Pastor Billy’s Legacy of Faith

“Regarding the debate about faith and works: It’s like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most important.” -- C.S. Lewis Many times, we believe we know someone, until we are surprised to discover things we never knew about him. This Postcard is about an extraordinary person who possessed numerous facets, most known to all. He was a renaissance man, a basketball player, a preacher and a photographer, and he led a massive congregation. He was a man of color, tall and striking in appearance with his hair formed into long, cascading cornrows.

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When he entered a room, heads turned. He cut a very impressive figure, reflecting the image of his Creator whom he loved, respected, adored, promoted and whose gospel he enthusiastically spread. He enjoyed playing jazz; music, sports and preaching brought him closer to his Father. Tragically, he recently passed away in his sleep at the age of 58. Completely unexpected, it stunned everyone left behind. At the funeral, when people were asked to stand if they knew him, were part of his church, were affected directly by his actions or even indirectly so, an audience of thousands stood. There were only eight Jewish people in our group, sitting among thousands of African-American mourners, all there to celebrate Pastor Billy’s extraordinary life. We were present to show our gratitude for his consistent devotion and support for Israel’s welfare. Before the service started, I spoke with a 20-year member of his church seated nearby. I explained that in Judaism, the greatest deed a person can perform toward another is to attend that person’s funeral. It is the most selfless act, because the departed can never pay back the kindness, and there is no earthly reciprocation for the action. Eight grateful and dispirited Jewish mourners represented the Jewish community at a memorial and life celebration for Pastor Dr. Billy Ingram of Maranatha Community Church in Los Angeles. We felt a great debt needed to be repaid. A great show of love was appropriate for such a true friend. Pastor Billy, as we used to call him, was always there for us, for Israel. He had many great loves, his Creator, his wife Solombra, his children, his congregants and Israel. Patricia Johnson of the Israel Christian Nexus described him:

“Pastor Ingram was a man of passion and conviction, who served God with all of his heart and strength, and showed us all by his example the power of one committed individual to make a positive difference in our community. “He was a faithful friend of Israel, who led tours there with members of his congregation. At the request of the Israel Ministry of Tourism, he organized and led a tour of key African-American pastors to the Holy Land. He could be counted on to stand with the Jewish State when it mattered, appearing with the Israeli Consul General and area rabbis at demonstrations of support and in front of media during the Second Lebanon War. He served on the board of directors of the Israel Christian Nexus since the organization’s founding in 2002.”

When Israel’s Consul General eulogized him at the funeral he evoked laughter from the crowd as he related that at their first meeting when he walked into the room, he thought Pastor Billy was an “Ethiopian Jew.” He praised his efforts to strengthen Israel and noted with sadness that the Jewish people had truly lost a dear and loyal friend. I personally recalled August of 2006, when Israel was at war with Hizbollah, an Iranian-and Syrian-backed terrorist organization that took over Lebanon. Pastor Billy was about to pick up his twin boys, then five, when I called him asking if he could join us at a major event at the Simon Wiesenthal Center to support Israel. Pastor Billy did not hesitate for a moment and said, “I will be there.” Later, when he walked into the courtyard filled with hundreds of people, all heads turned. He was imposing and majestic in a suit, with his long cornrows down his back, like a warrior in a protective army of the devoted. He spoke that day with a warm and loving heart about Israel, of standing steadfast with the Jewish state. At today’s funeral service his image projected from huge screens as he praised higher values and the love of God. He was a preacher who knew his Bible, the Bible that is the common denominator that joins the Saturday Jews and Sunday Christians at the hip. Those gathered today at the memorial were reminded of that special side of Pastor Billy that extended beyond the Bible, making it real and tangible. From within the Old Testament to the modern-day manifestation of God’s Chosen People, from the Hebrews to the Israelis, blessing the children of God was integrally important to Pastor Billy. He connected the Book to life and human beings; his faith was a real entity, and he truly practiced what he preached. As his Jewish admirers, our presence was a testament to a connection he re-established, the inter-dependence and mending of the vital bridges between the Jewish and African American communities. There is no question that bridge is built on very solid foundations, for Christianity without Judaism cannot exist. However, that once strong bond between the Jews and Blacks has deteriorated slowly as African-American leaders like Jackson, Sharpton and Wright malign the Jews and the Zionists, spreading hatred and misinformation among their followers and a new generation. Pastor Billy Ingram knew the importance of the state of Israel. He knew the deeply ingrained commonality of the struggles that drew us together and the necessity to re-forge those bonds in the new millennium. He remembered the past, the troubled times when Jews and Blacks walked arm in arm to battle the wrongs that confronted them and formed a wall of strength too deep to penetrate for it was forged of unity. Jews and Blacks once worked together to end racism and hatred. Pastor Billy renewed the bond and shared the works because, most importantly, he believed “Faith Without Works is Dead.” He believed “love” is a verb. It is in the actions not the word that the power lies. For Pastor Billy, supporting the State of Israel and the Jewish people were one and the same. It came without any preconditions. In fact, it came before much else. He had a priority assigned to it, a higher importance for loving and supporting Israel tantamount to loving and supporting the Almighty, and nothing short of a full attention and complete devotion will suffice. We must all pray Pastor Billy’s incredible legacy is carried forward by the multitudes his life inspired. May he be an advocate, as he now sits at a circle with the Almighty, to further and to strengthen the ties he and others have built with effort and dedication with the Jewish People. His memory must serve as an example of the true meaning of Christian values, to love and support a neighbor, to embrace all mankind with a generous and forgiving spirit. These times are more perilous and dangerous than ever before. It is now we must look into our hearts and set an anchor, one solidly resting in deep, inner belief and conviction and love for one another. Support of Israel is not only necessary, but also the right thing to do for the sake of all people. Pastor Billy stood beside a friend in need, Israel. He loyally defended a people, the Jews, constantly attacked and maligned, showing his true character and integrity to God’s principles. Pastor Billy Ingram was a true man of character, and “character” meant for him “living” the manifestation of God’s will and commandments. The world and the Jewish people lost a giant. May we all be so blessed to have more friends like Pastor Billy and may his good works serve as a light to guide us all out of the darkness. In the series “Postcards from Israel,” Ari Bussel and Norma Zager invite readers throughout the world to join them as they present reports from Israel as seen by two sets of eyes: Bussel’s on the ground, Zager’s counter-point from home. Israel and the United States are inter-related - the two countries we hold dearest to our hearts - and so is this “point - counter-point” presentation that has, since 2008, become part of our lives. Ari and Norma can be reached at: aribussel@gmail.com