Bob Gray relocates his ministry from Longview to Jacksonville

sword said:
It looks like Sr. is competing directly against JR. for students, that may be part of the problem.

B-I-N-G-O!!!  When you are receiving $ from and calling a certain church your home and sending church and then competing against them, there is an issue.
 
Walt said:
BALAAM said:
I read this too and believe it or not my first thought was why in the world did Jack Hyles feel it was his place or duty to name a successor? I don't believe that is in the church constitution. Why did these other guys feel that it was his place to do so?

Because their "ministries" are not about maturing Christians, but providing numbers to impress others. As long as one is "going soul-winning", tithing, and attending church, one can commit adultery or fornication, and you'll be covered.  In a town of 80,000 people, they claim to have seen a million people saved - if that were really true, and not just getting people to say a prayer, the town of Longview and the surrounding area would be transformed.

Excellent summation.
 
The last I heard Dave Hyles resides in Jacksonville.

Anyone know if he still lives there?
 
Walt said:
Twisted said:
Is Greg Neal the one with the hidden camera?

Yes, indeed.  Seems quite fitting that BGSr is moving his ministry under a pervert.

Who can fill in the blanks...

2 NEW BOOKS COMING OUT....

"I was wrong" by _________________ _____________________
"Videography" by ______________ __________________
 
sword said:
The last I heard Dave Hyles resides in Jacksonville.

Anyone know if he still lives there?
I met him once at Everett Ferris' church in Tampa St. Pet...looong time ago...like 1994.  Is he confined to Florida b/c he is on parole or something?  :p
 
When I was in hac I distinctly remember JH saying that as long as he was alive, HAC would never have correspondence courses. His philosophy was that you couldn't just learn academic stuff from a course and understand what hac and fbc was about. You needed to come away from your home and go to college. He was not a big fan of local church bible institutes for this reason. Now, if he said and believed this then BG certainly repeated it. (I am assuming here)

Now BG wants to come along and promote the old paths and get back to what he thinks they had back in the 60's and 70's. He starts an on-line school (nothing wrong with that) along side of his former church and college and when someone questions him, he is incensed and his attitude is 'don't you dare tell a man of god what to do'.  I know this has caused huge friction with his former church. His deacons seem to be very stand up guys and have said little but once in a while someone will write something and remind him that this is not what he taught in the past.
 
BALAAM said:
When I was in hac I distinctly remember JH saying that as long as he was alive, HAC would never have correspondence courses. His philosophy was that you couldn't just learn academic stuff from a course and understand what hac and fbc was about. You needed to come away from your home and go to college. He was not a big fan of local church bible institutes for this reason. Now, if he said and believed this then BG certainly repeated it. (I am assuming here)

Now BG wants to come along and promote the old paths and get back to what he thinks they had back in the 60's and 70's. He starts an on-line school (nothing wrong with that) along side of his former church and college and when someone questions him, he is incensed and his attitude is 'don't you dare tell a man of god what to do'.  I know this has caused huge friction with his former church. His deacons seem to be very stand up guys and have said little but once in a while someone will write something and remind him that this is not what he taught in the past.

IMO, this is simply another act of desperation by Bob Gray in his life long persuit of promoting Bob Gray. He is rapidly becoming irrelevant...
 
bgwilkinson said:
Walt said:
BALAAM said:
I read this too and believe it or not my first thought was why in the world did Jack Hyles feel it was his place or duty to name a successor? I don't believe that is in the church constitution. Why did these other guys feel that it was his place to do so?

Because their "ministries" are not about maturing Christians, but providing numbers to impress others. As long as one is "going soul-winning", tithing, and attending church, one can commit adultery or fornication, and you'll be covered.  In a town of 80,000 people, they claim to have seen a million people saved - if that were really true, and not just getting people to say a prayer, the town of Longview and the surrounding area would be transformed.

Excellent summation.

Thanks, but I quit (or hit "Post") early - I should have gone on to say that with this mentality, BGSr and others noted with dismay that allowing churches to choose their successor has caused them to change radically, so the new IFB practice is "I will choose".
 
Here's a recent soul winning admonition from BG jr.

https://www.lbtministries.com/1-2-3-pray-after-me
 
sword said:
Here's a recent soul winning admonition from BG jr.

https://www.lbtministries.com/1-2-3-pray-after-me

Wow, that wouldn't go over so well with those who favor the Zig Ziglar cookware sales approach to soul winning that can generate huge immediate numbers.
Big Bob would be diametrically opposed to this article, no wonder he got out of there. Pretty much discredits his entire life's work.
 
bgwilkinson said:
sword said:
Here's a recent soul winning admonition from BG jr.

https://www.lbtministries.com/1-2-3-pray-after-me

Wow, that wouldn't go over so well with those who favor the Zig Ziglar cookware sales approach to soul winning that can generate huge immediate numbers.
Big Bob would be diametrically opposed to this article, no wonder he got out of there. Pretty much discredits his entire life's work.

Interesting... according to "Tales From the Temple", it was common for the soul-winners to just made up numbers - as the author pointed out - Bob Gray (Sr) was interested in numbers, so he got numbers; he was apparently not interested in the truth.
 
Last time I was in Longview I met dozens or more people who were personally led to Christ by Bob Sr.

You may not like him, but that does not change the fact he spent 8 to 10 hrs or more a week knocking on doors while he was pastor. There are a lot of thing I disagree with BG sr. on, but I respect his zeal for sharing the gospel. He has always emphasized spending the required amount of time so that people fully understand Gods plan for Heaven. Every time I have heard him speak he points out all we can do is go and God must give the increase. He pushed his people to go and with 100's of people knocking on doors every week you are sure to find some receptive.
 
sword said:
Last time I was in Longview I met dozens or more people who were personally led to Christ by Bob Sr.

You may not like him, but that does not change the fact he spent 8 to 10 hrs or more a week knocking on doors while he was pastor. There are a lot of thing I disagree with BG sr. on, but I respect his zeal for sharing the gospel. He has always emphasized spending the required amount of time so that people fully understand Gods plan for Heaven. Every time I have heard him speak he points out all we can do is go and God must give the increase. He pushed his people to go and with 100's of people knocking on doors every week you are sure to find some receptive.

I agree with most of what you said, but a "stopped clock is right twice a day."  I have personally sat under a pastor who was a Gray disciple (who now has an honorary doctorate from Bro. Gray).  Yes, they pay lip service to spending time with the lost person as well as "God giving the increase."  Yet in practice, it is about numbers, by hook or crook.  I appreciate their zeal, but misplaced enthusiasm is not always laudable.  I graduated HAC and saw plenty of "1,2,3" and overboard "man worship."  However, it paled in comparison to what I saw from a Longview acolyte.
 
sword said:
Last time I was in Longview I met dozens or more people who were personally led to Christ by Bob Sr.

You may not like him, but that does not change the fact he spent 8 to 10 hrs or more a week knocking on doors while he was pastor. There are a lot of thing I disagree with BG sr. on, but I respect his zeal for sharing the gospel. He has always emphasized spending the required amount of time so that people fully understand Gods plan for Heaven. Every time I have heard him speak he points out all we can do is go and God must give the increase. He pushed his people to go and with 100's of people knocking on doors every week you are sure to find some receptive.

I agree that he that he has zeal - but (in my opinion) he allowed that zeal to override common sense, based upon reports from both his supporters and detractors, from people who attended or visited there:
Sending college students on bus routes so far that they fall asleep at the wheel and are killed in over-zealousness.
Humiliating God's sheep because they are (a) not going door knocking, (b) not spending enough time door knocking, (c) not showing results is over-zealousness.
 
Tom, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on his new move..... 8)
 
RAIDER said:
Since Bob Gray entered evangelism he has called Longview Baptist Temple his sending church.  Of course, his son pastors the church.  He has now left Longview and has a new sending church.


EVERY ENDING HAS A BEGINNING
The New and Reinvigorated Bob Gray Sr.

?The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.?
~Mark Twain
Several years before Dr. Hyles went to Heaven, there was a season he reevaluated his future and the future of his ministry. He asked many of those closest to him who they thought should succeed him as pastor of First Baptist Church. For a time he thought of naming a successor, which he never did, contrary to some people?s mistaken notion. I remember him talking to me about his future. He considered retirement. He considered handing the church off to a younger man. He had been under great attack and felt that maybe his best days were behind him.
One Sunday morning Dr. Hyles announced that he was going to preach a sermon that night on who his successor was going to be. Word spread throughout the country. The oddsmakers in Las Vegas begin to take odds on who would be named. Well, they didn't but we all begin to predicting who we thought it would be. I am glad I did not place any bets, although Tom Neal tried to get me to.
When Dr. Hyles stood to preach that Sunday night everyone eagerly waited to see who would be named successor. The moment had come. Who would it be? It was???...Jack Hyles. He had decided not to retire and hand his ministry over to another. He decided to ?re-enlist.? We were all happy he did. As a result he enjoyed several more years of great ministry blessings.
I am now a few years older than he was at that time. Some think that I am at the end of my ministry. Others assume that my best days are passed. However, I do not believe that. In fact, I believe God has just begun to use Bob Gray, Sr. Critics and enemies, I am so sorry to have to tell you, but I have decided to re-enlist. By the way don't count me out of pastoring again, quite yet. But, that's another subject altogether.
Yes, I have decided to start over. You are hearing from the NEW and Reinvigorated Bob Gray, Sr. I am like the kid preacher who is more excited about the future than the past. While I am certainly grateful for all that God has allowed me to do in the past, the past is the past. I am more grateful for what God is allowing me to do today and will allow me to do in the days ahead. I am re-enlisting and with that comes some new exciting opportunities.
By the time you read this article I will have joined a new church. Many months ago my path crossed with a younger man to whom my heart was knit. That young man took a great interest in learning from me as well as being a help to me. Now, I am no John Rice and this young younger preacher would not claim to be a Jack Hyles, but he saw the same thing in me that Jack Hyles saw in an older and much maligned John Rice. He saw value while some ready to put us out to pasture.

That young man is building a vibrant and exciting church in Jacksonville, Florida. I have joined the Immanuel Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida under the dynamic leadership of Pastor Greg Neal. I have studied this young man over the past year and a half. I have watched him and examined him closely. I find him to be the kind of pastor I need at this point in my and my wife's life.

Jacksonville will become the headquarters of Bob Gray, Sr. and his ministries. Many exciting plans are already in the works. I am proud to be a member of Immanuel Baptist Church and for Greg Neal to be my pastor. The naysayers of Greg Neal have had their day and their say, but God is blessing his ministry in a wonderful fashion.
I have a new college. Less than two years ago a small group of men met with me and we discussed the possibility of starting an online college. I cannot claim that I thought we would be where we are at this point. As of today we have 596 enrolled in our college. That is not 596 who have taken a class at some point. That is actual enrollment, and we are growing on a daily basis. Dr. Jeff Smale, President of IBOC, will soon be going full-time and we will work closely at continuing to build both an online college and eventually a campus college.
I am going to be conducting Soul Winning Clinics throughout the country. Yes, that Soul Winning Clinic. Many of you remember when we championed soul winning at our Soul Winning Clinic in Longview, Texas, for three decades. With Dr. Greg Neal?s support and help we will conduct Soul Winning Clinics in churches across America. Once again we will teach just as we did back in those days. I cannot tell you how much this excites me.
A new book has just come off the presses in MN, Introducing Jack Hyles to a New Generation. I decided that the next and future generations needed to know the truth about Jack Hyles. They needed to understand things that had been misrepresented by so many, including some who worked with and for him. Careful work has gone into this book and it is now ready to be shipped. This will be my third book about Dr. Hyles.

I am happy to announce that a fourth book is now in the works. With Mrs. Hyles blessing we have written three and will now be writing a fourth entitled, The Young Jack Hyles. For those who wish he would go away, well I've got news for you. He's not going away and I am going to make sure that his ministry continues to influence this nation and this world.
The final project I will mention now is that I plan to be here to irritate the critics of old-time fundamentalism until I die. I am not going to get soft on a generation that finds nothing but fault with older men. I'm grateful that a younger man like Greg Neal sees the value of older men. He realizes that we have something he and our country needs. I have no intention of going away. For those who have heard that Bob Gray, Sr. retired let me make it official, the reports of my retirement are greatly exaggerated.
I can only imagine the gossip that will be buzzing on the internet by lazy backslidden Christians who have nothing better to do than to criticize and slander those of us who are still doing what we have always done. It kinda invigorates me more. Have at it critics. I am ready. Bob Gray, Sr. "ain?t going nowhere." I plan to win more souls, preach more sermons, send out more tweets, and even upgrade my website. Yep, I am re-enlisting to do all I can for the cause of Christ.


PWAAAHAAAA!!!
PWAAAHAAAA!!

I love that guy!
 
BOB seems to be staying busy.

I hear his schedule is almost completely booked for this year.
Here are some of his 2017 meetings:

Sunday, Feb 5, 2017
Trident Baptist Church
Pastor Haynes

Friday, Feb 10, 2017
New Hope Baptist Church
Pastor Aaron Baxter

Feb 19 ? 21, 2017
Middle Georgia IBC Conference

Sunday, Feb 26, 2017
Hyles Baptist Church
Dr. Ron Talley

Mar 5 ? 7, 2017
Arlington Baptist Church
Dr. Mike Callaghan

Sunday, Mar 12, 2017
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Pastor Patrick Jackson

Mar 19 ? 21, 2017
Agape Baptist Church
Pastor Joe Grande

Mar 26 ? 28, 2017
Ohio IBC Conference
Victory Baptist Temple

Apr 9 ? 11, 2017
Bible Baptist Church
Pastor Andy Doll

Apr 16 ? 17, 2017
Faith Baptist Church

Sunday, Apr 23, 2017
Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church
Juaken Dumas

Apr 30 ? May 2, 2017
Heritage Baptist Church
Pastor Tracy Fowler

May 7 ? 10, 2017
Liberty Baptist Church
Pastor Dan Suttles

May 14 ? 16, 2017
Grace Baptist Church
Pastor Matt Miller

May 21 ? 23, 2017
Maranatha Baptist Church
Pastor O'Daniel

May 28 ? 30, 2017
New Testament Baptist Church
Dr. Stoddard
Jun 4 ? 6, 2017
Bible Baptist Church
Pastor Andrew Sluder

Sunday, Jun 11, 2017
Trinity Baptist Church
Dr. Darrell Cox

Sunday, Jun 18, 2017
Texas Baptist Church
Keith Bell

Jun 25 ? 26, 2017
Bristoria Baptist Church
Pastor Gary Crawford

Jul 2 ? 3, 2017
Kingswood Baptist Church
Pastor C. Martin

Sunday, Jul 9, 2017
Fundamental Baptist Church
Pastor Paul Callaway

Jul 16 ? 19, 2017
Cornerstone Baptist Church
Pastor Bill Davis

Sunday, Jul 23, 2017
Westside Baptist Church
Pastor Phil Winn

Sunday, Jul 30, 2017
Faith Baptist Church
Dr. Bruce Goddard

Aug 7 ? 10, 2017
Mt. Calvary Baptist Church
Kevin Wynne

Aug 13 ? 14, 2017
Emporia Baptist Church
James Scott

Wednesday, Aug 16, 2017
Liberty Baptist Church
Scott Gray

Aug 20 ? 21, 2017
Oakwood Baptist Church
Brian Evans

Aug 27 ? 28, 2017
Charity Baptist Church
Brian Austin

Sep 10 ? 11, 2017
Gospel Light Baptist Church
Jody Martin

Sunday, Sep 17, 2017
First Baptist Church
Raymond Wicks

Sep 24 ? 27, 2017
Fundamental Baptist Church
Sergio Ali

Sunday, Oct 1, 2017
Lakecrest Baptist Church
Kevin Dail

Oct 8 ? 11, 2017
Riverside Baptist Church
Pastor John Johnson

Sunday, Oct 15, 2017
Berean Baptist Church
Dr. Greg Neal

Oct 22 ? 24, 2017
Metro Baptist Church
Dr. John Vaprezsan

Oct 29 ? 31, 2017
Gospel Light Baptist Church
Pastor Brent Lenentine

Nov 3 ? 6, 2017
Regency Baptist Church
Pastor Nichols

Nov 10 ? 12, 2017
Lighthouse Baptist Church
Don Wruck

Nov 19 ? 20, 2017
Grace Baptist Church
Pastor John Koletas

Dec 3 ? 4, 2017
Three Rivers Baptist Church
Pastor Doug Jackson

Dec 10 ? 13, 2017
Monterrey Baptist Church
Pastor Johnathan Ashcraft

Sunday, Dec 17, 2017
Patrick Baptist Church
Pastor Steve Hamm
 
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