Influential men
Recently, Pastor Hughes asked me who the most influential men were in my ministry. I hesitate to give any name except “Jesus”, but that would not be true and it has a ring of self-righteousness to it; so here we go.
The first man on the list is Pastor Harvey Taylor. Pastor Taylor was pastor in Wenatchee, Washington where I was saved at age 17. He passed on to be with the Lord years ago.
The second was Leroy and Florence Friend of Soap Lake, Washington. This wonderful family mentored us for the Lord. they gave me my first copy of C. Larkin’s Dispensational Truth. I will forever be indebted for their influence and friendship of fifty years. Their ministry was one of discipleship.
The third person to have a strong and lasting impact on me is Dr. Jack Hyles. Brother Hyles taught me the value of Soul-winning and made me believe I could do great things for the Lord. I thank God for Dr. Hyles.
The fourth was Dr. Ruckman, who taught me to rightly divide the Word of God. He was the one who encouraged me to do some writing. He has always been gracious to me and I thank him for that.
The fifth person in Dr. Tom Malone, he was pastor and president of Midwestern Baptist College. Dr. Malone was one of the best preachers in America, he also was a master at teaching young men how to start and pastor the local church.
Brother Hughes stated that he thought Rick Warren would be on the list. I assured him that he was not. Some of the brethren have spread gossip about me because I believe a pastor can learn some things about outreach and church structure from Warren’s book. The idea that we can only learn from “our crowd” is foolish and Pharisaical. However, I am not a Talor-ite, a Friend-ite, a Hyles-ite, a Ruckman-ite, a Malone-ite, or a Warren-ite. I am a Bible believer; nothing more and nothing less.
(written in 2008)
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.