By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
August 9, 2024
The Christian Action League lost a dear friend, a passionate advocate for the cause of Christ and a former board member on Monday with the passing of Pamela Lee Walker Blume. The 72-year-old wife of longtime Baptist pastor and former Biblical Recorder editor Allan Blume, Pam Blume served organizations at the state, national and international levels, in addition to ministering alongside her husband for half a century. Those close to her say her friendly demeanor and sense of humor put others at ease.
“A true friend is a rare and precious gem, enriching every moment with their presence. They understand the art of listening, offering a shoulder to lean on, and sharing words of wisdom. Their laughter brightens even the darkest days, and their support provides a steadfast anchor,” said the Rev. Mark Creech. “Pam Blume embodied all these qualities, and I am eternally grateful to God for the gift of her friendship.” Creech worked with Blume as executive director of the Christian Action League during the 15-plus years that she served on the CAL Board.
“Like every member of the Board, she was deeply concerned with the church’s role as ‘salt’ and ‘light’ in our culture and lamented the church’s often insufficient engagement with critical social issues,” he said. “While some conservative churches today might address issues such as LGBTQ rights, same-sex marriage, abortion, and religious liberty from a biblical perspective, many remain silent on other crucial matters like gambling and alcohol. Pam was determined that these issues should also be addressed both from the pulpit and in the public arena.”
He described her as a staunch advocate for alcohol abstinence and harm reduction to the point that she took great pains to ensure that liquor would not be served at a political event she was helping to organize.
“She said it wasn’t going to happen on her watch, even if there was backlash from it. And you know what, it didn’t happen,” Creech recalled. “Pam wasn’t trying to be difficult or judgmental; her approach was driven by a genuine concern for those affected by alcohol use and abuse.”
Creech said Blume exemplified “the highest standards of Christian womanhood.”
Allan Blume called his wife of 52 years the “most gifted and talented person” he had ever known.
“She got to serve in a lot of different areas. God used her, and she made an incredible impact on a lot of people through the years,” he said in a Biblical Recorder article published on Tuesday.
Pam Blume was a member of the International Mission Board’s board of trustees from 1996 to 2004. She also served on the Southern Baptist Convention’s Committee on Committees and on the Christian Life and Public Affairs Special Committee of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
She helped Ashley Allen launch the Baptist State Convention’s Embrace women’s ministry and was instrumental in helping establish a formal partnership between the State Convention and the Baptist Union of Moldova. In addition to Moldova, Blume also took part in mission trips to Nigeria, South Korea, Pakistan and Turkey.
According to the BR article, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and underwent chemo for the next dozen years.
Allen said that despite her health struggles, Blume did not complain.
“She found her peace, her comfort and her joy in Christ, and she walked with Him throughout the entirety of her cancer journey,” she told the Biblical Recorder. “Those are some of the biggest lessons I have learned from her over the past 12 years.”
“She continually trusted the Lord to give her strength to deal with this,” Allan Blume reported.
Blume’s Celebration of Life service is set for noon on Friday, Aug. 9 at Liberty Live Church Hampton campus in Hampton, Va. The live feed of the service can be found online at libertylive.church/livestream.
Memorials may be sent to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions through local Baptist churches or via the web at imb.org/generosity/give-now.
