Pastor A. A. Dicks Jr.
What does it mean to you to be selected as on of the TOP Kingdom Men of 2014? You ask a wonderful question. I am not sure what the criteria was but I am honored and humbled by this selection. It means a great deal to me for someone to value what I have contributed to the Kingdom enough to nominate and select me as possible someone who exemplifies excellence in my vocation. I am still trying to figure out whether or not I actually qualify to be listed with these other great men, but I am extremely grateful for the consideration.
How is it that you have developed a way to incorporate new innovative ideas and 21st Century preaching and teaching methods into a traditional setting? I could answer this question with one word GRACE. I have been graced to have been exposed to some of the greatest gifts in the Kingdom, who have helped to shape me and my ministry. I have been graced to serve a phenomenal church, Cedar Grove Baptist Church of Simpsonville. The people of “Da Grove” are some of the most passionate, praying, praising, powerful, and polished people I’ve ever come in contact with. God has been extremely kind to me in giving me an opportunity to serve in a context where I can experiment using the nuanced and innovative strategies and tactics I’ve been exposed to.
What is your greatest testimony of Faith and Grace? My greatest testimony of faith and grace is the witness of my marriage to the most wonderful woman God could have ever created, Miriam Perryman Dicks. We found each other while we weren’t looking for each other. My relationship with her has made me a better person for the world and the Kingdom. I would not be able to operate with an excellent level of effectiveness in ministry without her love and support. She is a great gift to me, our children, our church, and the world.
What would you pass on in wisdom and words to new up and coming preachers? I would offer the wise words my pastor Bishop Eric Freeman shared with me years ago. “We don’t preach so that men might stand up; we preach so that God might show up!” In other words, preaching is not about the applause of men, but rather an audience with God. It is not the prose of our preaching but the presence of God that changes lives.
How do you prioritize all that you do? This is a question that is quite tricky. I’m not sure if I have a systematic approach to all that I do. I was taught that instead of trying to do things, do you! I am a father, a husband, a son, a brother, a friend, a pastor, and a disciple of Jesus Christ. (this list is not ordered by priority) If I concentrate on being those things then it’s easier to do other things.
What was the moment in your life when you felt you transitioned from childish things to thinking like a man? To be quite honest I’m not finished making the transition. I would redact Paul’s sentiment in 1 Corinthians 13, that when he “became a man, he put away childish things. I haven't finished putting all my childish things away yet. I think that the biggest hurdle to manhood is having the discernment to recognize childish things and act ferociously to put them away. For me the tough conversations I have had, with people whose opinion I value, about my personal development have continued to challenge me to put some stuff away. I still have a lot of learning to do.
Did you always know you were called to preach the Gospel? No I did not. I grew up in a home with a preacher/pastor, so quite naturally I imitated my dad as a child. It was not until I was in basic training that I flirted with the idea of being called to ministry. Since that time I have learned that calling is something you are always discerning because being called is a journey. You never really get “there”, because God is not just calling you to do something he his calling you to be someone.
This issue is called 'God Culture'. Tell me about the necessity of all 3 forms of love in a marriage: Agape, Philia, and Eros. That’s quite an interesting question. I would first say that all of these forms of love are necessary in a marriage, but maybe not in the way that one would think. It would be dangerous for anyone in a marriage to believe that their spouse can supply all three of these forms of love to the degree of their spouses satisfaction. No one person can give you all that love. Eros love is restricted between husband and wife. However you can receive the other forms of love from other people and yet all are necessary for a healthy marriage. Agape, which according to C. S. Lewis’ book The Four Loves, is charity a love that gives. This type of love is best exemplified via Jesus Christ who had no romantic relationships during his earthly ministry. The more a husband and wife are reminded of the Agape love that Jesus has for them, the less they will need it from each other. Phila, is brotherly love, the love of friends and family. This is essential to marriage because it keeps the marriage from being a silo of love. A healthy marriage creates a context for each person in the marriage to have other healthy relationships with friends and family. Can your spouse be your best friend? Yes! But they should not be your only friend! In short for a healthy marriage you to have a space to receive Agape love from God, Philia love from friends and family, and Eros love from no one else but your spouse.
Tell me about the importance of having a personal RELATIONSHIP with God? I could talk for hours about the importance of a relationship with God. However I will use two of the words in the question to answer it. It is important to have a personal relationship with God because he is the best PERSON you could ever have a relationship with. He is humble, honest, powerful, intelligent, and very much interested in you! He won’t abandon you, he will always tell you the truth, nothing you do will stop him from loving you. He knows everything about you and yet he loves you anyway. He won’t make you earn His love, he will give it to you freely. You can’t make God worse because of your relationship and He can only make you better. In elementary school we learn our basic needs, food, clothing, shelter, and each other. All of the things listed are gifts from God. To live this life well you not only need God’s gifts, you also need God, the giver!