As dusk set every Monday evening throughout the month of March, the open doors of the Rodman Street Missionary Baptist Church in the East End greeted more than 1,000 men from across the Pittsburgh area. Young and old, Black and White, preachers in suits and sports wear, police officers in dress blues and young men in baggy jeans arrived at the corner of Rodman and Collins Streets with a feeling of expectancy in their hearts.
It was not long after their arrival that expectancy quickly turned to excitement. Arriving from near and far, the brotherhood shared a desire to worship and praise the Holiest of them all. As the voices of song rose throughout the walls of the spirit-filled church, a kinship was formed as those in attendance attempted to grasp the tools necessary to face the challenges and issues of life.
The spiritual “March Madness,” the brainchild of Rev. Dr. Darryl Canady, Rodman’s senior pastor, is steadfast in his zeal to train and equip men to become God-fearing leaders through the men only spring revival. His efforts afford a unified platform of celebration and transformation as the agenda provides necessary training to equip the people of God to become the leaders desperately needed in a dying world.
“I started March Madness,” said Rev. Canady, “with the intent to help men live up to their God-given responsibilities. I am a firm believer that if we are able to get men to commit themselves to God first, our women, children and communities will be better off.”
“The Making, Breaking and Re-making of Men,” the theme for this year’s revival, began on Monday, March 2. On that evening, Rev. Brian Edmonds of the Macedonia Church of Pittsburgh kicked off the madness with a vengeance. The second Monday of the month was led by Rev. Dr. Keith Troy who brought a message of strength from the New Salem Baptist Church of Columbus, Ohio. An amazing step in spiritual growth continued on March 16 through the powerful delivery of Rev. Dr. Lance Watson of the St. Paul Baptist Church of Richmond, Va. A Men’s Prayer Brunch, held on the March 21, filled a hunger both spiritually and physically as Rev. John C. Welch of Bidwell Presbyterian Church delivered a soul-stirring message.
Dynamic messages from Rev. Michael Smith of Destiny Ministries International and the enthusiastic senior pastor of “The Street” ended “March Madness” on March 23. Delivering a heart-felt message of truth, Rev. Smith captured the attention of the 300 men in attendance as he described his journey from the “mountain of transfiguration to the valley of the shadow of death.” That journey, however, has become his message of empowerment as he encourages men to “move from ramifications and repercussions to restoration and rejuvenation.”
“We all make mistakes, but don’t let the mistakes make you,” he said. Bringing many to their feet, the minister challenged those in attendance to “retrieve your buried gifts and bury that which is holding you back.”
It was the prelude to Canady’s culmination of the Monday evening brotherhood. In the dramatic style he is known for, Rev. Canady provided a casket at the front of the church for those in attendance to literally write the issues holding them back and bury those issues inside the casket, while reaching in to grab, in the words of Rev. Smith, “the dreams, goals and aspirations that you have given up on so long ago.” The powerful words of Rodman’s senior pastor challenged “the men to believe in themselves and the Power of God over their lives.” Without hesitation, Rev. Canady provided a platform that demands “no more excuses.”
It was a time of reflection and a time of praise as men across the city came together to share and witness the road from defeat to forgiveness, move forward from confusion to clarification, and put an end to personal suffering to accept personal salvation. It was a time of spiritual brotherhood of honesty, self-empowerment and a burning desire to become the men God needs at this time.
Pastor Barbara Gunn of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, in North Versailles, once described Rev. Canady as a “leader of men.”
The journey continues at “The Street;” a 10-minute spiritual boost for the week, along with prayer, is provided for men during “Male Time with Pastor Canady” every Monday morning at 6:15 a.m. Dial 302-202-1112, Conference Code 295331.
(Ongoing training and development for men is held every Monday night at 6:30 p.m. at RSMBC.)
