program and strengthening unity.
“We have maintained a commitment to love the brethren as well as the people of the community,” Jackson said. “We want to continue to develop ministers in the basic principles of Jesus Christ, as well as preaching, because there’s a lot that goes into propagating a message. Every preacher is not called to pastor, but every pastor must be a called preacher.”
Jackson added that he believes the group will be in good hands under Tate’s leadership.
“He is a good theologian and a great man of God,” Jackson stated.
