One of earth’s finest is now in the presence of the Lord. My life was one of many deeply blessed by Rev. Steve Taylor, music evangelist of the Southern Baptist Convention who raised his family in South Carolina for many years. Our families intersected each other’s lives for 40 years. We ate Wednesday night supper with Steve and his dear wife Gloria almost weekly for 15 years, until they moved to Tennessee in 1995.
In Steve, I saw the reality of Christ, which spilled out of him. I later realized it was because he allowed God to break his heart with the things that break the heart of God. In this great man, I witnessed a man who loved God and people. He taught me to not allow anyone other than God to dictate what it meant to have a passion for Jesus. I remember countless Sundays hearing his bellowing “amen” and seeing tears in his eyes as we worshiped the Lord at Edwards Road Baptist Church.
One day when I was a teenager, Steve and I were visiting in his home and I shared with him some issues in my life. Steve said, “Well, son, we need to pray about this right now.” We knelt by his couch and he prayed for me.
Steve and Gloria took me to many praise and worship concerts as a youngster. They loved to hear the music group TRUTH. And they loved to hear them sing “Jesus Never Fails.” Steve loved the presence of his Lord. I have told the Lord many times that I want to be a man like Steve Taylor.
The Bible says, “As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight” (Psalm 16:3). Steve was one of the glorious ones in whom many delighted. He went into God’s eternal presence on May 29. The “Affable Armenian” is now praising Jesus with his “Glo,” and heaven is that much sweeter to me, knowing that Steve and Gloria are with Jesus.
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