We can’t always change the things that happen to us. We can trust God for the strength to get through these things.” Troy Morrison spoke these words about the personal adversity he has faced since his 1999 retirement from the role of executive secretary-treasurer (now called executive director) of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM).
Less than a year after he retired, Morrison suffered a stroke, which led to several years of rehabilitation and therapies. In 2007, he and his wife lost their only daughter, Marsha, to brain cancer. This past year, he had a heart attack and underwent bypass surgery.
But Morrison said he found that writing his memoirs was the best therapy he could have had. Because of physical challenges resulting from his stroke, it took him more than four years to write about his time in the ministry, including 26 years as a pastor — 17 at 12th Street Baptist Church, Gadsden — and 14 years of denominational service.
Morrison’s memoirs are featured in a new book, “A Miracle of God: You Shall Know the Truth and the Truth Shall Set You Free,” produced by the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission (ABHC) and published by Fields Publishing.
Lonette Berg, executive director of the ABHC, said the book offers lessons for everyone about the importance of dedication, integrity and conviction.
“I think this project is important because it tells the story of a great Alabama Baptist leader who served as executive secretary-treasurer of our … State Board of Missions for nine years and was totally committed to serving God and Alabama Baptists,” Berg said. “This memoir shows how God prepared Dr. Morrison through his various educational, life and vocational experiences to lead Alabama Baptists during both challenging and exciting times.”
In his memoirs, Morrison detailed both the good and bad about his years of denominational service and revealed some of his early life.
Morrison’s statewide ministry to Alabama Baptists started in 1985 as director of church-minister relations for the SBOM. On Sept. 1, 1990, he took office as executive secretary-treasurer. “I knew the job wasn’t going to be an easy one,” he said. “Troubles were brewing.”
God blessed him with a time of quiet before the storms. Morrison cited partnerships with Wyoming, Alaska, Hawaii, South Korea and Spain during his tenure as a source of joy for him personally.
He developed the idea of double budgeting, recommending a base budget and a larger challenge budget to Alabama Baptist State Convention messengers each year. “In all the things I did as treasurer, this was probably the most significant,” Morrison said proudly. “For several years, we exceeded the base budget, and some years, we even exceeded the challenge budget.”
He led the way in expanding and remodeling the Baptist Building in Montgomery. In addition, Morrison supported Reaching People, Developing Believers, Strengthening Missions, an emphasis designed to strengthen the ministries of Alabama Baptist churches initiated by his predecessor, Earl Potts.
Morrison’s period of quiet got cut short by tensions with the Alabama Baptist Retirement Centers, Samford University in Birmingham and the University of Mobile. He dealt with these challenges almost on a daily basis from 1992 until 1998. But his conflict-management skills helped spare Alabama Baptists from division. “I must truthfully say it was all a miracle of God,” Morrison said.
While reflecting on his work, he also examined his call to service. Born in northern Cherokee County in 1931, Morrison and his two brothers and two sisters lived in a log cabin on a farm sharecropped by their dad. He remembered his parents as strict but quickly added, “They instilled in me honesty, integrity and truthfulness.”
As a 12-year-old boy, Morrison accepted Christ as his Savior during a service at Friendship Baptist Church, Broomtown, which his family attended.
After graduating from Gaylesville School, he enrolled at Jacksonville State University. Morrison described his college years as “a coming-out time for me.” Through a variety of part-time jobs and the generosity of others, God provided his college expenses.
During his sophomore year, he met Frances Gunter, of Piedmont. They married in 1952.
After college graduation, Morrison served as assistant principal and teacher at Alexandria High School.
From 1955 to 1957, he served in the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of first lieutenant. After his military service ended, Morrison worked alongside his father-in-law at Gunter-Morrison Building Supply in Piedmont.
While attending First Baptist Church, Piedmont, God was doing a work in Morrison’s heart. A call to ministry led him to enroll at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. There he earned his bachelor of divinity and master of divinity degrees and later, a doctor of ministry degree.
Morrison said over the years, he “learned to appreciate the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) more.”
“When you consider that all SBC churches, associations and state conventions are autonomous and that every convention agency has its own trustees, the fact that it all functions under one umbrella is a miracle of God.”
Morrison will do two book signings in November. The first book signing will be at the ABHC booth during the state convention annual meeting at Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover, Nov. 16–17. The second will be Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. at 12th Street Baptist.
After the convention, books will be available from the ABHC. For more information, e-mail Berg at llberg@samford.edu or call 1-800-325-9863.
Share with others: