Dr. D. James Kennedy, founder and senior pastor for 48 years of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and Coral Ridge Ministries, both in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., passed away peacefully in his sleep at approximately 2:15 a.m. at his home with his wife and daughter by his bedside, following complications from a cardiac event last December. He was 76.

I worked for Dr. Kennedy for three years at the Center for Christian Statesmanship in my ministry in Washington, D.C. And while I may now disagree with him on several fronts, I can honestly say it was an honorable and humbling experience to work in the shadow of such a prolific, dedicated minister of Jesus. His commitment to Jesus Christ and desire to see people encounter Him and be restored to relationship with God through the salvation offered through Jesus was infectious. And as someone who was just starting out in a ministry calling, it was instructive to reflect on his legacy and story.

While he will be remembered for many things (Evangelism Explosion, the Moral Majority, the culture wars), I hope his legacy will be one of a good, faithful servant and a pilgrim dedicated to loving God and others well.

-jeremy

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