Giant Among Pastors CAW Clark Passes at 93

DALLAS -- The Rev. C.A.W. Clark Sr., who spent more than half a century preaching from the pulpit of a South Dallas church, died Sunday. He was 93.

"This is the passing of an era. We won't see his likes again," the Rev. Gerald Britt Jr., vice president for public policy at Central Dallas Ministries, told The Dallas Morning News for its Monday editions. "He was a master of the pulpit. He influenced generations of preachers."

Services will be Aug. 4 at Clark's Good Street Baptist Church. Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Sandra Clark Funeral Home. Viewing will be all day on Aug. 2, followed by a celebration of life service Sunday during normal church services.

Born Caesar Arthur Walter Clark on Dec. 13, 1914, in Shreveport, La., Clark was ordained in 1933 and led his first pastorate at the Israelite Baptist Church in Longstreet, La., at the age of 19, according to his church Web site.

He joined Good Street in September 1950 and remained there until his death. Good Street became one of Dallas' first black megachurches, opening its doors to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1956. Clark, a friend of King's father, encouraged the younger King in his work.

At Good Street, Clark oversaw the opening of day care centers, a credit union, low-income housing and a legal clinic.

"Everybody who knows anything about black Baptist life is familiar with C.A.W. Clark," Cleophus LaRue, author of the book "The Heart of Black Preaching," told The Dallas Morning News in 2006. "He was regarded as one of the great black preachers in the 20th century."

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Comment by Prophetess Suzanne Neal on December 15, 2008 at 7:22pm
i grew up at Good Street Baptist Church back in the 80's, so often times I wondered how Pastor Clark was doing, but because I was a child at the time, I knew he would have never remembered me. I really don't remember a whole lot concerning his legacy or the stands he may have taken and etc. One thing I do know, with all due respect, I took the right of fellowship, however I was never taught to let go of the devils hand. I was never taught that there should have been a difference between HOLY and UNHOLY, I simply joined the church and attended BTU and Sunday School, without having a clue to what salvation was. No doubt this man empacted many lifes however, how many really got delivered from sin. It saddens me to see that after all these years he has gone on to stand before the Lord, Man I wish I could have seen him once again. However, my thought and prayers are with those that he empacted, family, friends and so on.
Comment by Pastor Lenora Peterson on September 6, 2008 at 3:55am
Comment by ONLYJESUS on August 23, 2008 at 10:32am
WHY WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT
Jesus promised the disciples that they will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So it came to Passed that the Holy Spirit came upon them as He promised in the book of acts 2:4. it is also written in the book of Acts 2:38 to 39( quoting verse 39, the promise is for you ,your children and for all who are far off______ for all whom the Lord God will call).Meaning that every Christian need the Holy Spirit for specific task. The bible says we should not be drunkard but we must be filled with the holy Spirit. You can read that in the book of Ephesians 5:18.Why we must not be drunkard? The answer is simple, the Holy Spirit is more powerful than alcoholic drink.He can do more for us than �alcoholic spirit� Let us look at the things the Holy Spirit can do for us.

The Holy Ghost always makes us to be committed. When truly the Holy Ghost is in you, you will devote everything about you to the Lord Jesus. You will give your whole life to Christ. That is why the bible says that the life that we Christians lived, it is no more we that lived but Jesus lived in us. Christians do not need alcoholic drink just as the people of the world need it to be committed to what ever they do. I don�t know whether you have seen a drunkard before but let me tell you, they are committed to alcoholic drinks. If they wake up in the morning, the first thing they think of is where they can get some drink to take. They put all their hope on drinking alcohol. So you see, a good Christian have to put his or she hope in Christ Jesus every time. Remember that what is in you is greater than alcohol. If you have been to Africa, you would have known the real drunkard. They are very committed. We have to do more than these worldly people. We must be committed to our Lord Jesus Christ.

When one is full of the Holy Spirit, HE NEVER GETS WORRY ABOUT THINGS OF THIS WORLD. Just ask the bible says in the book of Matthew 6:25 �Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?� Learn how to be happy with what you have, God knows what is good for you and at the right time he will provide. The Holy Spirit that is in you will help you not to border about things that perish. Let me briefly tell you something about my life since my infancy. I was a child when my father divorce my mother because of the faith, but my mother never gives up. We passed through a lot of problems but my mother hold firm to the faith. Sometimes what to eat was a problem for us. As the day went on, things started to change through the Holy Spirit. When I grown up, I still face difficulty, just us my mother taught me, I never get worry. I know it shall be well with me one day. I always comfort myself that after all I have something special within me that can change my situation.

So to be frank, worldly people like drunkard never get worry. All that they think about is their drink and how they can get access to one before they go to sleep. They don�t border about the clothes that they put on. In Africa, drunkards can wear the same cloth for more than one month and they never get worry. Some so called Christian sometimes, say today I don�t have new panties so I can not go to church. When the Holy Spirit is in you, you will never bother. What ever you have, you will only press it well and wear it to church. Truly our God is pure and it is not good to wear filthy clothes to church. All the time, be happy about what you have.

The Holy Spirit brings unity among brethren. We are one body and we have one spirit that controls us. This brings about the love that the Lord expects from us for each other. Allowing ourselves to be fill with the Holy Spirit, brings unity and love ( real love and unity).on the other side, drunkards are the most united people of the world. When one drunkard get drinks, he or she invite the rest of them to partake, even though they fight and quarrel, they do things together. How much more we that have the Holy Spirit, we do more than them because we have the true spirit. When the Holy Ghost came upon the first Disciples of Christ, they do almost everything together.

When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be GENEROUS (someone that gives freely).If we read our bible well, peter was �disgrace� at the gate of beautiful when the crippled beggar as him for money (even though, the name of Jesus was glorified through the Holy Spirit). Although the crippled was healed, there was nothing in Peter�s pocket. So when he came to the congregation, the Holy Ghost changed the situation so that no needy person was found among them again. When He is upon you, you can easily give. People find it difficult to give or help the needy ones because the Holy Spirit is not in them. If you come to Africa or go to other continents, you will know how people need help (I mean suffering, we that go to the villages we see things for ourselves).

DRUNKARDS always give. They can give more than necessary and why can�t we that are filled with the Holy Spirit not give. Let HIM control you�re given.

When the Holy Spirit is upon you, you will be BOLD just as HE came upon peter and Peter became boldly. You can read that in the book of Acts 2:38, drunkards are always bold. Let me assure that most people drink because they want to be bold but we Christian don�t need �physical drink� to be bold, the Holy Spirit is more than alcoholic drink. HE makes us bold in every area.

You will always have a SOUND MIND when HE is upon you. Don�t have negative taught about people. The Holy Spirit let us into all truth. It makes us free within our bodies. In Africa here, drunkards are free they only concentrate on their drinks. We Christians have to talk about Jesus every day, because that is the greatest commission the LORD has instructed us.

When the Holy Spirit is upon someone, he or she can takes �hot staff� (face difficult problems).Never run from battle field because what is in him or her is greater than what is in the world. He or She shall surely over come. Things that are impossible for people will be possible for you. As for Drunkards, people that they can not beat them they claim that they will beat them, How much more we that have the power above all powers. Remember David and Goliath.

The Holy Spirit helps us to be LOYALTY, to become someone who always gives support or defend the faith. Drunkard are always support those that provide them with drinks. We Christian have to support our faith where ever we are and preach the word of God.

The holy spirit help us to walk with faith and we don�t fear danger, all that we know is that it came by itself and it shall go but itself. Forward ever, backwards never. Drunkards also walk by faith, whether there is whole or not they find their way home. What about us? We do more than them.

The Holy Spirit will help you NEVER TO GIVE UP. In all situations you will stand firm. DRUNKARDS are troublesome and they never give up. We are always in the �high spirit� to face every problem that comes Christians are not trouble some.

To be simple and precise, without the holy ghost one can not enter into the kingdom God: so we need HIM to be; COMMITED, NEVER WORRY ABOUT THINGS OF THIS WORLD, TO GIVE GENEROULY,TO BE BOLD,TO HAVE SOUND MIND, TO FACE EVERY DIFFICULTY THAT COMES OUR WAYS,TO BE LOYALTY TO OUR LORD,TO WALK BY FAITH AND SO THAT WE CAN NEVER GIVE UP.

By your servant KWAME DERRICK

If you have any question, you can contact me by email:

Kwame_derrick@yahoo.com ; mobile phone numbers:

Togo: 002289529228

Ghana: 00233243613286

Website: freewebs.com/fishersmen
Comment by Altorio Holden on August 10, 2008 at 11:18pm
Dr. Clark is a Legend, he will be greatly missed, those of us that are from his home area were very proud of the Man of God he was, Our prayers are with the family and the Church family.
Comment by Youth Pastor J.C. Howard on August 5, 2008 at 4:17pm
Rev. Clark was a preaching legend and GIANT in the Kingdom. He shall truly be missed, but never forgotten. Much love and support to friends and family. Be strong Kingdom...
Comment by Min. Angela Lee Price on July 31, 2008 at 10:25pm
Thank you for posting this notification. I read a portion of this post on air and lifted the Clark family up in prayer on the prayer line this morning on my radio show. I also mentioned Black Preaching Network.
Comment by Rosboro Hendrix on July 30, 2008 at 4:43am
This awesome man of God changed my view of preaching with "go marry a prostitute"from the book of Hosea, and "In This Life things rarely work out according to Plans" Matt 25. I thank God for the revivals I have attended where he preached!
Rosboro Hendrix, Jr.
Comment by Wytress Mitchell on July 30, 2008 at 12:37am
Oh my I loved Dr. Clark, he has been around since I was a little girl. He was a great man of God.
Comment by Minister Dorian Daniels on July 29, 2008 at 10:51pm
He trully was a tall giant that was used by God to inspire many generations of preachers, evangelist, and pastors. He spirit and legacy will continue live on.
Comment by Rev. Charles Maynord on July 29, 2008 at 10:19pm
Pastor C.W.Clark, one of the best he offten came to california to our State Convention. His last sermon was "Don't Send Them Away"

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