Criswell remembered as
larger-than-life mentor and pastor
___By Mark Wingfield
___Managing Editor
___DALLAS--W.A. Criswell was compared to the fourth century bishop Athanasias, the Apostle Paul, Barnabas, King David, Elijah and John the apostle as he was eulogized at First Baptist Church of Dallas Jan. 16.
___Criswell, legendary pastor of the Dallas church for more than 50 years, died nearly a week earlier at age 92. For two days prior to the funeral, his body laid in state at Criswell College and First Baptist Church.
___Thousands of people filled the sanctuary of First Baptist Church, overflow rooms at the church and at Criswell College, where the service was broadcast via closed-circuit TV.
___In a highly unusua

FAMILY MEMBERS follow the casket of W.A. Criswell after the longtime Dallas pastor’s memorial service at First Baptist Church Jan. 16. (BP/Pool photo)

l move, several miles of Dallas' North Central Expressway were closed after the funeral to allow the stately transport of Criswell's body to Hillcrest Memorial Park, where he was laid to rest.
___The two hour and 10 minute service featured six speakers: Richard Wells, president of Criswell College; Cliff Barrows of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls and a product of Criswell's ministry at the Dallas church; Paige Patterson, former longtime president of Criswell College and now president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina; O.S. Hawkins, former pastor of First Baptist Church and now president of the Southern Baptist Annuity Board; and Mac Brunson, current pastor of First Baptist Church.
___Wells provided extensive biographical information about Criswell's life and ministry and read testimonies from family members and friends.
___Barrows brought greetings from Graham, who has been a non-resident member of the church for years and was not able to travel to Texas for the service.
___Jeffress testified to Criswell's influence on his own ministry and the ministry of thousands of other young pastors.
___Patterson provided a bit of comic relief in the lineup, telling several self-deprecating stories related to his tenure with Criswell that elicited both laughter and tears. In the manner adult children sometimes tell stories on their parents, Patterson recounted how Criswell taught him to display proper decorum when seated on the platform during Sunday morning worship.
___But more than anything, Patterson said, Criswell taught him how to weather life's storms.
___"All your life you will be in a storm," he recalled Criswell advising him. "You can't do anything about that. All you can do is be certain you are in the center of God's will."
___Hawkins spoke of Criswell's theological influence on the Southern Baptist Convention and beyond, calling Criswell "our standard bearer."
___Brunson delivered a sermon based on the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings, in which he called Criswell God's "defender of the faith." Brunson ended his sermon with a call to spiritual commitment, urging anyone listening who was not a Christian to make that commitment as the church choir sang Handel's "Hallelujah."
___The congregation included a host of Baptist and local dignitaries, including the presidents of SBC seminaries, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former Dallas Mavericks owner Don Carter, SBC President James Merritt and other SBC officials, Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Director Charles Wade, BGCT Executive Board Chairman Brian Harbour and other BGCT representatives.
___Throughout the service, Criswell was portrayed as a larger-than-life figure, a "giant," "genius" and "visionary." But speakers constantly returned to the theme of Criswell's obsession with Bible study, preaching and evangelizing.
___Brunson recalled his last visit with Criswell, which he said was about two weeks prior to his death. Criswell's mind was clouded by medicine, but his heart was still set on God, Brunson said.
___Criswell did not recognize Brunson. But upon seeing him, Criswell asked: "Are you here for the revival?"
___ His answer, Brunson said, was, "I pray so."


Quotes from the funeral
___"I am a Christian because of Dr. Criswell. … I was a lost pastor … when I came to the School of the Prophets."
___Richard Wells, president of Criswell College

___Criswell's personal touch with many was "putting his hand on your head, if you were under 80, and saying, 'Lad.'"
___ Richard Wells

___"A pastor that tried to destroy this great church couldn't stop him."
___Cris Criswell, grandson and adopted son of Criswell, speaking of Criswell's perseverance in a letter read by Wells

___Other family members will continue to honor Criswell here "until Dad calls us to be there with him."
___Cris Criswell, who called his grandfather "Dad"

___"He was the kindest man I have ever known."
___Longtime friend Jack Pogue in a letter read by Wells

___"He was one of the great Christians of the 20th century."
___Billy Graham, in a letter read by Cliff Barrows

___"Anything and everything I've learned about being a pastor, I learned from Dr. W.A. Criswell."
___Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls and a product of First Baptist Church of Dallas

___"His influence will be felt for generations to come."
___ Robert Jeffress

___"He lived to see men and women come to faith in Christ."
___Paige Patterson, former president of Criswell College and associate pastor at First Baptist

___"Oswald Chambers … said giants fade into normal people when you meet them. But Oswald Chambers never met W.A. Criswell."
___O.S. Hawkins, former pastor of First Baptist

___"W.A. Criswell was our Apostle Paul. … Paul may have left us half of our New Testament, but W.A. Criswell left us his influence to stand on the word of God."
___O.S. Hawkins

___"When W.A. Criswell drove into Dallas, no one had any idea … what God would do in his life and through his ministry."
___Mac Brunson, pastor of First Baptist

___"When God needed a defender (of the faith) in our day, God reached down and anointed W.A. Criswell."
___Mac Brunson

___"Dad was always able to see the treasure in the ordinary."
___Criswell daughter Mabel Ann, as related by Pastor Mac Brunson in the eulogy

___"I have prayed … to be a man of God like him."
___Mac Brunson

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