Before he became one of the most notable alumni of Los Angeles Baptist College, before his commitment to Christ and decades of influential leadership left an indelible mark on the state of Mississippi, Dolphus Weary met John MacArthur.

In the mid-1960s, MacArthur was visiting Mississippi along with LABC’s director of admissions, David Nicholas. The men were guests of Pastor John Perkins, who happened to be the mentor of a promising young basketball player. Once introduced, MacArthur asked Weary about his future plans. Nicholas followed up with: “How would you like to attend Los Angeles Baptist College?”

The conversation, according to Weary’s autobiography, played a pivotal role in him becoming one of LABC’s first black students. During his time at LABC, Weary made a significant impact on the campus. He paved the way for, and recruited, more black students from Mississippi to attend LABC. On the court, he helped transform the basketball program into a daunting opponent, the team averaging more than 100 points per game during the 1968-69 season, and Weary later being inducted into TMU’s Hall of Honor.

After graduating in 1969, Weary earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate. And though he never believed he would return to Mississippi, as detailed in his book, “I Ain’t Comin’ Back,” it became clear that God was calling Weary and his wife, Rosie (’72), back home. There, Dolphus spent decades leading ministries that met the spiritual and physical needs of poor and rural communities and promoted unity within the body of Christ. This included more than 25 years as director and then president of The Mendenhall Ministries, which in 1991 received special recognition from President George H.W. Bush.

“All along, my heartbeat had been for evangelism,” Weary writes in his book. “It still is.”