JASON HENNINGTON jason.hennington @granitemediapartners.com
At 64 years young, Pastor Tony Sorrells has a passion to spread the word of God. For 26 years, he has used that passion from the pulpit to help his community.
“Faithfulness does pay off,” Sorrells said about working in church and the community.
Sorrells has been involved with Zion Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, The First Baptist Church and Mount Calvary Missionary Church, three of the historic African American churches in Taylor.
“It’s ironic I grew up in Zion Chapel and served with Pastor (T.L.) Garner Sr. at First Baptist,” Sorrells said.
Garner’s health was declining, and rather than keep Sorrells at his side, he encouraged him to go to Mount Calvary, where Sorrells started in August of 1997.
“I’m from Taylor, and I had a past like everyone...I knew that having a past would taint my ministry, but it really didn’t,” Sorrells said. “I was really honored. I knew when I got there, there were big shoes to fill.”
Sorrells said Garner told him to make sure he preaches the word and to never fight the people.
“There is no preacher in this town that can say we fought or we argued or we fell out,” Sorrells said. “There is probably nobody in this town that can say that about me.”
While he has made a name for himself and helped spiritually in the churches, Sorrells sees his community work as some of his biggest accomplishments.
“Having a church as a base allowed me to reach out to the community in a way that was accepted because of the history of Mount. Calvary being a pillar in the community,” he said.
After taking over as the pastor, Sorrells became president of the Salvation Army, a role he held for 14 years.
“That, by far, is one of the biggest accomplishments that I see in my pastorship,” he said.
Under his leadership, Salvation Army raised $25,000-$30,000 annually, and all of it was given back to the Taylor community through paying for utility bills, dental payment, rental assistance and more.
In addition, the organization sent 25 students to Camp Hoblitzelle in Midlothian for free.
“They didn’t have to take anything but themselves and some clothes,” Sorrells said. “That was awesome. I was so grateful for that.” With Salvation Army, Sorrells also helped build a school supply drive, which evolved into a partnership with the school and other local organizations and churches.
Sorrells said he has always looked at the bigger picture when it comes to the growth of Taylor, specifically in the African American community.
“I want us to be able to come together and have a voice, even in the vote,” he said. “I want us to be able to go and hold all government officials accountable.”
Rather than lead with a negative mindset and attitude, Sorrells wants everyone to work together and support each other to have a united voice.
“In order to develop those type of people, we have to be supportive,” he said. “We can’t put each other down...when you really create this division, that doesn’t allow you to come together and really be a benefit to Taylor.”
Sorrells said he has traveled to seminars and events to continue learning how he can be an asset to his community.
“It always started with pleasing God, and then being a benefit to the people,” he said. “Not just the people in our congregations, but when the community around us is suffering, then we’re never going to flourish.”
Sorrells said with the current state of the world, people should follow the word of God.
“We should take God more seriously, and not just trust Him, but trust His way,” he said. “In His word, He tells us how to treat one another. If we did that, we would really be in a better place.”
In the near future, Sorrells plans to make repairs to his church, making it a safer place to worship.
“My vision for Mount Calvary is to build a new edifice,” he said. “We have to tear [the current] one down, which has a lot of sentimental value, but because structurally it is not safe, it has to be torn down.”
The congregation is currently worshiping at Jerusalem Pentecostal to have services while Mount Calvary is being repaired.
