E. W. McCall, Sr. grew California church, served SBTC as ministry specialist

E. W. McCall, Sr., an African-American ministry specialist for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, died April 19 at the age of 79. McCall was instrumental in the formation of the African-American Fellowship of SBTC, having served the state convention for the past nine years.

Noting that McCall “graduated to heaven on Good Friday,” SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards described him as “a giant among us” who was “faithful to the end.”

McCall pastored St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church in La Puente, Cal., for 37 years. During that time the congregation grew from 35 members meeting in a house to thriving church of more than 4,000 members. Under his leadership, the church developed ministries to the community for children and youth, addressed the needs of the homeless population and senior adults.

Active in the local Baptist association and state convention, McCall also served on the board of trustees at California Baptist University, eventually holding the offices of secretary and chairman. He was elected a trustee at Golden Gate Theological Seminary and became the first African-American to serve as the board chairman. As a member of the Executive Committee of the SBC, he served as second vice president and chairman.

McCall receive his B.S. degree in elementary education at Grambling State University in Louisiana, later teaching for 20 years. He earned his M.Div. and D. Min degrees from American Baptist Seminary of the West and did further studies at UCLA, California State University and Pepperdine.

In 2013, SBTC’s board of trustees endowed an education scholarship for African-American master of divinity students at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in honor of McCall.

The family will celebrate his life and legacy April 27 at 11 a.m. at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Cedar Hill.