The Late Bishop
Lucian D. Booker, Sr., D.D.
written by Deacon
John A. Bruce for Pastoral Appreciation Service, November
18, 2001
The scripture says
"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of
double honor, especially they who labor in the word and
doctrine". I Timothy 5:17
When I was asked to
do this profile of Bishop Lucian Dell Booker Sr., I was
quite honored as well as extremely nervous. I began to
think, what is a profile? Number one, it is a
biography or information about his life. I thought
secondly, it could be information on his characteristics,
such as his strong belief in giving, faith, deliverance,
fasting, and many other things. Thirdly, the old
policeman rose up and I asked about his modus operandi
or his method of operation. Finally, the historian in
me said we have a very important person that has made
history.
Bishop Lucian Dell
Booker Sr. was born on May 30, 1946 in Waco, Madison County,
Kentucky. Bishop Booker was one of nine children.
His mother was Mrs. Lena Mae Booker and his father was Mr.
Odell Booker, both of who are deceased.
Bishop grew up on
Kenton Street in Lexington, Kentucky. In October 1964,
Bishop married Mary Shannon. The Bookers had four
children, Sherry Jean Booker (deceased), Lucrecia
Booker-Weathers, Lucian Dell Booker Jr., and Dena
Booker-Dunn. The Bishop and his wife are also raising
a granddaughter, Sharelle Booker.
Bishop Booker
sought the Lord in secret for over five years before being
baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ under the Pastorate of
the late District Elder Robert Lewis in 1966. Bishop
Booker served as Associate Pastor under Pastor Anna Davis at
Christ Temple New Assembly and under the late District Elder
Robert Lewis at the Church of God In Jesus Name.
In October 1977, at
the time Elder Booker, was led by the Lord to open his own
church. The Lord even gave him the name for the
church: Soul Deliverance Tabernacle. For over
24 years Bishop Booker has labored for the deliverance of
souls from alcohol, drugs, and many other demonic spirits.
Even during his sickness where he himself was dying, Bishop
continued to labor in the vineyard, laying hands and praying
for the deliverance of others. I myself am a witness
of this great man of God. When I came into the church
in 1979, I was an alcoholic, drug abuser, and had a bunch of
those "bad boys" on me and in me. There are many
members here today that can testify of the deliverance
brought in their lives under the Pastorate of Bishop Booker.
Bishop is a strong
believer in the laying on of hands and many of us received
the Holy Ghost through this process.
Bishop is a man of
faith and a very strong believer in prayer. He is a
very strong believer in fasting, having fasted three days a
week for an entire year and never missing a fast.
Matthew 17:21 says, "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but
by prayer and fasting". Through his prayer and
fasting, many in this congregation have witnessed many moves
of God. We witnessed a man who was confined to a wheel
chair get up, and that man walked out of the church on his
own in Wheelwright, Kentucky. We have had healings and
deliverance from many different sicknesses and diseases.
My wife is a witness. I found her one morning on the
floor in our home, not breathing. After taking her to
the hospital, the doctors said she needed blood
transfusions. My wife refused the transfusions and was
told by the doctors what could possibly happen without them.
My Bishop prayed for her that morning and through his
prayers and faith and my wife's faith, God did the
transfusions and they released her from the hospital that
evening. There are many others that can tell of
similar situations.
My Bishop has a
very simple modus operandi or method of operation.
These are prayer, fasting, reading the Word, and living
Holy. His method of operation is following that
Ancient Landmark as mentioned in the Bible. His method
of operation is practicing the Fruits of the Spirit as given
in Galatians 5:22 and in Ephesians 5:9; as follows, "For
the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness
and truth". His method of operation is preaching
the unadulterated truth. His method of operation is
doing the will of the Lord.
Bishop, History may
not remember you as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
in Springfield, Massachusetts, or the Football Hall of Fame
in Canton, Ohio, but you will be a member of God's Hall of
Fame in that New Jerusalem. One great man in history
said, "Some see things as they are and say why, I see
things that never were, and say why not". Your
vision years ago birthed this great church, Greater Soul
Deliverance. Many probably thought you would fail,
many thought things would never come to pass, but with
prayer and God's help, your vision has been brought to pass.
George Washington is said to be the father of this great
nation. Bishop Booker, you are the father of this
great congregation and will always be remembered as it's
founder. Many of us came from one parent homes or loss
our parents at an early age. By society, we have been
labeled dysfunctional because of our backgrounds, but
because of you, we have become functional in our society and
in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And finally Bishop,
what is our legacy to this world? Many of us may never
become famous or rich. Many of us may never be in the
history books for things that we do, but because of your
teaching, preaching, and example, you have instilled in this
congregation a legacy that will be eternal, and that legacy
that we as a congregation want to be able to say on that
Great Day, "I PLEASED GOD"!!!!
THANK YOU BISHOP
FOR YOUR SACRIFICES, YOUR ADVICE, YOUR TEACHING, YOUR
PREACHING, AND THE MANY THINGS YOU HAVE DONE. THANK
YOU FOR EVERYTHING, MAY GOD BLESS AND HEAVEN SMILE UPON YOU.
Having fought the
good fight of faith and having ran his course, he was called
home to be with the Lord on February 29, 2008. You
were a friend, a brother, a father, and our Pastor, and you
will be greatly missed!
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Mother Mary Booker
A
Woman with Mountain Moving Faith
First Lady Mary
Shannon Booker was born to the late Walter and Polly
Shannon. As a small child she had many experiences that
caused her to know God is ever present. There's a bible
passage that states, "...I formed you ...l knew you in your
mother's womb."
She was baptized at the age of 10. The late Sis. Bates and
Sis. Porter were instrumental in developing her love for the
word of God. She often states that the late Sis. Dorothy
Turner mentored her and influenced her tremendously at youth
services and assisted her in attendance of church councils.
Also during her teen years, the late District Elder Robert
Lewis' first wife was very ill and she was often used to sit
with her while the pastor attended the church services.
At the age of
15, God healed her of a life threatening tumor. She often
recalls the time when she was told that the tumor had taken
root in her jawbone. During her stay in the hospital
visitors looked hopeless. She remembers working to
straighten her face and mouth from the damage the surgery
left. She believes this was a turning point in her healing
faith being developed. She states that experience made her
vow within herself that she would trust God for healing. She
married Bishop Lucian Booker, October 10, 1964. Lady Booker
had suffered an issue of blood in her teens that carried
into her early years of marriage. When she attempted to have
children, she discovered the issue had damaged her
reproductive system. She went to a specialist seeking to
resolve the problem. She was told by several doctors her
ovaries were hard as a rock and she would never have
children. Thus, began the journey of mountain moving faith,
faith that comes from God. She had to believe God's word
(the thing that is impossible with man is possible with God
and all things are possible to them that believe). She began
to pray and ask God for healing. The Lord spoke and said, "I
see the seed of thy son." Lady Booker went through several
miscarriages before God's word proved sure. She often
states, "I had an inner drive in me to prove God could do
it. The fact I got pregnant was a miracle in itself. I knew
God could do the completed work." She suffered many things,
but at the end her faith moved mountains. To that union they
were blessed with four children, the late Sherry Booker
Harris, Lucretia Booker Weathers, Lucian Dell Booker, Jr.,
and Dena Booker Dunn. She also has four grandchildren.
Bishop Booker
recalls that when he was called to Pastor, First Lady Booker
made a statement to him, "Just make sure God called you." I
believe she knew that it was going to take a surety of mind
to withstand the journey ahead. In the early years of the
church it was needful for her to agree to sale her brand-new
home for the work of the ministry. The Pastor told her that
in about six years they could move. During the sale of the
new home, they moved from new to very old. The church had
purchased property on Ash Street. This property became a
church in the front and family dwelling in the back. The
first lady states, "If God says he will do it, it will come
to pass." When the six years were up Bishop Booker saw no
evidence for the ability to move. The congregation was small
and mostly teens and young adults. The young adults were not
established and had very little income. First Lady Booker
told him, "If we step out on God, he will do it and if we
don't try, we will never know what he is able to do."
The Pastor went
out by her word and sought another dwelling. He returned
with a "praise report" a new condominium, $300 down and $300
a month. This was just the beginning of her manifestation of
a woman of God with the belief of taking hold of possessing
the land.
As the church
prospered, we moved from the Ash Street location to the
present location. The First Lady, again, had the belief God
could move them up a little higher in their living
situation.
She recalls
that the Pastor said they were not ready to move. She went
out with the church realtor, Evangeline Johnson and found a
new home on the same day the new church was signed for. The
home on Beulah Park was a non-qualifying loan. Again, she
had faith that moved the mountain. After being on Beulah
Park a while, she was ready to do some remodeling. Bishop
said he would rather move than remodel. He didn't know that
First Lady Booker would take him at his word. Again, she and
Evangeline Johnson was on a mission. Their new home on
Bellmeade was found immediately. The owners were desiring to
sell quickly and under the actual value of the home. Later
on, the First Lady desired a pool. Bishop kept promising and
promising to get it. The First Lady was out walking one day
and said, "I am going to get me a pool." WELL, GUESS
WHAT?!! A check came in the mail - with her name on it -
with enough money to get a pool and more.
First Lady Mary
Booker is a former employee of Eastern State Hospital. She
has done foster-care in her home. She has a host of former
teens that stayed in her home that considers her Mother
Booker. She is an educator and a liberator. She is a true
believer that all bad habits can be broken and all that are
bound can be set free. She skillfully teaches the word of
God to the congregation as the church Sunday School teacher,
counselor, and president of the women's department. She is
an ordained teacher and has a Master's Degree in Religious
Counseling. She is a firm believer that if God said it, it
shall come to pass. She also believes that God is bound by
his word. There is no failure - no shortage -
you can rely on Him.
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