Dr. D. James Kennedy Passes Away
CBNNews.com
September 8, 2007
CBNNews.com - Dr. D. James Kennedy, founder and pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church for 48 years, passed away in his sleep early Wednesday morning, a church spokesman announced. He was 76.
He was at his Fort Lauderdale home with his wife and daughter by his side according to a church spokesman.
Click Play to watch hear more from Frank Wright, president of the National Religious Broadcasters, following this report.
"There are all kinds of wonderful things I could say about my dad," his daughter Jennifer Kennedy Cassidy said. "But one that stands out is his fine example. He 'walked the walk' and 'practiced what he preached.' His work for Christ is lasting - it will go on and on and make a difference for eternity."
Kennedy founded Coral Ridge Ministries in 1974, reaching people with the Gospel through his radio and TV outreach, which now claims a weekly audience of 3.5 million.
Dr. Kennedy recently announced his retirement from Coral Ridge Ministries in August after struggling with heart health problems for several months. He had led the ministry for 48 years.
The 76-year old minister suffered a heart attack just after Christmas in 2006 and never fully recovered.
"We will miss Dr. Kennedy enormously," said Frank Wright, president of the National Religious Broadcasters. "His moral leadership and his legacy of impacting the globe for Jesus Christ is unmatched by few in the history of the Church. It is our desire to honor him by sustaining and multiplying his impact through Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and all the ministries founded by Dr. Kennedy in the years to come."
Kennedy's TV show "The Coral Ridge Hour," airs on more than 400 stations and four cable networks and is broadcast to more than 150 countries on the Armed Forces Network, according to ministry officials.
Last year, the National Religious Broadcasters association inducted him into their Hall of Fame.
"He was one of the early visionaries who saw that you could use electronic media to extend the four walls of the church to reach a broader audience," Wright said.
In 1959, Kennedy took over as senior pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. Since then, the congregation grew from about 45 members to nearly 10,000 members today.
Kennedy also established the Center for Christian Statesmanship in Washington, which holds regular Capitol Hill Bible studies and other events for top government officials. The Center encouraged leaders "to embrace God's providential purpose for this nation."
Dr. Kennedy is survived by Anne, his wife of 51 years, and his daughter Jennifer Cassidy.
After announcing his retirement, church leaders already began planning a tribute worship service honoring the reverend's ministry for Sept. 23.
"I would like to thank all of you for your prayers, cards, kindnesses and encouragement over the past nine months," Mrs. Cassidy said during the retirement announcement. "Our family knows that we have come through this difficult time because of God's grace and your faithful prayers, and it has brought joy to us to see God's faithfulness in all of this."
Dates and times for a public viewing and funeral and private interment will be released when available.
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