In previous years, the Gardner C. Taylor Distinguished Preaching Series had been held in New Orleans. Last year, this series was held at the Shaw University Divinity School Annual Alexander/Pegues Ministers’ Conference for the first time.

We explored the concept of the "DNA of Preaching." To explore this concept, we opened on Monday Night at 7 p.m. with the Dean of African American Preaching, the Rev. Dr. Gardner C. Taylor. The conference also featured workshops on the "DNA of Preaching" and Genuine Christian Worship.

On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we had father/son pairs. Each father/son pair preached from the same text so that we were able to see the DNA of Preaching in action from a generational perspective. On Tuesday, we had Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III and Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. On Wednesday, we had Rev. Dr. H. Beecher Hicks and Rev. Dr. Ivan Hicks. To add more flavor to the mix, we injected a cultural perspective by having Rev. Dr. Daniel Akins, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary to deliver the afternoon message using the same text the Hicks’ used. Then on Thursday, we had the Bryant father/son team with Rev. Dr. Jamaal Bryant and Bishop John Bryant. To add a gender flavor to the mix, we had Rev. Dr. Cecelia Bryant on Thursday afternoon to deliver the message from the same text as the father and the son.

Friday Morning we had a Mentor/Mentee Prayer Breakfast with groups focusing on and lifting up issues for prayer. We heard from several mentor/mentee pairs. Following the Prayer Breakfast was an Ecumenical Holy Communion celebrating the Supreme Act of God’s Love in high pageantry. Bishop J.D. Wiley delivered the Communion Message.

The conference was filled with excellent preaching and was a historic event for the school.