In his best selling book, The Purpose Driven Church, Pastor Rick Warren says, “…Concentrate on building people, God will build the church.”
Pastor Stephen J. Clay of Messiah Missionary Baptist Church (MMBC) has been doing just that for the past three decades.
Clay has spent more than 40 years utilizing his God-given gifts as a preacher and servant of God to reach the unsaved and the uncertain, 30 of which have been spent at Messiah. As the spiritual leader to approximately 400 members, Clay strives daily to enlighten and demonstrate to others how to establish and maintain a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Clay credits his staying power and the church’s evolution to his spiritual foundation.
“My longevity as pastor, the church’s steady growth and my ability to overcome challenges is due to my commitment to God, as well as remaining positive (and) leaving the negative comments to the naysayers. I keep moving forward. I don’t take the time to look behind, but I continue to look forward.”
Along with his dedication and experience, Clay’s visionary leadership has served as a guiding light for the membership of Messiah Missionary Baptist Church. He led the relocation effort of March 2002 from the church’s 40-year westside home to its current eastside location, which is a multimillion-dollar facility complete with 25 classrooms and a 1,500-seat sanctuary.
Anyone who converses with Clay hears the sincerity in his voice as he talks about his purpose as a pastor and Messiah’s place in the local community.
Clay says he has a genuine love for the people of the church and the community. It is his desire to minister to people using a holistic approach; ministering to the whole person spiritually, mentally, and physically. This was recently evidenced when he along with the members of MMBC hosted a Hope and Healing Prayer Service in memory of individuals murdered in the community. There was a massive turnout as victims gathered together to share and give support to one another. Clay and pastors from all over the city were there to console and help the victims handle the grief and anguish they were experiencing.
“(The) event was about ministering and healing the hearts of the people in the community,” said Minister Elnora Daniel.
In addition to traditional church services and various outreach efforts, MMBC also serves the community through its The Least of These Food Pantry, which is distributes food every Friday.
Clay’s spiritual knowledge and hands-on experience in the church can be attributed to his bachelors of arts degree in religion and philosophy from Bishop College of Dallas, Texas. He also studied at the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. In addition, Clay was awarded an honorary doctorate of biblical theology from Beulah Bible College.
Clay has become a tower of strength in the community, serving in various capacities over the years.
Currently he serves as a member of the IMPD Merit Board, is assistant chaplain of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, and is a life-member of the NAACP. He is also president of the National Action Network, Indiana Chapter.
Clay has formerly served as the president of the Interdenominational Ministers Alliance for seven years, a member of the Forest Manor board of directors, a member of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s Performance and Assessment Task Force; president of the local chapter of Operation PUSH; and as a former member of the board of directors of the Indianapolis Housing Partnership.
In the 30 years of Clay’s leadership, he has served God and the church faithfully.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of God in this capacity and I plan to keep serving God and the community until Gods says different.”
