“I didn’t know whether this was a press conference, a concert, a church service, or my eulogy,” said Bahamanian Bishop Neil Ellis at a spirited book release event recently held in his honor. Ellis and his Bahamian entourage made their way to Atlanta, his favorite U.S. city, to celebrate the completion and scheduled release of his new book, Pursuing the Glory. The powerfully moving event, emceed by former Miss Black USA, Kalilah Allen-Harris, was held at the sprawling Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios. Perry is a good friend and supporter of Ellis’.
Glory was inspired by a bout Bishop Ellis had with the near loss of the very thing that he says God gave him “to do his part in kingdom building,” his voice. A bad case of acid reflux and surgeries to correct it rendered the decidedly fiery preacher completely silent for a period. After expressing his anger toward God in an act of desperate rebellion, he was given the material, in written form, to develop a series of sermons on the pursuit of God’s life revolutionizing glory, which then became content for the book.
“He took the harm I did to myself and used it for not only my good, but for the good of countless others who will be blessed by the book’s message.” he said.
Many well-known figures in the religious and entertainment community were present at the celebration, including Elder Bernice King (daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.); civil rights activist Xernona Clayton Brady; Los Angeles-based Bishop Noel Jones (via skype); Terri Vaughn (“Steve Harvey Show”); Tamela and David Mann (“Meet the Browns”); singer Dottie Peoples; comedienne Sheryl Underwood; actress Kim Fields and others.
Passages from Glory were passionately recited by several of the attendees, including popular TV pastor, Paula White, who also wrote the foreword for the book. “This is not just a book, but an experience with the Most High God through parchment and ink,” she said.
Pursuing the Glory will be in stores on March 31.
