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'''J. D. Grey''', sometimes known as '''James David Grey''' (December 18, 1906 - July 26, 1985), a major figure in the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], was from 1937 to 1972 the pastor of the First [[Baptist]] Church of [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbno.org/about-fbno/our-history/|title=First Baptist New Orleans: Our History|publisher=fbno.org|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>

 

'''J. D. Grey''', sometimes known as '''James David Grey''' (December 18, 1906 &ndash; July 26, 1985), a major figure in the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], was from 1937 to 1972 the pastor of the First [[Baptist]] Church of [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbno.org/about-fbno/our-history/|title=First Baptist New Orleans: Our History|publisher=fbno.org|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>

   

   

   

   

A native of Princeton in Caldwell County in western [[Kentucky]], Grey was reared in Paducah, a city in McCracken County, also in western Kentucky at the confluence of the [[Tennessee River|Tennessee]] and [[Ohio River|Ohio]] rivers. In 1925, Grey received his diploma from Tilghman High School in Paducah. That same year, he was ordained to preach by the Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah. In 1959, years after he had left Paducah, the city mayor named him an honorary "Duke of Paducah". In 1929, he graduated from [[Union University]] in Jackson, Tennessee. In 1932, he received the Master of Theology degree from [[Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary]] in [[Fort Worth]], [[Texas]].<ref name=bio>James Cole and Robert L. Lee, ''Saint J. D.'' (Waco, Texas: Word Publishers, 1969), p. 159-163</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/29/us/the-rev-j-d-grey.html|title=Rev. J. D. Grey|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]'', July 29, 1985|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>

A native of Princeton in Caldwell County in western [[Kentucky]], Grey was reared in Paducah, a city in McCracken County, also in western Kentucky at the confluence of the [[Tennessee River|Tennessee]] and [[Ohio River|Ohio]] rivers. In 1925, Grey received his diploma from Tilghman High School in Paducah. That same year, he was ordained to preach by the Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah. In 1959, years after he had left Paducah, the city mayor named him an honorary "Duke of Paducah". In 1929, he graduated from [[Union University]] in Jackson, Tennessee. In 1932, he received the Master of Theology degree from [[Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary]] in [[Fort Worth]], [[Texas]].<ref name=bio>James Cole and Robert L. Lee, ''Saint J. D.'' (Waco, Texas: Word Publishers, 1969), p. 159-163</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/29/us/the-rev-j-d-grey.html|title=Rev. J. D. Grey|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]'', July 29, 1985|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>

   

   

While he attended Southwestern Seminary, Grey was the pastor from 1929 to 1931 of the Vickery Baptist Church in [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]]. From 1931 to 1934, he was the pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Ennis in Ellis County, south of Dallas. Both of those congregations are still active.<ref name=bio/>

While he attended Southwestern Seminary, Grey was the pastor from 1929 to 1931 of the Vickery Baptist Church in [[Dallas, [[Texas]], from 1931 to 1934, he was the pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Ennis in Ellis County, south of Dallas. Both of those congregations are still active.<ref name=bio/>

==Ministry==

==Ministry==

   

   

In 1934, Grey accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Denton, Texas, but left, effective May 31, 1937, for his final pastorate at the First Baptist Church in New Orleans, which extended for thirty five years until his retirement on December 31, 1972.<ref name=bio/> During that time, the congregation nearly tripled and annual contributions increased from $26,000 to more than $650,000.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-07-29/news/8502190795_1_southwestern-baptist-theological-seminary-southern-baptist-convention-graduate-of-union-university|title=Rev. J. D. Grey, 77|publisher=''[[Chicago Tribune]]''|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>  

In 1934, Grey accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Denton, Texas, but left, effective May 31, 1937, for his final pastorate at the First Baptist Church in New Orleans, which extended for thirty-five years until his retirement on December 31, 1972.<ref name=bio/> During that time, the congregation nearly tripled and annual contributions increased from $26,000 to more than $650,000.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-07-29/news/8502190795_1_southwestern-baptist-theological-seminary-southern-baptist-convention-graduate-of-union-university|title=Rev. J. D. Grey, 77|publisher=''[[Chicago Tribune]]''|accessdate=July 5, 2012}}</ref>  

   

   

From 1949 to 1950, Grey was the president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the headquarters of which are based in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] in central Louisiana. Grey was also a board member of Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], which in 1952 awarded him an honorary doctorate.<ref name=sbhla/> In 1952 and 1953, he was elected the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, based in [[Nashville]], Tennessee. At forty-four, he was the youngest person ever elected to the SBC presidency. From 1950 to 1970, he was a member of the Baptist World Alliance. In 1954, he was the chairman of [[Billy Graham]]'s four week Evangelistic Crusade at Pelican Stadium. In 1957, he was the president of the Greater New Orleans Federation of Churches.<ref name=bio/>  

From 1949 to 1950, Grey was the president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the headquarters of which are based in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] in central Louisiana. Grey was also a board member of Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], which in 1952 awarded him an honorary doctorate.<ref name=sbhla/> In 1952 and 1953, he was elected the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, based in [[Nashville]], Tennessee. At forty-four, he was the youngest person ever elected to the SBC presidency. From 1950 to 1970, he was a member of the Baptist World Alliance. In 1954, he was the chairman of [[Billy Graham]]'s four-week Evangelistic Crusade at Pelican Stadium. In 1957, he was the president of the Greater New Orleans Federation of Churches.<ref name=bio/>  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

In 1957, Grey was asked to nominate for the Southern Baptist Convention presidency Brooks Hays, a [[liberal]] U.S. representative from [[Little Rock]], [[Arkansas]], who subsequently lost a [[Democratic Party]] gubernatorial primary election in 1966. At the time Hays was the chairman of the Christian Life Commission, a liberal group advocating peaceful relations among the races within the Christian community. Grey declined to make the nomination on the grounds that he should not use his influence as a two-term past president of the convention to promote a particular candidate. Nevertheless, Hays was elected as the convention president for a single term that year.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9yHdwD5LbEUC&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq=Brooks+Hays+and+J.+D.+Grey&source=bl&ots=sIVBqhmuUD&sig=ckk7FlYDLOXolGYLD0pZpW5k888&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8Tz6T8DmNeWC2wXgqrz_Bg&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Brooks%20Hays%20and%20J.%20D.%20Grey&f=false|title=James Thomas Baker, Brooks Hays, pp. 114-115|publisher=Macon, [[Georgia]]: Mercer University Press, (1989)|accessdate=July 9, 2012}}</ref>  

In 1957, Grey was asked to nominate for the Southern Baptist Convention presidency Brooks Hays, a [[liberal]] U.S. representative from [[Little Rock]], [[Arkansas]], who subsequently lost a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] gubernatorial primary election in 1966. At the time Hays was the chairman of the Christian Life Commission, a liberal group advocating peaceful relations among the races within the Christian community. Grey declined to make the nomination on the grounds that he should not use his influence as a two-term past president of the convention to promote a particular candidate. Nevertheless, Hays was elected as the convention president for a single term that year.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9yHdwD5LbEUC&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq=Brooks+Hays+and+J.+D.+Grey&source=bl&ots=sIVBqhmuUD&sig=ckk7FlYDLOXolGYLD0pZpW5k888&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8Tz6T8DmNeWC2wXgqrz_Bg&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Brooks%20Hays%20and%20J.%20D.%20Grey&f=false|title=James Thomas Baker, Brooks Hays, pp. 114-115|publisher=Macon, [[Georgia]]: Mercer University Press, (1989)|accessdate=July 9, 2012}}</ref>  

Among the politicians who admired Grey was the colorful and controversial Louisiana Governor Earl Kemp Long, who retorted, "Everybody's bragging about this Billy Graham. Hell! He can't preach nothing [sic] like J. D. Grey. I had rather hear him preach  than any [other] man I've ever heard."<ref>Cole and Lee, ''Saint J. D.'', p. 127</ref>

Among the politicians who admired Grey was the colorful and controversial Louisiana Governor Earl Kemp Long, who retorted, "Everybody's bragging about this Billy Graham. Hell! He can't preach nothing [sic] like J. D. Grey. I had rather hear him preach  than any [other] man I've ever heard."<ref>Cole and Lee, ''Saint J. D.'', p. 127</ref>

   

   

In 1963-1964, Grey became involved in the Louisiana gubernatorial election on behalf of an erstwhile rival of Long's, the former New Orleans Mayor DeLesseps Story Morrison, who had resigned as United States Ambassador to the [[Organization of American States]] under [[U.S. President]] [[John F. Kennedy]], to make his third unsuccessful bid for the state's highest office. At the time, Morrison, a [[Roman Catholic]], faced a Democratic runoff election with [[John J. McKeithen]], a [[Methodist]] from Columbia in north Louisiana and a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. In a newspaper advertisement, Grey wrote:

In 1963-1964, Grey became involved in the Louisiana Democratic gubernatorial election on behalf of an erstwhile rival of Long's, the former New Orleans Mayor DeLesseps Story Morrison, who had resigned as United States Ambassador to the [[Organization of American States]] under [[U.S. President]] [[John F. Kennedy]], to make his third unsuccessful bid for the state's highest office. At the time, Morrison, a [[Roman Catholic]], faced a Democratic runoff election with [[John J. McKeithen]], a [[Methodist]] from Columbia in north Louisiana and a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. In a newspaper advertisement, Grey wrote:

   

   

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