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Lonnie Mozingo Sr.

FROM THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF PRIMITIVE OR OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST MINISTERS BY DAVID MONTGOMERY AND MARK GREEN:

ELDER LONNIE RAY MOZINGO, SR.


Written by Elder Lonnie Mozingo, Jr. :


Elder Lonnie Ray Mozingo, Sr. was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on May 22, 1931, to Elder Oscar R. and Lydia Mae Busby Mozingo. He was baptized in November, 1958, at Ideal Primitive Baptist Church in Petal, Mississippi, by his father, Elder O.R. Mozingo.

He married Shirley Jo McGee on February 18, 1955, and to this union five children were born: Susan Diane, Lonnie Ray, Jr., Anthony Alan, Andrew Paul, and Nena Rebekah. His oldest son, Lonnie Ray Mozingo, Jr., is a fifth generationPrimitive Baptist minister. Lonnie was ordained in April, 1962, at Ideal Church. Those who took part in the service were G.W. Lewis, Russell Lewis, and Ira Easterling. The charge was delivered by his father, O.R. Mozingo. Those dear to his heart and considered by Lonnie as fathers in the ministry are Elder James Thedford from Martin, Tennessee, Elder Hassell Wallis of Ripley, Mississippi, and Elder Billy Boyd of Tupelo, Mississippi.

"On March 2, 1952, on a battlefield in Kunsan, Korea, I was struck as though by lightning with the feeling that I would never return home and see my beloved Church again. If ever there was an experience of Grace it was that night on that frozen ground as I prayed and cried, and promised the Lord that I would do His will to the best of my ability. As I read the Bible in my tent in Korea, several came in to my tent and asked me to read to them. It was then that I first felt the call to preach. After I was discharged and came back home, I neglected my call until August 1959, at my home church. The pastor was late for services, and after song service was ended, one of the deacons, Brother Charles Odom, told me to go and preach--AND I DID. From that time to the present, I have traveled all over the United States, wherever a door was open for me, preaching the Gospel."

Lonnie's first pastoral duties were at Mt. Hebron Church in Purvis, Mississippi. The early part of his ministry was spent traveling long distances among the churches in Mississippi and Western Tennessee. The last thirty years have been served primarily in his home area of South Central and West Mississippi. He has pastored as many as five churches at one time, and did so for most of his ministry.

During his career as an ordained minister, he has pastored the followingchurches: Sharon at Lake, Mississippi, Mt. Zion in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Pine Hill in Ripley, Mississippi, churches in Tupelo and Amory, Mississippi, White Haven in Memphis, Tennessee, Middleton Creek at Meadville, Mississippi, Gulf Coast at Gulfport, Mississippi, New Bethel at Tylertown, Mississippi, Gravel Hill in Michie, Tennessee, Bethlehem in New Orleans, Louisiana, Bethlehem in Bay Springs, Mississippi, and his home church of Ideal, at Petal, Mississippi. "I have been privileged to help constitute at least three churches including Gulf Coast Primitive Baptist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi, Bethel in Perth, Kansas, and a church in Yazoo City, Mississippi.

What a blessing it has been to serve the Lord these past forty years. Perhaps the greatest blessing of all has come through the lives of my family. I have been privileged to baptize all five of my children into the Faith, and their spouses are all faithful members and seven of my grandchildren are members. How good the Lord has been to Shirley and me."

Date of Death: November 19, 2005
The Following was a memorial to Elder Mozingo After his death, by Elder David Montgomery.

November 25, 2005
When someone who has been a special influence to me passes this life, it is a custom of mine to write a memorial to their memory. As I consider the life of Elder Lonnie Mozingo, Sr, I feel a great desire to thank my Lord that I knew him and can say that he was an influence in my life. As Elder Pyles said in his memorial, Brother Lonnie was a father and friend to many, and he certainly was to me.

The most outstanding characteristic of Brother Lonnie was his way of extending happiness to others. I feel that this was his great gift and what set him apart from anyone else I have ever known. Indeed, I have never met another human being that gave so much joy and happiness to those around him.

If you ever saw him lead a song, you know what I mean. You could tell that he saw that eternal day coming, where no heartache will come, where no tear shall dim the eye and where there will be no sad partings, where all is peace forever more, on that happy golden shore. Oh how happy we were made to feel! His song leading never drew attention to himself, but it drew the attention to ourselves, the listeners and it made us think of better things. Ultimately, it brought our attention to the Lord and we were made to feel happy. What an outstanding gift for the church! It is was drove him to do the things he did, things which would eventually cost him his health and hurt him financially. But that did not move him...as the Apostle Paul, he was willing to spend and be spent for the Lord's people.

If you ever got to talk with him, you know what I mean. He always wanted to know how you were. But that was not just a question one might feel required to ask in a conversation. He really wanted to know how you were and if there was anything he could do for you. I was always made to feel better after visiting with him. There were several times when I went to his home that he would leave his sick-bed to come and visit with me. The last time I was there was especially poignant...he was not feeling well at all, but he come into the room and wanted to know how things were with me, my family and ministry. As we sat down to supper, he offered a prayer that will ever stay with me. Precious memories.

If you ever saw him preach the gospel, you know what I mean. He gave every ounce of energy into those sermons. There were times that I thought that he might need to stop the message for I feared for his health, but now I believe that that would have hurt him more. His life was devoted to the ministry. He gave up a career and a good retirement to preach the gospel. He paved the way for so many young preachers and made their lot so much better. How could he refrain? Oftentimes, with a sick body, deprived of sleep, he would drive hundreds of mile to preach just one sermon. But that was his joy--to tell the beloved story of Jesus and Him crucified. His joy to express that joy, to impart that joy, and we all were the better for it.

As I close this testimonial, I regret that it took me so long to realize the magnitude of his great gift. It is like that even now, when I want to be sad because he is gone that he is telling me not to feel sad. It is like he is telling me that because I know this that I should go out and do as he did in his life. To follow his example as he followed the Lord and the Apostles. And he is telling me not to feel sad but to rejoice for there truly is coming that day he so sweetly sang about and that we should want to sing that song and tell that story. With this realization, I do not feel sad anymore--Brother Lonnie has done it to me again...the sadness is gone and the joy remains. Thank you Lord for giving us this man and this gift.

My prayers are with Mama Shirley and with their children and grandchildren. Some day, I'll get to go to his house and see him again, but not in Hattiesburg...no, in Paradise. What joy we shall feel on that day!

Written in love and respect for this great man.

In His service,
David Montgomery


larry heldman  

Elder James Compton (1905 - 2007)
Elder James Compton was the original founder of the 'Gospel of Grace Tape Supply.' His collection of tapes began as he traveled to Church meetings and Associations recording sermons on Reel to Reel. He has maintained this library of sermons faithfully over the years and are now the foundation of PB Sermons. org. This web site is dedicated to Elder James Compton (1905 - 2007)