Ordered Steps

A Life Prepared to Lead

Doug Clay

• Publisher: Gospel Publishing House
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9781607315131
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Church

Meet Doug Clay, Assemblies of God general superintendent–as his family and friends know him. Ordered Steps offers a revealing journey through the insights and perspectives of those who have known Doug best. As well, Doug shares his spiritual priorities and passions in his own words. Doug's experiences remind us God sovereignly works circumstances for good in and through our lives. Tragedy in childhood, the spiritual strength of his family, and the nurturing care of his home church all worked together to bring Doug through extraordinary challenges early in life. Doug Clay's story is a telling illustration of the inspiring truth of divine providence–that God delights in the details of our lives, when we choose to let Him order our steps.

SECTION 1

ORDERED
STEPS

FAMILY
LIFE

The drama of the Titanic still fascinates.

Almost a century ago, wealthy socialites and celebrities danced under the warm light of glittering chandeliers. Musicians played popular songs of the day, while the first-class passengers dined on delicacies. No one knew that in a few hours, the largest and most luxurious ocean liner ever built would sink beneath the waves. All the excited passengers who boarded the supposedly “unsinkable” ship for her maiden voyage would gladly have cancelled their trip, could they have foreseen the tragedy to come.

One of the scheduled passengers on the Titanic was J. Stuart Holden, the eloquent preacher of Saint Paul’s Church in London. He had crossed the Atlantic many times to preach in the United States, often for the Bible conferences hosted by D. L. Moody. Less than twenty-four hours before the Titanic sailed, Holden’s wife needed emergency surgery. The dilemma Holden faced was whether to fulfill his commitment to preach in the United States or to cancel his trip and remain with his wife. Trusting God’s Word concerning his responsibility to his wife, he telegraphed the hosts of the conference that he would not be coming. Holden’s Titanic ticket hung framed on the study wall for the rest of his life as a testimony to God’s faithfulness and guidance. J. Stuart Holden had twenty-two more years of influential ministry, including his leadership in the famous Keswick Convention where he introduced a strong missions emphasis, resulting in many missionaries reaching the lost around the world.

What would not have happened—what lives would not have been affected for Christ if Stuart Holden had chosen to make the voyage on the Titanic?

Less than a month after the Titanic sailed, a twenty-one-year-old young man left England for a new life in the United States. He had planned to travel on the Titanic’s maiden voyage but changed his plans and took the next available ship a few weeks later—the SS Grampian— some of his descendants surmised because the fare was less. His choice to change ships would affect the future of countless lives.

His name was George Edward Clay— grandfather of Doug Clay. Had George Clay not changed ships, Doug Clay would not have been born.

God’s sovereignty and providence are magnificent mysteries. In Paul’s letter to the Romans he says that God’s ways are “unfathomable” (11:33, NASB) but also affirms that “God causes all things to work together for good.” (8:28, NASB)

Art Clay, Doug’s father, with his father George

Many regretfully speculate about what might have happened in their lives if they had only made different choices. More importantly, what would not have happened in and through our lives if God hadn’t acted in His providence?

To the surrendered follower of Christ, the dark clouds of regret concerning what might have been are dispelled by the shining light of what God causes to happen in our lives in spite of, and even through tragedy, sorrow, and pain.

SS Grampian

After landing in Canada, George Clay traveled on an immigrant train to the United States, settling in Detroit. He sent for his fiancé, Martha, still in England to join him and they were married. George began working at the Solvay Chemical Processing Plant. A coworker, Arthur Shaw, who had also emigrated from England, began witnessing to him.

George and Martha’s first child, their daughter Hazel, had several major medical problems. They had taken her to specialists but found no help. George told Arthur Shaw they would bring their daughter to a prayer meeting and, if she was healed, they would accept the Lord. She was healed, and George and Martha surrendered their lives to Jesus.

George and Martha began attending what were then called “cottage prayer meetings” in homes, where they began seeking the infilling of the Holy Spirit that they had heard about. Though he earnestly prayed to receive, George struggled and was discouraged. Because they were all from England, at the close of each meeting, they had tea and biscuits (cookies). One night George was asked to pray the blessing on their refreshments. As he began to pray, the Holy Spirit filled him and he began speaking in tongues.

Later this small group began to meet in a storefront church in River Rouge, Michigan, which later became the River Rouge Assembly of God. George was the Bible teacher and often preached when the pastor was gone. George and his family became very involved in ministry.

Upbringing and Family

From early childhood, Art grew up in River Rouge Assembly with a girl named Audrey. They fell in love and, when Art was twenty, just out of Bible school, and Audrey was nineteen, they married. Art was asked to preach as a small church in Adrian, Michigan, founded by two women. The church asked him to be their pastor and he accepted, becoming the first full-time pastor of Bethany Assembly of God.

Art and Audrey had four children. In 1953, their oldest, Debbie, was born. Four years later, Rich was born. Then Audrey suffered a miscarriage, but in 1961 their daughter Deana was born. The beautiful little baby was placed in Audrey’s arms; however, twenty-four hours later the doctors discovered a serious heart defect. Little Deana was rushed to University of Michigan Hospital and only lived three days.

Audrey was heartbroken at the loss of Deana. Because her pregnancies had all been very difficult, Art and Audrey decided they would have no more children. But, exactly one year later on November 30, Deana’s birthday, Doug was born.

Childhood Years

Audrey says that little “Dougie” was delightful—always a joy—a happy child who was never a problem and never had a temper tantrum. He was also energetic. He wanted to start kindergarten a year early at four, but, on advice from the teacher, Art and Audrey didn’t let him.

When Doug was five, the church’s head usher, Brother Taylor, died. At the funeral dinner in the church fellowship hall, Audrey suddenly noticed that Doug was missing. She looked around and saw Doug at the head of the line with the widow. Audrey thought, Oh, my goodness! She started to go after Doug, but the widow saw her and gave her a sign to hold back. The widow later told Audrey that Doug had walked up to her and said, “Sister Taylor, you don’t have to be alone anymore, because I will be here to be your man.” And he picked up her tray of food and carried it to the table. Audrey says that was when she and Art first realized that Doug had a natural, genuine love for people.

At the age of six, during one Sunday morning church service, Doug went forward when his father gave a salvation invitation. Though his comprehension of what had happened in his life was simple at that young age, one thing was made very clear to him—he needed Jesus as his Savior. His family celebrated his going forward as the greatest decision of his life. He vividly remembers the church altar workers hugging him. He knew by their response how important this was. His parents encouraged him to tell people right away that he had accepted Jesus into his heart.

When Doug was nine, on a Sunday night, his father preached on the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Doug went to the altar to seek the Baptism and received. Shortly after that, his father died. Doug says that he knows it was the fullness of the Spirit that sustained him through the hard times after his father died.

Doug remembers his dad being a strong preacher and a caring, devoted father. He also remembers his dad’s fun nature. After Sunday night service, his dad would go to the A&W drive-in with the two boys, Doug and Rich, in one car, while Audrey drove the other car with Debbie. To the delight of the boys, Art repeatedly played a trick on Audrey at the A&W. He would tell the carhop, “There’s a lady over there in a blue Chevrolet. She will try to tell you I will pay her bill. Don’t believe her.” Then, he and the boys would watch and laugh when the carhop told Audrey that Art wouldn’t pay her bill. Audrey says that finally all the carhops at A&W caught on to Art’s little game.

Left to right: Audrey, Debbie, Rich, Art, and Doug Clay

Debbie helped both Rich and Doug avoid being disciplined by their parents. If they got in trouble, or if they were arguing and fighting, she would tell them, “Okay, boys. If you kneel down and ask God to forgive you, I won’t tell Mom and Dad.” So they avoided some spankings because of their sister. And they loved her for it.

Twice Art and Audrey left Doug alone in the church. Each thought that Doug was with the other parent. After arriving home and finding that neither of them had Doug, Art rushed back to the church and found Doug all alone in the church, sleeping on a pew.

Art often took Doug with him to do ministry. Whether it was going to the nursing homes and hospitals, whatever he was doing, he took Doug with him. After Doug grew up and became a minister, Gail says that’s what he did with their girls. Even in the busiest times—especially when he was youth director in Ohio, traveling quite a bit, and their kids were small—he always had time to take his daughters with him to do ministry. He would work it into a way that was fun for them. Through those times they developed a love for visiting people in the hospital and going to the nursing homes just as Doug had learned from his dad. Doug would come home and grab one of their daughters and say, “Hey, go with me.” It might have been as a simple as going back to his office to get something he needed, but he would make it fun and sound like an exciting adventure. Or he would say something like, “We’re gonna do this and maybe get a McDonald’s ice cream cone on the way home.” What his dad did to include him helped develop in Doug that love for people and ministry that was evident in how he interacted with his own girls.

In 1968, Art prepared to leave Bethany Assembly to be the pastor of Brightmoor Tabernacle in Detroit, Michigan. Brightmoor was the largest AG church in Michigan. The pastor, Bond Bowman, had been elected as superintendent of the Michigan District. Art was voted in by 98 percent of the members. However, before the Clays could move to Detroit, Pastor Bowman came to him and said, “Art, I don’t feel it’s God’s will for me to be the district superintendent. Would you feel bad if I went back to my church?” Art respectfully agreed. Bethany Assembly had not yet found a new pastor, so Art and his family stayed in Adrian. Although disappointing at the time, this event turned out to be good because, when Art passed away, Pastor Bill Leach and Bethany Assembly continued to provide wonderful care for Audrey and her children. Audrey served on staff at Bethany Assembly as minister of music and pastoral care for fifty-five years, retiring at age seventy-five.

The Death of Doug’s Dad

About three years after he returned to Bethany, Art wasn’t feeling well one night. He had had a heart attack five years before, but he told Audrey, “I can’t go to the ER one more time.” The next morning, he fell over and Audrey grabbed the nitroglycerin tablets. Art prayed, “Lord, forgive me for not doing more for You in my lifetime!” When he prayed that prayer, Audrey knew it might be the end, but she called an ambulance anyway. At the hospital, a doctor they knew well came out of the ER crying and said, “Audrey, we did everything we could.”

Later, Donna Liebler, a close friend of Audrey’s from the church, an X-ray technician at the hospital (and the Clays’ babysitter) was with Audrey when Art died. She said that Audrey immediately exclaimed, “Oh, my boys, my boys! What’ll I do?” Audrey knew it would be hard on Debbie, but she was already at CBC. It would be hardest on the boys, who adored their dad. He was such a devoted father to them and their hero.

Doug’s last memory of his dad is from the morning he died. As Doug left for school, he saw his dad huddled in a chair in the living room having his devotions, with an afghan Audrey had knitted for him around his shoulders.

Doug says that h...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Dedication
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Passing the Torch
• Who Is Doug Clay?
• Section 1: Family Life
• Section 2: Ministry
• Section 3: Priorities and Passions