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Kevin O'Brien (Texas pastor)
Encyclopedia
Kevin O'Brien, usually known as Brother Kevin (October 31, 1955 - February 27, 2008) was an Independent Baptist
clergy
man who served as the pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Lubbock
, Texas
, from October 1996, until his death at the age of fifty-two from prostate cancer
. In 1998, O'Brien was among a group of theologically
conservative
pastors instrumental in the establishment of Heartland Baptist Bible College
in Oklahoma City
, which was renamed and relocated from San Dimas, California
, where it had been founded in 1966. At the time of his death, O'Brien was serving as a director and as the secretary-treasurer of Heartland.
, to Claude L. and Angeline E. O'Brien, who moved to Lubbock upon retirement. He graduated in 1974 from Irvin High School
in northeast El Paso. He then completed a three-year Bachelor of Theology
program at Baptist Bible College
in Springfield, Missouri
, from which he graduated in 1977. On June 12, 1976, O'Brien married his childhood sweetheart, the former Darlene Frances Turbeville (born 1958). Their three children are Jeremy Daniel O'Brien, Jenilee Danielle O'Brien Prater (husband Tyler Prater) and Juliana Dawn O'Brien Carr (husband Nicholas Siler Carr). There was also a grandson, Griffyn O'Brien, at the time of O'Brien's passing.
On December 12, 2007, the stricken O'Brien performed a hasty wedding for Juliana and Nicholas at the VistaCare hospice
in Lubbock, where he was staying because it appeared that he might not survive beyond a couple of days. The hospice provided a wedding cake, decorations, flower
s, a reception, and a photographer. O'Brien improved well enough to return home for Christmas
and to have his daughter's scheduled church wedding on January 5, 2008. In the following weeks, however, his condition continued to deteriorate. On February 22, Bethany Baptist opened for twenty-four hours a day so that interested persons could come to pray at the altar for the pastor's recovery. He died five days later.
in Red River County near Paris
in northeast Texas. The associate pastor, J.D. Young, later ministered in Corpus Christi
and pastors the Victory Baptist Church in Stinnett
, the seat of Hutchinson County
in the northern Texas Panhandle
. O'Brien was, first, the music and youth minister, then associate pastor, co-pastor, and full pastor on Spencer's retirement from full-time ministry. Spencer thereafter was interim pastor in Andrews
near Midland
. Under Spencer, Bethany church conducted three week-long revival services
per year and observed homecoming and other special events. Bethany supported a Jack Hyles
appearance in Snyder
, the seat of Scurry County south of Lubbock. Former Louisiana
Governor
James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
of Baton Rouge, a gospel
singer, addressed one of the early homecoming ceremonies. Still another Bethany guest was the evangelist Curtis Hutson
, editor of The Sword of the Lord newspaper
.
and a piano technician. He was particularly adept at reaching young people and preached frequently at summer camps. Bethany Baptist Church under O'Brien's direction dispatched several men into the ministry and to the mission field. The church gave some $1.2 million to world evangelism. O'Brien, and Spencer before him, supported a bus ministry that brings persons from all backgrounds to church services, many being children of a lower socio-economic class who otherwise lack ready transportation.
O'Brien was a well-known preacher in Independent Baptist ranks too. He was affiliated with the King James-Only Movement, which accepts the Authorized King James Version of the Bible
, the manuscript which supporters contend is more conducive to the reception of the Holy Spirit
and more helpful in memorizing and understanding scripture. For a time, O'Brien also preached over radio
in Lubbock.
Some of his sermons have been placed on the Internet
, including "Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14 and Jeremiah 32:17.
In 1998, Bethany presented two dramatic presentations highlighting the patriotism
of George Washington
, Abraham Lincoln
, Benjamin Franklin
, Betsy Ross
, and Generals Douglas MacArthur
and George S. Patton, Jr. In an interview with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
, O'Brien said that there was "a need to for the nation to turn back to the Lord" and that presentations of this kind, which brought full attendance, served to acquaint people with the spiritual heritage of the nation. He said that the Constitution of the United States protects the church from encroachment by government
, not government from being influenced by Bible believers.
divisions and doubts within conservative biblical circles. O'Brien said that ministry students did not need dissenters from Scripture to promote open dialogue but reinforcement of biblical truth. The school, which uses the slogan "Love Never Fails", is unaccredited and does not seek accreditation
from government or regional educational associations. Therefore, it cannot issue degrees but offers diploma
s to students who complete the instructional program. Education
majors at Heartland can teach only in Christian institutions, not public schools.
too and often took sojourns with fellow Christian men to the Texas Hill Country
and Big Bend National Park
in southwest Texas. He and Mrs. O'Brien also toured parts of Colorado
and Arkansas
on his cycle.
In addition to his wife, children, and parents, O'Brien was survived by two brothers, Ronald O'Brien (son-in-law
of Ross Spencer) and wife Patricia of Garland, Texas
, and David O'Brien of Dallas
, and his sisters, Karen O. Smith of El Paso and Tricia O. Pritchett of San Antonio
. Services were held on March 4, 2008, at Bethany Baptist Church. Some sixty pastors, one as far away as Washington state, came to Lubbock for O'Brien's funeral. Officiating were pastor Billy E. Prater (the father of O'Brien's son-in-law, Tyler Prater) of the Fellowship Baptist Church of Liberal, Kansas
, and William "Bill" Mitchell of Hillcrest Baptist Church, which O'Brien had attended as a youth. Prater and Mitchell are both members of the Heartland College board of directors. Interment was at Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock.
sermon in 2007, which celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His ultimate victory over evil and death: "His faith was that the Lord is in absolute control . . . Like any of the rest of us, he didn't want to leave his family, his church, his friends, but he had a deep abiding faith in the Lord that became even deeper in the last year and a half. When you face your own mortality, it's different. You have questions, but you get closer to the Lord, closer to each other, and stronger in faith. We still ask why, and a lot of whys won't be answered. That's where your faith comes in."
Delwayne Ivey, the Bethany youth minister who was named associate pastor after O'Brien's illness, called his mentor "an eternal optimist
. . . . He was easy to get along with, full of grace . . . a man very strong in his faith; he never complained or blamed God. He just praised the Lord."
Jason Smith, the associate and youth pastor at Lubbock Baptist Temple, in his website STL (Speaking the Truth in Love), offered this tribute to O'Brien:
"You were always an inspiration to me. In a day of compromise
, you were always a man of conviction. You were who you were right to the end of your life. You never let suffering, fear of man, or anything weaken your faith. Did you ever wonder if it was worth it? Did you ever think about giving up? Did you know the impact your ministry had? God used in such a special way in my life, and I know your ministry will live on in those whom you invested yourself, which were many. . . . We give thanks for the life you lived and the life you are living now. . . . "
Doyle Sooter, another Bethany member, described O'Brien as a great raconteur and "your best friend in life, no matter who you were. . . . He showed us how to live by how he lived. There was never a material bone in his body. He was the most remarkable man I've ever met."
In April 2009, the Reverend Aaron Denson (born ca. 1972), a pastor in Hobbs
, New Mexico
, was named to succeed O'Brien at Bethany Baptist Church.
Independent Baptist
Independent Baptist churches are Christian churches generally holding to conservative Baptist beliefs. They are characterized by being independent from the authority of denominations or similar bodies. Members of such churches comprised three percent of the United States adult population according...
clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
man who served as the pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, from October 1996, until his death at the age of fifty-two from prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
. In 1998, O'Brien was among a group of theologically
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
pastors instrumental in the establishment of Heartland Baptist Bible College
Heartland Baptist Bible College
Heartland Baptist Bible College is an unaccredited Independent Fundamental Baptist Bible college in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which offers undergraduate diplomas in pastoral theology, missions, youth, Christian ministries, music education, Christian education , and secretarial science...
in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, which was renamed and relocated from San Dimas, California
San Dimas, California
San Dimas is a city located in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 33,371. The city historically took its name from San Dismas Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains above the northern section of present day San Dimas...
, where it had been founded in 1966. At the time of his death, O'Brien was serving as a director and as the secretary-treasurer of Heartland.
Early years, education, family
O'Brien was born in El PasoEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, to Claude L. and Angeline E. O'Brien, who moved to Lubbock upon retirement. He graduated in 1974 from Irvin High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in northeast El Paso. He then completed a three-year Bachelor of Theology
Bachelor of Theology
The Bachelor of Theology is a three to five year undergraduate degree in theological disciplines. Candidates for this degree typically must complete course work in Greek or Hebrew, as well as systematic theology, biblical theology, ethics, homiletics and Christian ministry...
program at Baptist Bible College
Baptist Bible College (Springfield, Missouri)
Baptist Bible College is a conservative Bible college affiliated and owned by the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, founded in 1950 and located in Springfield, Missouri...
in Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
, from which he graduated in 1977. On June 12, 1976, O'Brien married his childhood sweetheart, the former Darlene Frances Turbeville (born 1958). Their three children are Jeremy Daniel O'Brien, Jenilee Danielle O'Brien Prater (husband Tyler Prater) and Juliana Dawn O'Brien Carr (husband Nicholas Siler Carr). There was also a grandson, Griffyn O'Brien, at the time of O'Brien's passing.
On December 12, 2007, the stricken O'Brien performed a hasty wedding for Juliana and Nicholas at the VistaCare hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
in Lubbock, where he was staying because it appeared that he might not survive beyond a couple of days. The hospice provided a wedding cake, decorations, flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s, a reception, and a photographer. O'Brien improved well enough to return home for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and to have his daughter's scheduled church wedding on January 5, 2008. In the following weeks, however, his condition continued to deteriorate. On February 22, Bethany Baptist opened for twenty-four hours a day so that interested persons could come to pray at the altar for the pastor's recovery. He died five days later.
Bethany Baptist Church in Lubbock
Upon graduation from BBC, O'Brien joined the Bethany Baptist Church staff. The church opened on August 15, 1973, under the founding pastor, Ross Junior Spencer (born June 12, 1933) of Lubbock, originally from DetroitDetroit, Texas
Detroit is a town in Red River County, Texas, United States. The population was 776 at the 2000 census.John Nance Garner, 32nd Vice President of the United States, was born outside of Detroit but lived most of his life in Uvalde on the southern rim of the Texas Hill Country.-Geography:Detroit is...
in Red River County near Paris
Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas is a city located northeast of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex in Lamar County, Texas, in the United States. It is situated in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods. Physiographically, these regions are part of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. In 1900, 9,358 people lived...
in northeast Texas. The associate pastor, J.D. Young, later ministered in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
and pastors the Victory Baptist Church in Stinnett
Stinnett, Texas
Stinnett is a small city in Hutchinson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,936. Located in the northern Texas Panhandle, Stinnett is the county seat of Hutchinson County.-History:...
, the seat of Hutchinson County
Hutchinson County, Texas
Hutchinson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas in the northern portion of the Texas Panhandle. In 2000, its population was 23,857. Its seat is Stinnett . Hutchinson County is named for Andrew Hutchinson, an early Texas attorney....
in the northern Texas Panhandle
Texas Panhandle
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
. O'Brien was, first, the music and youth minister, then associate pastor, co-pastor, and full pastor on Spencer's retirement from full-time ministry. Spencer thereafter was interim pastor in Andrews
Andrews, Texas
Andrews is a city in and the county seat of Andrews County in the U.S. state of Texas within the West Texas region. The population was 10,448 in 2009. Along with Midland and Odessa, these cities form the Midland-Odessa Combined Statistical Area with a population of 241,316 in four counties...
near Midland
Midland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
. Under Spencer, Bethany church conducted three week-long revival services
Revival meeting
A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a church body, to raise funds and to gain new converts...
per year and observed homecoming and other special events. Bethany supported a Jack Hyles
Jack Hyles
Jack Frasure Hyles was a leading figure in the Independent Baptist movement, having pastored the First Baptist Church of Hammond in Hammond, Indiana, from 1959 until his death. He was also well-known for being an innovator of the church bus ministry that brought thousands of people each week from...
appearance in Snyder
Snyder, Texas
Snyder is a city in and the county seat of Scurry County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,653 at the 2010 census. It is located on Deep Creek, a minor tributary of the Colorado River of Texas. Snyder is approximately 150 km southeast of Lubbock.Located in Snyder is the Scurry County...
, the seat of Scurry County south of Lubbock. Former Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
of Baton Rouge, a gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
singer, addressed one of the early homecoming ceremonies. Still another Bethany guest was the evangelist Curtis Hutson
Curtis Hutson
Curtis Hutson was an Independent Baptist pastor and editor of The Sword of the Lord .Curtis Hutson was born in Decatur, Georgia, of a barber and hair dresser, the second of five children. He attended Avondale High School where he met his future wife, Barbara Crawford...
, editor of The Sword of the Lord newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
.
Gospel singer, pianist, preacher
O'Brien's singing abilities were considered to have been exceptional, and he was also a pianistPianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and a piano technician. He was particularly adept at reaching young people and preached frequently at summer camps. Bethany Baptist Church under O'Brien's direction dispatched several men into the ministry and to the mission field. The church gave some $1.2 million to world evangelism. O'Brien, and Spencer before him, supported a bus ministry that brings persons from all backgrounds to church services, many being children of a lower socio-economic class who otherwise lack ready transportation.
O'Brien was a well-known preacher in Independent Baptist ranks too. He was affiliated with the King James-Only Movement, which accepts the Authorized King James Version of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, the manuscript which supporters contend is more conducive to the reception of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
and more helpful in memorizing and understanding scripture. For a time, O'Brien also preached over radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
in Lubbock.
Some of his sermons have been placed on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, including "Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14 and Jeremiah 32:17.
In 1998, Bethany presented two dramatic presentations highlighting the patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
, Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross is widely credited with making the first American flag. There is, however, no credible historical evidence that the story is true.-Early life:...
, and Generals Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
and George S. Patton, Jr. In an interview with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is a newspaper based in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. It is owned by the Morris Communications Company.-History:The Lubbock Avalanche was founded in 1900 by John James Dillard and Thad Tubbs. According to Dillard, the name "Avalanche" was chosen due to his desire that the...
, O'Brien said that there was "a need to for the nation to turn back to the Lord" and that presentations of this kind, which brought full attendance, served to acquaint people with the spiritual heritage of the nation. He said that the Constitution of the United States protects the church from encroachment by government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
, not government from being influenced by Bible believers.
Heartland College
O'Brien committed his last years to Heartland Baptist Bible College, which forbids non-fundamentalists from speaking and teaching at the institution to reduce the possibility of hereticalHeresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
divisions and doubts within conservative biblical circles. O'Brien said that ministry students did not need dissenters from Scripture to promote open dialogue but reinforcement of biblical truth. The school, which uses the slogan "Love Never Fails", is unaccredited and does not seek accreditation
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited...
from government or regional educational associations. Therefore, it cannot issue degrees but offers diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
s to students who complete the instructional program. Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
majors at Heartland can teach only in Christian institutions, not public schools.
Personal life
O'Brien was a motorcyclistMotorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
too and often took sojourns with fellow Christian men to the Texas Hill Country
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
and Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park is a national park located in the U.S. state of Texas. Big Bend has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States, which includes more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56...
in southwest Texas. He and Mrs. O'Brien also toured parts of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
on his cycle.
Son-in-Law
Son-in-Law was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire, especially for sport horses.The National Horseracing Museum says that Son-in-Law is "probably the best and most distinguished stayer this country has ever known." Described as "one of the principal influences for stamina in...
of Ross Spencer) and wife Patricia of Garland, Texas
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
, and David O'Brien of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, and his sisters, Karen O. Smith of El Paso and Tricia O. Pritchett of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. Services were held on March 4, 2008, at Bethany Baptist Church. Some sixty pastors, one as far away as Washington state, came to Lubbock for O'Brien's funeral. Officiating were pastor Billy E. Prater (the father of O'Brien's son-in-law, Tyler Prater) of the Fellowship Baptist Church of Liberal, Kansas
Liberal, Kansas
Liberal is the county seat of Seward County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,525.- History :S.S. Rogers built the first house in what would become Liberal in 1872. Rogers became famous in the region for giving water to weary travelers...
, and William "Bill" Mitchell of Hillcrest Baptist Church, which O'Brien had attended as a youth. Prater and Mitchell are both members of the Heartland College board of directors. Interment was at Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock.
Tributes to O'Brien
Tim Spradling, an O'Brien friend and Bethany member, recalled in an interview with Beth Pratt, the religion editor of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, O'Brien's last EasterEaster
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
sermon in 2007, which celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His ultimate victory over evil and death: "His faith was that the Lord is in absolute control . . . Like any of the rest of us, he didn't want to leave his family, his church, his friends, but he had a deep abiding faith in the Lord that became even deeper in the last year and a half. When you face your own mortality, it's different. You have questions, but you get closer to the Lord, closer to each other, and stronger in faith. We still ask why, and a lot of whys won't be answered. That's where your faith comes in."
Delwayne Ivey, the Bethany youth minister who was named associate pastor after O'Brien's illness, called his mentor "an eternal optimist
Optimist
An optimist is a person with a positive outlook on life.Optimist may also refer to:* A member of Optimist International* The Optimist, a small sailing dinghy sailed by children...
. . . . He was easy to get along with, full of grace . . . a man very strong in his faith; he never complained or blamed God. He just praised the Lord."
Jason Smith, the associate and youth pastor at Lubbock Baptist Temple, in his website STL (Speaking the Truth in Love), offered this tribute to O'Brien:
"You were always an inspiration to me. In a day of compromise
Compromise
To compromise is to make a deal where one person gives up part of his or her demand.In arguments, compromise is a concept of finding agreement through communication, through a mutual acceptance of terms—often involving variations from an original goal or desire.Extremism is often considered as...
, you were always a man of conviction. You were who you were right to the end of your life. You never let suffering, fear of man, or anything weaken your faith. Did you ever wonder if it was worth it? Did you ever think about giving up? Did you know the impact your ministry had? God used in such a special way in my life, and I know your ministry will live on in those whom you invested yourself, which were many. . . . We give thanks for the life you lived and the life you are living now. . . . "
Doyle Sooter, another Bethany member, described O'Brien as a great raconteur and "your best friend in life, no matter who you were. . . . He showed us how to live by how he lived. There was never a material bone in his body. He was the most remarkable man I've ever met."
In April 2009, the Reverend Aaron Denson (born ca. 1972), a pastor in Hobbs
Hobbs, New Mexico
Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 28,657 at the 2000 census.Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lea County.-Geography:...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, was named to succeed O'Brien at Bethany Baptist Church.