A conversation with Rev. J. W. Witherspoon

Most of us know Rev. Witherspoon (The Dean) as one of Chester’s longest reigning pastors as he’s led Temple Baptist Church since 1967. 

On Saturday night, I had the honor of sitting next to him at the head table of an event and I took the opportunity to ask him things I’ve been curious about for a very long time. 

His Children

Two of his children and I used to catch a converted bread truck turned school bus driven by Ethel Johnson to Media Friends School in the late 60s, early 70s. Both children are ordained ministers and well educated with advanced degrees.

His Name

One of 13 siblings, and born to a midwife in South Carolina, his name was misspelled at birth by the midwife. His mother wanted him to have a biblical name, Jeremiah, but it was spelled totally wrong on the official documents. It took him years, and a few dollars to reclaim the name his mother wanted him to have and in the mean time he preferred to use his first and middle initials in place of his name. 

His Ministry

He’s been preaching since the age of 24 and has never had another job. All he’s ever wanted to do was preach and be a family man. He’s been married for nearly 60 years. 

Coming to Chester

When he arrived in Chester, he was told that he had to affiliate with a couple particular entities in the city in order for his church to receive favor. He never subscribed to those recommendations and choose to stand on his own.

Praying

Too many people pray after something goes bad. That’s backwards. You should pray all the time. He says only about a dozen people regularly attend weekly prayer service. 

Preaching

He has never written out a sermon. He may jot down a couple points but after developing the outline in his head, he preaches without notes. He says it only becomes a problem if he’s challenged by someone. He occasionally records his sermons to make sure everything was on point. When he finds he made a mistake, he corrects it in a future sermon. 

Wait

Many people react on impulse. If they would just let time pass, they usually find that the situation isn’t as bad as it originally seemed.

Longevity

At 82 years of age, he has no immediate intentions to retire. He gets regular exercise by taking long walks. He walks to Eddystone, Claymont, Media, and all around Chester. 

Fear

He has no fear of harm during his walks around Chester, sometimes after dark. He doesn’t put himself in harms way and would fight off an attack. If it’s your time, it’s your time. 

The Stop Sign
He agreed with me that the stop sign in front of his church is misplaced. It stands about 25 feet from the corner. If you stop at the stop sign, it would be easy to assume that you ran the sign because you're almost at full speed by the time you get to the corner of 7th and Butler. We figured that the stop sign and fire hydrant need to change places. 

Humor

Anyone who has ever heard Rev. Witherspoon on the pulpit have enjoyed the humor he interjects on nearly every occasion. He says he likes to see people feel good, and laughter is a way to make that happen. He only tells jokes about himself and never about anyone else. Most people find themselves in the same situation he jokes about, but the joke is always on him.

While giving remarks, Rev. Witherspoon thanked one of his members for bringing him to the event in their new Ford SUV.  The Rev said that he drives a SOB...Same old Buick.