Monroe Parker
Encyclopedia
John Monroe “Monk” Parker (June 23, 1909 – July 17, 1994), was a Baptist evangelist, college president, and mission board director.
and was reared in Edgewood
and Chillicothe, Texas
where his father worked in a dry goods store. Nevertheless, many of his uncles were Baptist ministers.
In 1922 the family moved back to Thomasville, and Parker began working at a soda fountain and delivering newspapers while attending Thomasville High School, where despite his size, he proved a respectable football player.
In 1927, Parker matriculated at Birmingham Southern College, where he "dropped the pretense of religion," played football, and spent most of the rest of his time “frolicking, drinking, dancing, and running around with a wild gang.” After being caught in prank by students at a rival college and having his hair shaved off, a friend nicknamed him “Monk,” a name that followed him through his evangelistic career.
Parker was converted in the Methodist church when he was nineteen. The same week he attended a lecture on “The Perils of America” given by Bob Jones, Sr.
, and in 1928, he transferred to Bob Jones College
near Panama City, Florida
. Parker became captain and quarterback of the successful, if underchallenged, BJC football team, and he was also elected president of the student body and president of the Student Ministerial Association. At BJC he met Harriette Stollenwerck, a cousin of Jones’s wife, and they were married in 1934.
, and hold promotional meetings for the college. Alternating between hitchhiking and preaching, Parker made enough money that summer to return to college—although his financial situation did not improve much during the Depression. Back at BJC he recalled accidentally poking a hole in his worn-out shoes and "weeping like a child" because he did not have the money to buy new soles.
In 1937, after five years of full-time evangelism, Parker returned to Bob Jones College (which had since moved to Cleveland, Tennessee
) to teach and serve as Director of Religious Activities. Eventually he became the assistant to Bob Jones. Meanwhile, he continued to hold evangelistic campaigns.
On December 30, 1946, Parker’s wife was killed in an auto accident shortly after she had composed the music for what was to become the Bob Jones University
hymn. In 1948, he married Marjorie Parker (no relation), who had been Bob Jones's secretary. They had two children.
Parker re-entered full-time evangelism in 1949. In 1954, he hesitantly accepted the pastorate of Grace Baptist Church, Decatur, Alabama
, and attendance more than doubled in the three years he served as pastor. In 1957 Parker was elected the first resident president of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College
. He fired the entire faculty his first year in office but retained the confidence of the board of directors and served nearly seven years more. Under the leadership of Parker and his successor, Myron Cedarholm, the school grew to over seven hundred students.
Returning once more to evangelism, Parker then was named General Director of Baptist World Mission
in 1969, a mission board "in debt and badly organized" when he assumed leadership. Parker had its headquarters moved to Decatur, Alabama
, where he had made his home, but he refused to take a salary. In 1981, his second wife died, and in 1983, he married the widow of an acquaintance and longtime board member of Bob Jones University, Ruby Whitley.
Besides conducting hundreds of evangelistic campaigns and preaching in scores of high schools, colleges, Bible institutes and seminaries, Parker taught in Bible colleges and in seminaries, organized an association of Independent Baptist
churches in Alabama, served as president of the Minnesota Baptist Convention, and organized the Christian Dells Bible Camp and Conference Grounds near Decatur, Alabama.
, although he liked Graham personally and had known him since the younger man was seventeen.
Those who met Parker late in life recalled a man who was humble, gracious, and had a great sense of humor. One missionary who had been mentored by Parker called him the "best balance of knowledge and zeal" he had ever encountered. He noted that Parker's Greek New Testament was "worn to a frazzle" and that when he preached on Hell
, Parker would first discuss all the Greek and Hebrew words translated "hell" in the Bible before launching into an evangelistic message.
Childhood and Education
Parker was born in Thomasville, AlabamaThomasville, Alabama
Thomasville is a city in Clarke County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 4,209. Founded as a late 19th century railroad town, it has transitioned over the course of more than a century into a 21st century commercial hub...
and was reared in Edgewood
Edgewood, Texas
Edgewood is a town in Van Zandt County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,348 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Edgewood is located at ....
and Chillicothe, Texas
Chillicothe, Texas
Chillicothe is a city in Hardeman County, Texas, United States. The population was 798 at the 2000 census.The historical preservationist Myna Potts resides in Chillicothe...
where his father worked in a dry goods store. Nevertheless, many of his uncles were Baptist ministers.
In 1922 the family moved back to Thomasville, and Parker began working at a soda fountain and delivering newspapers while attending Thomasville High School, where despite his size, he proved a respectable football player.
In 1927, Parker matriculated at Birmingham Southern College, where he "dropped the pretense of religion," played football, and spent most of the rest of his time “frolicking, drinking, dancing, and running around with a wild gang.” After being caught in prank by students at a rival college and having his hair shaved off, a friend nicknamed him “Monk,” a name that followed him through his evangelistic career.
Parker was converted in the Methodist church when he was nineteen. The same week he attended a lecture on “The Perils of America” given by Bob Jones, Sr.
Bob Jones, Sr.
Robert Reynolds Jones, Sr. was an American evangelist, pioneer religious broadcaster and the founder and first president of Bob Jones University.-Early years:...
, and in 1928, he transferred to Bob Jones College
Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University is a private, for-profit, non-denominational Protestant university in Greenville, South Carolina.The university was founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr. , an evangelist and contemporary of Billy Sunday...
near Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
. Parker became captain and quarterback of the successful, if underchallenged, BJC football team, and he was also elected president of the student body and president of the Student Ministerial Association. At BJC he met Harriette Stollenwerck, a cousin of Jones’s wife, and they were married in 1934.
Evangelist
On March 7, 1929, Parker preached his first sermon (which he had practiced by declaiming to a swamp near the campus) and “ten people came forward to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour.” Bob Jones asked Parker to become a summer evangelist, preach on a new radio station in Anniston, AlabamaAnniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
, and hold promotional meetings for the college. Alternating between hitchhiking and preaching, Parker made enough money that summer to return to college—although his financial situation did not improve much during the Depression. Back at BJC he recalled accidentally poking a hole in his worn-out shoes and "weeping like a child" because he did not have the money to buy new soles.
In 1937, after five years of full-time evangelism, Parker returned to Bob Jones College (which had since moved to Cleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,285 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bradley County...
) to teach and serve as Director of Religious Activities. Eventually he became the assistant to Bob Jones. Meanwhile, he continued to hold evangelistic campaigns.
On December 30, 1946, Parker’s wife was killed in an auto accident shortly after she had composed the music for what was to become the Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University is a private, for-profit, non-denominational Protestant university in Greenville, South Carolina.The university was founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr. , an evangelist and contemporary of Billy Sunday...
hymn. In 1948, he married Marjorie Parker (no relation), who had been Bob Jones's secretary. They had two children.
Parker re-entered full-time evangelism in 1949. In 1954, he hesitantly accepted the pastorate of Grace Baptist Church, Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
, and attendance more than doubled in the three years he served as pastor. In 1957 Parker was elected the first resident president of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College
Pillsbury Baptist Bible College
Pillsbury Baptist Bible College was an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Christian college in Owatonna, Minnesota, founded in 1957....
. He fired the entire faculty his first year in office but retained the confidence of the board of directors and served nearly seven years more. Under the leadership of Parker and his successor, Myron Cedarholm, the school grew to over seven hundred students.
Returning once more to evangelism, Parker then was named General Director of Baptist World Mission
Baptist World Mission
Baptist World Mission is an independent, Baptist missionary agency located at 201 Gordon Drive SW in Decatur, Alabama. BWM was established in 1961...
in 1969, a mission board "in debt and badly organized" when he assumed leadership. Parker had its headquarters moved to Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
, where he had made his home, but he refused to take a salary. In 1981, his second wife died, and in 1983, he married the widow of an acquaintance and longtime board member of Bob Jones University, Ruby Whitley.
Besides conducting hundreds of evangelistic campaigns and preaching in scores of high schools, colleges, Bible institutes and seminaries, Parker taught in Bible colleges and in seminaries, organized an association of Independent Baptist
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...
churches in Alabama, served as president of the Minnesota Baptist Convention, and organized the Christian Dells Bible Camp and Conference Grounds near Decatur, Alabama.
Influence and Character
Parker served in the first rank of fundamentalist evangelists of the period, and in the struggle between fundamentalists and evangelicals during the 1950s and '60s, Parker took the side of separatists against the cooperative evangelism of Billy GrahamBilly Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
, although he liked Graham personally and had known him since the younger man was seventeen.
Those who met Parker late in life recalled a man who was humble, gracious, and had a great sense of humor. One missionary who had been mentored by Parker called him the "best balance of knowledge and zeal" he had ever encountered. He noted that Parker's Greek New Testament was "worn to a frazzle" and that when he preached on Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, Parker would first discuss all the Greek and Hebrew words translated "hell" in the Bible before launching into an evangelistic message.