SLS 17RS-518 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 51
BY SENATOR TARVER
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Pastor James C. Birdsong Jr. on his numerous
accomplishments.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To commend Pastor James C. Birdsong Jr. on his numerous accomplishments.
3 WHEREAS, James C. Birdsong Jr. was born on May 16, 1980, in Richmond,
4 California to the late Rev. James C. Birdsong Sr. and Belinda Germany-Birdsong; and
5 WHEREAS, he graduated with honors from Fairfield High School on June 12, 1998,
6 in Fairfield, California and subsequently earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical
7 Education from Beulah Heights University in Atlanta, Georgia; and
8 WHEREAS, Pastor Birdsong is currently pursuing his Master of Arts degree in
9 Organizational Leadership at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and plans to
10 complete the program by the spring 2018 semester; and
11 WHEREAS, he received his calling into the ministry at the tender age of three and
12 preached his first sermon at fifteen; and
13 WHEREAS, Pastor Birdsong is preparing for the release of his upcoming book, The
14 Best Is Yet To Come: A Testimony of One Young Man's Redemption, to be published and
15 released nationally by T&J Publishers in Atlanta, Georgia; and
16 WHEREAS, the Bible-based inspirational autobiography tells the story of his humble
17 beginnings in Richmond, California, and the history of his family lineage that consists of his
18 famous cousins, world-renowned R&B legend Cindy Birdsong of Patti & the Bluebells and
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SLS 17RS-518 ORIGINAL
1 Diana Ross and the Supremes, Grammy Award winner and legendary organist/keyboardist,
2 Edwin Birdsong, and former NBA four-time All-Star basketball player Otis Birdsong; and
3 WHEREAS, the book also shares practical insight into how he overcame a
4 developmental disability and discusses his journey as a special education student which
5 resulted in his pursuit of a lifetime dream to be a part of the gospel music industry as a singer
6 and songwriter; and
7 WHEREAS, he will begin a national book tour to promote and share his story with
8 millions of people of all ages and nationalities; and
9 WHEREAS, Pastor Birdsong has received numerous awards, accolades, and
10 proclamations recognizing his contributions in the gospel music industry, as well as his
11 leadership and record of public service in the community as a mentor and role model to our
12 nation's youth, and his name has been added to the Wall of Tolerance by the Southern
13 Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama; and
14 WHEREAS, he is highly respected by pastors, politicians, members of the gospel
15 music industry, and peers on a national scale, and has been featured on television, radio, and
16 in print media; and
17 WHEREAS, Pastor Birdsong is the founder and senior pastor of Gospel Outreach
18 Tabernacle Church in Austell, Georgia and Nairobi, Kenya with a third location being
19 planned in the state of North Carolina; and
20 WHEREAS, he was installed as the senior pastor of Gospel Outreach Tabernacle
21 Church on September 26, 2015, during a historical installation ceremony, The Dream Is Now
22 A Reality: An Installation for Pastor James C. Birdsong Jr., at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
23 in Shreveport, Louisiana, with performances by Stellar Award nominated national gospel
24 recording artists Lillian Lilly of the world-renowned Mississippi Mass Choir and Eva
25 Sabiniano, and hosted by Shreveport-based national gospel radio personality Rev. Eddie
26 Giles of the Stellar Award-winning KOKA 980 AM radio; and
27 WHEREAS, Pastor Birdsong has family ties in the Shreveport area that have allowed
28 his family to be respected and recognized throughout the nation and abroad from ministry
29 to the entertainment arena; and
30 WHEREAS, he visits schools and speaks to young men and women encouraging
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1 them to pursue their life potential and has been invited to speak at the historical Booker T.
2 Washington High School and Huntington High School in Shreveport, Louisiana; and
3 WHEREAS, Pastor Birdsong is a member of the Cobb County NAACP in Marietta,
4 Georgia, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Gospel Music Workshop of America, the
5 Gospel Music Association, the Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy, and, as a pastor, he
6 is an affiliated member of the Global United Fellowship in Nassau, Bahamas, where Bishop
7 Neil C. Ellis is the Presiding Prelate; and
8 WHEREAS, the success of the state of Louisiana, the strength of our communities,
9 and the overall vitality of American society depends, in great measure, upon the dedication
10 of people like Pastor Birdsong who unselfishly use their faith and talent to encourage others
11 to follow their dreams.
12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
13 commend and congratulate Pastor James C. Birdsong Jr. on his numerous accomplishments
14 in the gospel music industry and at the pulpit and does hereby wish him every measure of
15 continued success in his future endeavors.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
17 Pastor James C. Birdsong Jr.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Nancy Vicknair.
DIGEST
SCR 51 Original 2017 Regular Session Tarver
Commends Pastor James C. Birdsong Jr. on his numerous accomplishments.
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