R. G. Lee (1886-1978) Baptist Preacher

Robert Green Lee was born in a South Carolina sharecropper’s cabin. he grew up working on a farm. His school, a primitive one room, was a 3 mile walk away. Brought up in a Christian home and through regular Sunday school and church he came to know the Lord.

He briefly worked on the Panama canal. he entered Furman University and graduated with honours in 1913. He married Bula Gentry. He was offered a teaching post but selected the pastorate instead.
*That’s good! God never meant you to dig around Latin roots. He meant you to be a preacher * - Bula

His first ministry was in Lima S.C… As he became widely known larger opportunities arose. After 3 more ministries he end up in 1927 at Believue Baptist Church of Memphis, Tennessee and stayed for the next 33 years. In 1960 he became pastor emeritus. In his ‘retirement’ he travelled the world - 100,000 miles a year,

Robert’s sermons/messages were written in longhand on legal pads. He special attention to his opening statement to make it as effective as possible. His secretary would type out these pages. He would then read the manuscript frequently to master the content. He preached extemporaneously for up to 90 minutes in a white suit.

His most famous sermon PayDay, some Day he preached 1,275 times (See included extract)

He was offered a number of ’ jobs’- presidency of a seminary and a university-he stayed at Believue. He did do 4 terms as President of the Tennessee Baptist convention and 3 as head of the South Baptist convention.

On his last day, 20 th July 1978 his friends sang hymns as he died. ( read R,G, Lee’s ascent to Glory).

During his memorial service outstanding leaders paid tribute to the* peerless pulpiteer / Mr Southern Baptist*.