Bailey, Theron E.
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Bailey, Theron E.
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Ted ...
is the pastor of the Wesley Park
United Methodist Church in Wyoming,
Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids .
He is a graduate of Western Michigan
University and the Methodist Theological Seminary School in Ohio. He has
served on several annual conference
and district boards and committees.
Until recently he was the chairman of
the West Michigan Conference Board
of Church and Society. He has spent
over 20 years in the pastoral ministry.
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The Grand Rapids Press, Saturday, April 17, 1976
5-A
TWO WYOMING POLICE OFFICERS lead handcuJ-·
fed Wesley Park minister out of the church.
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Pastor's Convictions Precede Arrest
. When Rev. Theron Bailey starts talkmg about "convictions," he isn't fooling
around.
The pastor of Wesley Park United
Methodist Church was arrested and
handcuffed as he delivered a Sunday
sermon recently while a shocked congregation of around 300 persons looked
on.
~o Wyo!Jll~g police officers read the
rruruster his nghts. When he resisted
arrest, they handcuffed him and led him
down the aisle to the rear of the church.
Framed by two hulking officers, the
comparatively diminuitive Rev. Bailey
turned to the congregation and said,
''Friends, if you were arrested for being
a Chr\stian, would there be enough
evidence to convict you?"
The arrest, of course, was
staged. But there was nothing
phony about the point Rev.
Bailey wanted to get across.
"My sermon topic was about the
differences between the way Christians
and non-Christians live. Are there any
beliefs or convictions that set us apart?"
said Rev. Bailey later.
To prove his point, the pastor enlisted
the aid of Wyoming Police Officer Bill
Tidey, a member of the church. Tidey
w~s seated in the congregation when an
usher delivered a message to him and .
Tidey left in haste. Outside, he met
fellow offi~r Christian Shelley, who
wore his uillform to lend an air of
authenticity.
Together, the two men re-entered the
church and proceeded with the arrest.
Their "warrant" actually was Tidey's
marriage license.
Rev. Theron Bailey: "Are there any beliefs o
"I never thought that many
convictions that set us apart?"
people would fall for it," said
Tidey. 'We made it as real as
possible and about 95 per cent point home and has been talking of little "They felt the same things the disciple
'
must have felt in the Garden of Get~
of the people swallowed it else.
"It's
probably
the
most
effective
semane.
Some women wept. A mai
hook, line and sinker."
sermon I've preached here," said Rev. shouted out, 'Do you have to do it now?
"I was concerned that people would Bailey, who has pastored the church for Some people just felt betrayed, that'
had abused their trust. Afew wanted f1
take the whole thing humorously," said nearly seven years.
"The thing I discovered was the fight the officers. One man was hel1
Rev. Bailey, "or think that it was just a
surprising range of emotions people felt back only by his wife who was clinging t.
gimmick."
Instead, the congregati~n took ~e during the whole thing," he added. his arm."
Bailey, Theron E.