Longtime mission leader Avery Willis dies

BELLA VISTA, Ark. (ABP) — Avery Willis, a former Southern Baptist missionary and administrator best known as developer of the MasterLife discipleship materials used around the world, died July 30, nearly eight months after being diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. He was 76.

According to a journal at the Caring Bridge website, Willis had been in remission before becoming hospitalized with pneumonia in early July. Doctors determined his leukemia had returned and he was too weakened to survive treatment.

He was discharged from the hospital Thursday, July 29, and died at home early in the morning of July 30, according to a posting by Willis' son, Randy.

Willis retired in 2004 as senior vice president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. After retiring he worked as executive director of the International Orality Network, a partnership of mission organizations using oral methods to evangelize and disciple the roughly 70 percent of the world's population that is functionally illiterate.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering or the International Orality Network.

An Arkansas native, Willis served as a missionary in Indonesia for 14 years before returning to the United States in 1978. While serving as president of the Indonesia Baptist Seminary, he created an intensive small-group discipleship study process named MasterLife.

During 15 years he worked as head of adult-discipleship programs for what is now known as LifeWay Christian Resources of the SBC, MasterLife became a staple of Sunday-night and midweek study groups in Southern Baptist churches. It also was translated into 50 languages and used in 100 countries around the world.

In 2008 Willis was one of six candidates nominated as president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

–Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.