The late Bill Percy earned his Master of Divinity from NOBTS in 1978 before beginning a long ministry serving smaller, rural churches in Alabama. But, according to his sister Harriet Percy, his preaching career began much earlier.
“When he was about six, he would take his music stand into the living room and hold church,” Miss Percy recalled. “I was the congregation, and he would lead the music, have special music, and preach to me. He probably did that until he was about nine or ten years of age. Every time he gave an invitation, I had to go down and be saved.” At Bill’s funeral, the minister told that story. He said, “I know most of you are Christian people and have been involved in one of the Alabama churches which Brother Bill pastored during the years, but there’s a lady here who has been saved more than 150 times. That is Bill’s sister.”
Despite his success in converting his sister, Bill still decided to come to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. At the NOBTS Family Open House, he spotted his future wife Margaret “Sissy” Parsons (MRE ’78), who had been in leadership positions with the Women’s Missionary Union in Louisiana. Of course, he hadn’t introduced himself at this time, but he felt that God had placed him in exactly the right place to meet this beautiful Christian woman with black hair and gorgeous eyes!
Harriet believes that Bill grew tremendously in his knowledge of the Bible while attending NOBTS, and he felt that he had been placed in an environment to not only grow as a Christian, but also learn how to shepherd the congregation of a church. Among the many things he learned, he gravitated toward financial management of small churches which helped him develop master plans. Because of this, he was able to offer more church growth than had ever been realized in smaller rural churches he served.
Being a pastor is not always the easiest job in the world. Bill helped people in conflict realize that we are all God’s people and can come together to serve Christ. All of these things he learned with the mentoring of excellent professors and teachers at the seminary.
Bill Percy passed away in 2015 at the age of 61. His decades of ministry had simply been a continuation of the long family legacy of service to others first begun by his father and mother. Bill and Harriet’s father, Dr. William Percy, had become a pediatrician after his experiences working with children at a hospital in Weisbaden, Germany during World War II. His work took him to several cities for school, residency, and continuing education through the years, but the common denominator was always to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others.
“It was just a matter of treating people the way we were taught…with dignity and respect for all those with whom we came into contact” said Miss Percy. “Before schools had ‘Service Hours,’ we learned to care for those who were sick, would visit the nursing homes and hold church services for the elderly in several nursing homes in our home town of Lake Charles, LA. Mother cooked for those who might need some sustenance. Anytime anybody had some kind of issue, whether it be health or trouble with their children, or just needed support or counseling, my parents were right there and we were right beside them”…“They lived out their faith; and Bill and I did the same thing.”
Not surprisingly, the Percy family is still investing in the lives of others thanks to their estate donation to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. And they are not alone. Each year, members of the seminary’s DeMent Society help ensure the future of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College through their estate gifts. The society was named after Dr. Byron Hoover DeMent, who worked tirelessly to raise money for the newly-established Baptist Bible Institute in 1917.
The Baptist Bible Institute became New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1946; and these days, the DeMent Society helps individuals in stewarding their resources effectively through estate instruments like wills, trusts, and annuities. They are assisting people who want to see the mission and ministry of NOBTS and Leavell College continue to make a difference in the world long after they are gone.
Like the Percy Family, they are participating in something bigger than themselves, sharing what God has given them.
“It is obvious that God has led my family through their whole lives,” Harriet said. “I’m very blessed to have been brought up in a Christian family where our parents taught us to respect everyone, no matter what their plight….and give back to those most in need.”
To learn more about the DeMent Society and supporting New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College through estate planning, you can contact the seminary’s Office for Institutional Advancement at (504) 816-8224 or send an email to development@nobts.edu.