Smith and Macedonia Church enjoy fruitful history

By 1972, Eddie D. Smith Sr., was already a veteran school teacher and media specialist in Macon-Bibb County schools.

But in the summer of 1972, Macedonia Church was in need of leadership and the congregation asked him to become their pastor. He answered the call and has led the 124-year-old congregation for the last 45 years. At 71, Smith said the idea of retiring has crossed his mind but its never stuck.

He said when he first said yes to God and to Macedonia’s call to preach, he did so in a sermon titled “I AM Sent Me.”

“I took it from a Bible passage in Exodus,” Smith said. “It’s when God called Moses to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt. Moses asked God, ‘How will they know I’m supposed to lead them? Why should they listen to me?’ And God told Moses to tell them, ‘I AM sent me.’ I AM is God’s name. Moses was called by God. I know a lot of seminarians these days say there’s no such thing as a divine calling to preach or lead God’s people, but I don’t agree. If you check the Bible you’ll see God does call people and anoints them to fulfill their task. I have the Bible and 45 years of serving God to argue differently from anyone saying he doesn’t divinely call people today.”

As a leader, Smith has served both the community and the church. In the community, he was a Macon City Councilman from 1975 to 1978 and on the Bibb County Board of Education for two terms. He also served as a United Way board member and with the American Cancer Society. In addition, he’s played a role with Macon’s police and firefighter disciplinary hearing board.

Church records say Smith’s accomplishments at Macedonia include establishing an audio-video ministry with television, radio and internet outreaches; led the church to adopt what Smith calls the biblical method for financing church expansion by only using tithes and offerings; implemented a small group model of church organization called Family Life Ministry; licensed and ordained 37 ministers and deacons; and in 1998, positioned Macedonia in its 600 Eisenhower Parkway location.

In 2015, Smith was honored with the Gardner C. Taylor Preaching Award by the Morehouse School of Religion, Atlanta.

“When I came to Macedonia Church they had significant debt,” Smith said. “We were able to pay it off in five years and six months. “This building and property on Eisenhower that originally belonged to Mable White Memorial Baptist Church was paid off early in two and a half years.”

Does Smith consider himself a visionary?

“I’d like to think so,” he said, “but really it’s just doing things daily to lead God’s people.

One way I would describe leadership is getting people to move from areas they’re used to into areas they’re not used to — leading away from traditions that aren’t useful to new ways that are. You can’t stagnate, you have to remain relevant.”

Church historical records show it was in July of 1893 that Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church was organized under the pastorate of R.B. Williams. It was located in Murray’s Alley and had 10 members. Since then, the church has met and worshiped in other locations such as on Poplar Street, Sixth Street, and by 1901, on Hazel Street with 200 members. In 1932, that facility was severely damaged in a storm and torn down making way for a new one.

Records show the congregation experienced growth from 1948 to 1970 under the leadership of Ellis S. Evans making another relocation necessary. It was to four-acres on Anthony Road, the site of the old Wheatley School. Ellis resigned in 1970 leaving the church without a pastor until 1972 when Smith came.

“We moved into this facility on Eisenhower in May of 1999,” Smith said. “We were looking at building a new sanctuary on Anthony but decided it was better to purchase this building. It made us more visible. We’ve made our own additions and renovations through the years and now have a seating space of about 1,000.”

In the building and the community, Macedonia has numerous ministries from men’s, women’s and children’s ministries to media, music and arts ministries to education, hospitality and missions efforts. The church encourages its young people to pursue higher education through the Pamela D. Clayton Scholarship program.

“Jesus left a mandate and we want to take it seriously, keep it at the top of the list” Smith said. “As leader, I have to keep that mission from getting bogged down or even lost.”

Smith said he sees good years ahead for Macedonia Church and his own ministry as well. “I think the Lord still has some lemon juice in this lemon,” he said. “I still enjoy preaching and I love people. I’ve always been a teacher at heart and there are few things better than seeing the light go on when somebody ‘gets it.’ I have a vision to continue doing something about this community in terms of building it up. Some here never imagine things being better but I’d like to encourage hearts that things can be better. People can rise up and not stay in a downtrodden state.”

To Smith, that includes recognizing a God-given dignity in all people. “I guess about 20 years ago I came across a Hindu term, a word for greeting that I liked and started using,” he said. “It’s Namaste. It means something like the divinity in me salutes the divinity in you, but I gave it a Christian twist. All humankind was created by God. He breathed in man and man became a living soul. In that light, everybody has been born with a God-compartment and when I greet you, I want you to rest assured I will not say anything detrimental about you or do anything destructive to you. I think if we each do that in our little corner of the world the whole world will be a better place.”

This story was originally published August 16, 2017 at 11:06 AM with the headline "Smith and Macedonia Church enjoy fruitful history."