Jimmy the Builder
Reflections on the late President Jimmy Carter
On Wednesday, I was honored to offer a few words and a prayer at our local River City Habitat for Humanity, where people gathered to remember US President Jimmy Carter, Habitat’s most famous and beloved volunteer, a title shared with his wife, Rosalynn.
Much has been said recently about President Carter, who died on December 29, 2024, at 100 years young. I appreciated reflections like this one from Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) Executive Director Paul Baxley. Jimmy Carter was a proud member of CBF, as am I and the congregation I pastor.
When someone asks what kind of Baptist I am, I and many of my Baptist friends respond, “I am a Jimmy Carter kind of Baptist.” President Carter, a lifelong Baptist whom the US Secret Service code-named “Deacon,” fiercely supported civil and human rights, religious liberty, women in ministry, and the separation of church and state. He was a Baptist with a profound commitment to living out his faith through love, service, and justice. President Carter once said he wanted people to remember that he kept the peace and promoted human rights. He will get his wish.
During his eulogy, Joshua Carter said about his PawPaw, “Anywhere in the world, wherever he saw a chance, he loved people. And whenever he told these stories in Sunday school, he always said he did it for one simple reason: He worshiped the Prince of Peace, and he commanded it.”
President Carter’s life was all about building—building peace, bridges, partnerships, and, yes, homes. Inspired by their Christian faith, he and his wife, Rosalynn, showed us what it looks like to live out your values with a hammer in one hand and hope in the other. Their faith wasn’t just something they talked about—it was something they lived. It was a non-negotiable part of life.
At the Habitat dedication, Susan Cook, Executive Director of River City Habitat for Humanity, shared a story from a homeowner who worked alongside Jimmy and Rosalynn on her future home. In the heat of the day, she saw Carter bent over a bucket, mixing concrete, and noticed a drop of his sweat fall into the mix. She was humbled that the sweat of a former US President would forever be part of her home. Carter literally gave blood, sweat, and, I imagine, tears to make the world a more just and peaceful place for all.
To be a "Jimmy Carter kind of Baptist" means to love God and neighbor, serve selflessly, and seek justice and peace for all. It’s about simply being a decent human being.
After sharing some of these remarks, I told those gathered Wednesday that we must commit ourselves to picking up our hammers and continuing to build in his honor—building peace, bridges, partnerships, and, yes, homes—lots of homes.
Gracious and loving God, we are deeply grateful for the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter and his partner and equal in all things, Rosalynn. Their faith and service reflected Your call to love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with You. We give thanks for their unwavering commitment to peace, human rights, and the dignity of all people.
May his legacy inspire us to keep building—not just houses but a world rooted in compassion, justice, and hope for all. And may we live with a hammer in one hand and hope in the other. Amen.
The President's funeral was moving. His legacy (considered a "below average" president) will prove his integrity and his faith as well as the good he did our nation. I can't help but contrast his ethics and standards with those apparent in the incoming president. God help us.