Welcome to my celebration! I’m glad you came.  Some of you know me as Larry, Elder Bell, Bro Bell, Pastor Bell, Mr. Bell, or just Bell. My beautiful wife and amazing partner in life, Barbara Bell, affectionately calls me “Honey.” God’s five gifts to me proudly call me Daddy, and to my grandchildren and great grandchildren; I’m Dad and Pop-Pop. I’m a son, brother, and uncle.

 

To many of you, I was a teacher, pastor, Overseer, mentor, therapist, counselor, motivator, leader, community activist, and friend.  Though all of those roles are important, and I was gratefully blessed that God graced me to fulfill each one of them, my most important role in life is being a Son of God.  

 

An obituary is a notice of death, and since I am alive in Christ, I decided to share with you my journey of life. Since I have a captive audience, I’d rather share how the facts of my life shaped the faith of my life. 

 

My Spiritual Birth

 

I was born September 29, 1948 to Alva Handy Bell and William Thomas Bell, at home, in Marion Station, MD.  I would tell you about my elementary and middle school days, but truth be told, my life really began at the age of 16 when I said “YES” to Christ.

 

A fire destroyed our home in 1963, which forced us to relocate to Lewes, DE. I was 14 years old. I had no idea that God would use that tragedy to change the trajectory of my life. Two years after moving, a co-worker invited my mom to attend Booker St. Church of God in Georgetown, DE under the leadership of Pastor Alberta Waples. My mom raised us in church, but she didn’t know Christ. It wasn’t until February 28, 1965, at that church, that my mother came to know the Lord and it forever changed our lives.  A few months after she accepted the Lord, I accepted Christ as my personal savior. I was 16 years old. Immediately, I started sharing the gospel and a year later, I preached my first sermon “You Must Be Born Again.”

 

Finding Favor

 

It wasn’t easy being a Christian, while attending William C. Jason Comprehensive High-School in Georgetown, DE. I wasn’t perfect, but I did it. I didn’t do it alone though.  God allowed me to meet the most beautiful woman who helped me grow in my relationship with Christ, Barbara Drummond.  She was serious about Christ. I was so attracted to her faith that I pursued her relentlessly until she finally allowed me to court her during our senior year of high school.  She was so devoted. Once she sat on my hand and slapped me because she thought I was trying to touch her. This kind of devotion helped shape my faith and my ministry. Proverbs 18:22 says “A man who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favor with the Lord.  I knew she is my good thing and I definitely obtained favor from the Lord.

 

 

After graduating high school in 1967, I was drafted in the Army. Two years into my military service, in 1969, I married my beautiful wife Barbara.  I thought living for the Lord in high school was tough, but it was nothing to the challenges of serving Him while in the military.  During my years of service, I earned the Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Medal.  But more importantly, I earned the respect of my fellow officers. Many of you have heard me tell the stories of how my fellow officers tried to entice me to drink and be unfaithful Barbara.  They said, “Rev, I know you say you’re a Christian, but just wait…you’ll see.”  Eventually, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I was able to demonstrate that I was a true believer and many of them protected me from anything and anyone they thought would hinder my faith. They would tell others, “Rev is a true Christian.”

 

Kingdom Service

 

When I ended my military service we had five beautiful children.  I realized that I needed a good education and career to be able to provide and care for my family.  I also wanted to model the value of faith, education and hard work and how it’s used in our service to God.

 

I obtained an Associates Degree in Human Service Technology, from Delaware Technical and Community College, a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from Delaware State College and a Masters Degree from Salisbury University. I also had the pleasure of teaching at each of those institutions as an adjunct professor. I also used my knowledge, skills and abilities to serve at various organizations: Turnabout Counseling Center, Seaford House and Residential Treatment Center, Mobile Crisis Intervention, First State Community Action, and Delaware Guidance Services to name a few. This work allowed me to serve God by serving my community.

 

As a social worker, I was in constant contact with people who were hurting, suffering from addiction, suffering from the effects of trauma or who just simply needed help. I knew I had the answer, and the answer was and still is JESUS. This is one of the reasons I had such a passion to teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   

 

My training in ministry helped develop my gifts as a teacher and preacher in the Body of Christ. My ministry training started to take shape 1966 when I started attending Refuge Temple in Seaford, DE under the leadership of the late Reverend Leon and Ethel Williams. I ministered, traveled and served this ministry with my wife and children for decades before the Lord sent me to serve Bishop Nathaniel and Rosie Edwards at Tabernacle of Prayer, Inc. where I was ordained as an Elder. I served as a bible teacher, minister and in many other capacities. God was developing a gift of teaching in me that would impact people throughout my life and beyond my time on earth.  He was also developing me for the role of pastor years before I took the office. I realized this after serving as assistant pastor at Rehoboth Temple of Praise, Inc. under the leadership of Overseer Leon Wilson. During my service there, I was introduced to the man I call Bishop and my father in the Gospel, Bishop Carl H. Montgomery. This man of God has been a spiritual covering for my family, my ministry, and me for years. I cannot be more grateful. Thank you Bishop. God also sent a beautiful mother in the faith in the person of Idel T. Williams. It was this woman that helped me establish my first church. The church I pastored for the last 15 years. I will be forever grateful for her support, leadership and confidence in the assignment God placed on my life. 

 

Working with so many people, I learned to never treat people differently because they didn’t share my faith, or live the life I thought they should. My assignment was to love them to LIFE, life in Christ.  What’s also important to know is that my career and ministry work are both KINGDOM WORK. There is no difference. God uses both to fulfill his purpose in you and in the world. Never compartmentalize what you do. It all belongs to God.  I’ll sum it up like this…serve God by serving people. 

 

Family

 

I know you are thinking, “That’s a lot. You did a lot for other people, but what about your family. You had a wife and five children?” I’m glad you asked. Everything I did, I did for Christ and my family. My children came to work with me; they served in ministry with me. My wife and I taught them how to pray, made them memorize scriptures…going to church was not optional. Our children knew…Christians, that’s who we are; serving Christ is what we do! I didn’t just preach and teach the Word of God. I lived it. I believe that what I did in my career and ministry would be an example for them to follow. I trained them in the Word of God and showed them how to live it. I imparted Godly wisdom, teaching and revelation in each of them. If you are a parent the greatest blessing you can leave your children is not material, It’s spiritual…a spiritual heritage in Christ; that’s a blessing that will last for eternity. I am at peace, knowing that I live on, in the earth, through my children and the generational blessings that are still being revealed.

 

I’m finally coming to the end.  There is no way to really record my entire journey, so I just gave you highlights I felt led to share.  I know I left out some details, but that’s OK.  Just recall the memories we shared and add it where you see fit. My assignment today isn’t merely to recall facts, rather to encourage you in the faith, a faith in Christ that is living, breathing and transforming.  

 

Remember....

 

What is a surprise to us is never a surprise to God. 

 

Since, it is not a surprise to God, He’s already provided everything you need. 

 

Life is choice driven. You live or die by the choices you make. I made a choice to live, not just in word, but in deed.

 

Finally, my first sermon in 1966 was “You Must be Born Again” and my final sermon to you, if you want to see Jesus, live forever, and see me again, is You MUST BE BORN AGAIN! 

 

My time is up, and I thank you for yours.

 

 

Written By Monica Speight

Inspired by the Holy Spirit and the life of Laurence Bell