Well done, good and faithful servant. Those are the words I am living my life to hear. Those are also the words Dr. Leland Kennedy shared with me that he was waiting to hear the last time I spoke with him a few months ago. This week I believe he heard those words as he passed from this life to eternity, and he met his Savior face to face.
I first met Dr. Kennedy during my first year at Baptist Bible College at the start of the fall semester. I had transferred from a large state college and had no relationship with the president. When I saw the president of BBC walking around talking to students at the “Texas BBQ” on opening day, I knew he was different. He had the rare ability as the president to connect with both the pastors of the Fellowship (BBFI) and the student body. He loved BBC basketball. No student will forget when he showed up to the BBC vs. CBC game (rivalry game) with his face painted and sat in the student section. I got a little nervous at one of the late-night pep rallies I organized where I had a student impersonate him. When he found out about it, he couldn’t stop laughing and wanted to see the student’s impersonation.
In February 1998, I got word that Dr. Kennedy would be meeting with the college trustees and the Fellowship pastors regarding making some needed changes at the school. I knew he would face some major opposition. I felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit to organize a prayer meeting for the student body. After receiving permission from the dean of students, I did my best to communicate at the last minute about an after-curfew prayer meeting on behalf of the president. Over half the student body showed up to pray specifically for Dr. Kennedy and BBC. That one event turned into weekly, Sunday night prayer meetings for the next two years. These prayer meetings had one primary purpose … to pray for Dr. Kennedy and BBC. When you pray for someone as much as I prayed for Dr. Kennedy, you can’t help but feel close to them.
The summer between my junior and senior years at BBC, I worked for Dr. Kennedy’s son, Kevin, in Abilene, TX. One of the many benefits of working at Trinity Baptist Church that summer was the extra time I got to spend with Dr. Kennedy. I was able to see a side of him beyond being the president of a college. I got to know him on a personal level. I realized during my senior year that I had an advocate to help me find a job after graduating. My first full-time ministry position was at Orlando Baptist Church with Dave Janney. I got the job, at least partially, upon the recommendation of Dr. Kennedy.
He retired from being president shortly after I graduated. During my years as a youth pastor and church planter, I did not stay in regular contact with him. In 2012 I became a trustee of BBC. In my last couple of years as a trustee, I was honored to serve as the board chairman. It was during these years that I had some very difficult conversations with Dr. Kennedy. I am thankful that even through these times, we maintained our relationship. It was a privilege of mine to lead the church I pastored in Houston, TX, to financially partner with his ministry in China, where thousands were coming to Christ on an annual basis.
Over the last few years, it has been a joy to stay in regular contact with him. I have voicemails saved on my phone from him where he simply says, “Hello Randy, I was just calling to let you know I was thinking about you and praying for you.” True story, I was traveling through Texas a few years ago. I had spoken at a church in Sweetwater on a Sunday morning and was speaking at a church in Granbury that evening. I hadn’t been to Trinity Baptist in Abilene in several years (the church I did an internship at and the church that Dr. Kennedy pastored prior to becoming president of BBC), so I decided to stop by and see the property. As soon as I pull into the parking lot, I got a random phone call from Dr. Kennedy. I asked him if he had surveillance cameras set up at the church. A few months ago, I was able to spend almost an hour on the phone with him. The last time I spoke to him was a couple of months ago. He called to tell me how much he appreciated the special edition Tribune commemorating the 70th graduating class of BBC. It was during that phone call that he told me he wasn’t doing too well physically. He said he didn’t know how much longer he had but that he wanted to serve Jesus until his very last breath. From what I hear, he did just that.
As I reflect on his life, there are a few lessons that stand out to me.
- Don’t be afraid to make hard decisions. I saw this in Dr. Kennedy while I was a student. His leadership helped shape the direction for both BBC and the BBFI.
- Be passionate. If there was one word to describe Dr. Kennedy, passionate might be it. He was passionate about whatever he was doing. You saw it in his preaching. You saw it in his care for students. I was privileged to see it in his love for his family.
- Be balanced in my leadership. Dr. Kennedy was a leader of leaders. He was respected as a pastor and as the president. He commanded the room when he walked into it. But he was also not above serving and spending time with the college freshman that knew no one.
- Never stop serving the Lord. After my nearly hour-long phone conversation with Dr. Kennedy, I shared on a social media post that I hope I am still serving the Lord and being used by the Lord in my 80s as Dr. Kennedy is now. He never retired. He was always looking for ways to point others toward Jesus.
Dr. Kennedy will be missed.
Click here to read Mike Randall’s article on Dr. Kennedy.
Click here to read Kevin Carson’s article on Dr. Kennedy.
Click here to read an article that President Mark Milioni wrote about Dr. Kennedy for the special commemorative issue of the Baptist Bible Tribune.
This article originally was posted on Randy Harp’s website and can be found by clicking here.
Dr Kennedy was a man greatly used by God his whole life. Dear friend, example and exhortation and will be missed til we meet in heaven.