[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 39 (Thursday, April 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E586-E587]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO PAUL ROGERS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LINCOLN DAVIS

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 6, 2005

  Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay 
tribute to Mr. Paul Rogers, who recently passed away following an 
extended illness. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and 
community. The following is a brief biography of Brother Rogers and 
some of the accomplishments of his long and fruitful life:
  Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. His father, Andy W. Rogers, 
was a Deacon at the West End Church and Trustee for the purchase of the 
Central building in 1941. The Rogers family were charter members at 
Central (McMinnville). It was here Paul received his early training and 
encouragement to enter the ministry.
  Upon receiving his baccalaureate degree from David Lipscomb 
University in Nashville and master's degree from Harding Graduate 
School of Religion in Searcy, AR, he embarked on a long and fruitful 
career in the ministry. Brother Roger's first sermon was delivered at 
Central Church of Christ in Birmingham. He began preaching in November, 
1952 every Sunday at the Old Jefferson Church of Christ in Smyrna, 
Tennessee and preached there until graduation from Lipscomb in 1956. He 
worked as Associate Minister at Church Street Church in Lewisburg, 
Tennessee 8 months in 1956 and moved to Centerville Church of Christ in 
January 1957.
  Brother Rogers was the Minister of the Centerville Church of Christ, 
Centerville, Tennessee for more than 48 years. No preacher in the 
fellowship of Churches of Christ has a longer tenure at his 
congregation and at no rural church quite as large as the Centerville 
church according to Jim McInteer, president of 21 st Century 
Publishing, a book publisher affiliated with the Churches of Christ. In 
these years, worship attendance has grown from 350 to 700; annual 
contribution from $19,000 to $600,000.
  The congregation has built a new church building, new church camp 
valued at $1,000,000; off-street parking for 300 cars; $200,000 
Outreach Center for benevolence and senior citizens work; a 75-unit, 
$2,500,000 apartment complex, Tulipwood for senior citizens, and a new 
$1,200,000 Educational and Fellowship Complex recently constructed. He 
has also conducted over 800 funeral services in Hickman County, 
Tennessee.
  He was the first president of the Centerville Elementary PTA, past 
Chairman of Hickman County Library Board, served on Bluegrass Regional 
Library Board, chairman of Centerville Beautiful Commission, former 
President of Centerville Kiwanis Club, served on City Industrial Board, 
served on the Board of Trustees at Clover Bottom Developmental Center 
for the Retarded in Nashville, Tennessee, and served on Board of First 
Farmers and Merchants Bank, Centerville, Tennessee. Brother Rogers was 
awarded Honorary Membership in Hickman County Jaycees for service to 
the community, selected as Alumnus of the Year in 1975 at Harding 
Graduate School of Religion, voted Centerville Man of the Year for 
1978, selected as Alumnus of the Decade at David Lipscomb College in 
1982, received the Distinguished Christian Service Award from Harding 
University 1988, honored by Tennessee State Legislature in 1983 for 
long ministry and service in Centerville, honored by Tennessee House of 
Representatives in 1992, honored in 1997 by Tennessee State Senate on 
40th Anniversary with the Centerville Church for the longest full-time 
tenure among churches of Christ in Tennessee history, selected in 
December 1999 by the Gospel Advocate as one of ``100 Trailblazers of 
the 20th Century'' among Churches of Christ, and in 2004 received the 
Lifetime Achievement Award from Hickman County Chamber of Commerce to 
name a few.
  Brother has given lectures at David Lipscomb University, Faulkner 
University, Freed-Hardeman University, Abilene Christian University, 
Oklahoma Christian University, Harding University, Harding Graduate 
School of Religion, Western Christian College, Blue Ridge Encampment, 
Training for Service Series in Chattanooga, North Alabama Training for 
Service Series in Florence, Alabama, Training for Service Series in 
Memphis, Training Series in Evansville, Indiana. Yosemite Bible 
Encampment, Yellowstone Bible Encampment. He served on the Board of 
David Lipscomb University 1986-2003 and was secretary of the Johnson 
Scholarship Foundation at David Lipscomb University.
  His minister includes; touring Israel and studying archaeology there 
in 1969, working on the London, England Campaign in 1963, and preached 
in India in 1975. He also traveled and preached behind the Iron Curtain 
in 1977, made three trips to the Holy Land, and frequent mission trips 
to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
  Brother Rogers was the author of the following books and booklets: My 
God and My Service; My God and My Marriage; Things Surely Believed 
Among Us (4th printing in 2004); Let the Earth Hear His Voice; When 
Freedom is Gone; Comments on Revelation;

[[Page E587]]

Building Up The Church In A Small Town; God Give Us Christian Homes. 
His most recent books are I Have Much People In This City (depicting 
125-year history of the Centerville Church); and These Forty Years (a 
biography of his ministry with the Centerville Church).
  He accomplished all these things in life while at the same time being 
a loving husband to the former Judy Johns and father to four children 
and six grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Paul Rogers today. His 
dedication and selflessness to his community are examples to all who 
wish to lead. All the honors and awards that Brother Rogers has 
received in his life still do not do justice to recognize the 
contribution this man has made to his community and the world. Paul 
will be missed very much by all who knew him.

                          ____________________