Pastor overcomes struggles

For a pastor who has turned a quiet corner church into a thriving Baptist community, and who has published two books while hosting a radio show, struggling with the burdens left by the stroke was almost too much to bear. It left some members of the congregation, including Ellis himself, thinking retirement might be the only answer. But what doesn’t do you in makes you stronger. That was the message Sunday during Pilgrim’s 20-year anniversary celebration for Pastor Ellis.

"God afflicted Larry Wayne Ellis with a condition to keep Larry Wayne Ellis from becoming exalted with pride,” said the Rev. Rickey Carter, a friend from Good Hope Baptist Church in LaFayette, La. Carter spoke the sermon at Sunday’s 11 a.m. service where he explained that God has a way of "balancing” life with the good and the bad.

Ellis, 56, has a lot to be proud of, but he remains humble.

He is married to Vanderler and they have three children, Tawana, 33, Justin 29 and Austin, 27.

He is one of nine children who grew up in Clarksville, Tenn. He is the only one in his family to go to college. He graduated from Austin Peay State University, located in Tennessee, in 1975. Ellis earned a Master of Divinity from Golden Gate Theological Seminary in 1981. He was awarded a Masters Degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family counseling from the College of Notre Dame in Belmont in 1988 and earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree in 1995 from the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, Ill.

He helped form the CHOICES program in San Mateo County, a drug information and referral nonprofit. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Golden Gate Seminary in Mill Valley. He can be heard from 4:30 to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Sundays on KFAX AM 1100 on Teach the Word Ministry.

However, his stroke was the catalyst behind the two books he published. The newest one, "Congregation Driven Ministry: Moving from Membership to Maturity,” was introduced Sunday and is set for sale in the coming weeks.

"I know it’s the blessing of God,” Ellis said. "To accomplish all that, I know it’s God.”

The new book speaks to Ellis’ style as a pastor. While in church, his congregation sings the praises of God. Outside they sing the praises of Ellis and his ability to transform a small group of followers into a community that attracts people from throughout the Peninsula. Its members also act as leaders.

"He’s more of a visionary. He has the people do the ministry. It causes it to be more dynamic. The church now has a life of its own,” said Dennis Mays, a lifelong member who remembers attending Pilgrim when it was a small house on Fremont Street. The church is now located at 217 N. Grant St.

The congregation once had about 100 active members. Now it boasts at least 600 and they are all encouraged to participate in ministry.

The growth of the church, despite Ellis’ health problems, is a point of pride for youngest son Austin.

"It’s such a rewarding experience just to see the development of the church,” Austin Ellis said while pointing to additional office space constructed in 2000 to hold the growing ministry.

"We’ve seen him be blessed through the work that he’s done here,” Austin Ellis said. "For him to come back — to bounce back — from [the stroke], you know God is real.”

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344—5200 ext. 106.