Biography
Valmadge T. Towner was born in Clarksdale, MS, as the last of three children to Rev. and Mrs. Ezra Towner, Jr.,. He received his early religious nurturing in the Silent Grove M. B. Church under the leadership of his pastor/grandfather the late Rev. Ezra Towner, Sr.,. During his early grade school years he received an education from a private catholic school. From thereafter he attended local public schools.
Having a mother who did not believe in complacency or sitting on the side lines, she insistently persuaded Valmadge to actively participate in all Congresses/Conventions by frequently entering oratorical contests and holding offices in certain capacities of the youth departments. To this day, that motherly insistence continues to pay dividends for Valmadge.
After high school, Valmadge graduated from Coahoma Community College with high honors in computer science. While attending Coahoma, Valmadge served as president of the graduating class and captain of the football team. Valmadge graduated cum laude from Alcorn State University in mathematics while also lettering on the football team.
From 1991-1999, Valmadge taught mathematics and coached football and baseball at his alma mater of Coahoma Community College. In the summer of 1999, he accepted the position of principal at the Quitman County Middle School. During the time he served as principal, Valmadge was awarded a fellowship to attend Harvard University’s Principals’ Center for a summer institute during the summer of 2000.
In 2001 he finally accepted God’s long awaited request of preaching the Gospel. To this day, Valmadge frequently preaches at local churches throughout the state of Mississippi and America. He has also preached in parts of China and Africa. He is historically true, philosophically sound, theologically pure and persuasive in delivery. In spite of being trained, educated and consecrated, Valmadge realizes that education without consecration leads to spiritual exploitation and nullification.
With a belief that a call to preach is also a call to preparation, Valmadge resigned from his job as principal after serving for three years. Upon doing so, Valmadge matriculated to and graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary’s (PTS) Master of Divinity program in Princeton, New Jersey.
He strives to serve as a challenging but productive voice for God in these days. This is evident in the fact that he could have easily rested upon the workings of his grandfather, father, and uncle (all ordained Baptist preachers/pastors). However, instead of walking in their shadow he selected to walk in the light. He has a tough mind that is accompanied with a tender word, a tame tongue, and a personality that resonates Christ-like humility. In his own words, “I desire to have a hook on the mood of the culture and the manner of people as well as the message of Christ”.
During his Middler year as a student in the seminary, Valmadge was asked to qualify for the elected position of Quitman County Superintendent of Schools. After doing so, with the help of God, he won by a majority vote. Soon thereafter, Valmadge took a leave of absence from the seminary in order to assume the position of district superintendent. At that time, Valmadge was the youngest elected superintendent in the nation. He served as superintendent for two terms.
Additionally, Valmadge earned a PhD from the University of Mississippi in educational leadership. He currently serves as pastor of Friendship M. B. Church in Greenwood, MS, as well as President of the Mississippi Progressive Missionary Baptist Convention Incorporated and Director of Pupil Services for DeSoto County Schools.
Valmadge resides in Mississippi with his parents and is working on his first major publication entitled “Un-Welcome Tutors”.