BLACK HISTORY MONTH
INTERVIEW WITH WALLACE SIBLEY
AND JIMMY CAMPBELL Conducted by JAMES E. COSSEY
COSSEY: First, Dr. Sibley, allow me to con- separated us down through the years. course, H.G. Poitier, who was a great
gratulate you on your election to serve as After the General Assembly, a young man black leader in the Church of God. He
secretary general. Tell us, if you will, about e-mailed me and said, “I believe that there was also the uncle of the actor Sidney
your background in the Church of God. is hope for my grandchildren within the Poitier. I was also greatly impacted by Ray
Church of God.” In my response, I assured H. Hughes Sr. He pushed the Church of
SIBLEY: I was almost born in church. I him that there is a place for people of God toward evangelism, and made a pro-
came here on a Sunday, after my mother color, to just hang in there and be faithful. found impact on my life and ministry.
had been in service that morning. I am a
third-generation Church of God member, COSSEY: This question is for both of you. CAMPBELL: I must say that the man
born into the home of a preaching dea- What leaders in the Church of God have who has most impacted my life is Dr.
con. Mom wasn’t licensed, but she was a most impacted your lives? Wallace Sibley. I was saved later in life
preacher, and my dad was an ordained and called into ministry under his pas-
deacon, back in the day when we had SIBLEY: As you know, I came up under torate. He was my mentor, and he
that rank of lay ministry. mostly black tutelage. Most of those who instilled in me a lot about faithfulness to
impacted me are dead and gone, but God and doing my very best. I have
COSSEY: When did you begin your ministry? worthy of remembrance. I think about watched his life and tried to model my
Raymond Campbell, T.J. Myers, and of life and ministry after his.
SIBLEY: I was called to preach at age 21
at my home church in St. Marys, Georgia,
and set forth there for my credentials. I
later pastored my home church, as did
Bishop Jimmy Campbell (and it is his
home church also). I was there for four
years, and then there was one pastor,
Brother Frank McDonald, between Bishop
Campbell and me.
COSSEY: Bishop Sibley, you are the first man
of color to be elected to high office in the
Church of God. Other than the fact that you
are a longtime leader in the church, what do
you feel is the significance of this election to
the Church of God as a movement?
SIBLEY: It shows me that our constitu-
ents around the world see that the
Church of God is trying to live out the
Bible, which says that God is “no
respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34).
COSSEY: Bishop Campbell, let me ask you
that same question.
CAMPBELL: Dr. Sibley’s election to the
Executive Committee is a historic mile-
stone for the church as a whole, not just
for the black constituency. It shows that
we, as a church, have begun to break
down barriers and walls that may have
8 EVANGEL • FEB 2009
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