Hyles Anderson College currently

[AVL1984]

While I agree with you, AVL1984, regarding the name change being a positive step to help "shed the vestiges of the past," I just cannot see Pastor Wilkerson taking such a drastic step while Dr. Wendell Evans is alive. Our church has some close connections to FBCH, and we have learned that Pastor Wilkerson deeply respects and honors Dr. Evans. That man essentially worships the memory of Jack Hyles; thus, it seems unlikely that the name of Hyles-Anderson would be removed from the college while the man who ran it for most of its existence was still living.

It seems that Pastor Wilkerson and his allies are doing a great job of "breaking ties with the past" in other ways, though. Besides the note from Dr. Anderson mentioning the changes that Wilkerson has either directly made or indirectly allowed, FBCH and HAC have begun to slowly return into fellowship with other spheres of Baptistic Fundamentalism. Pastors Johnny Pope (an HAC graduate from long ago who affiliates closely with PCC), Clarence Sexton (Temple Baptist Church and Crown College of the Bible), and Paul Chappell (Lancaster Baptist Church and West Coast Baptist College) have all given their support and affirmation to John Wilkerson in his pastorate at First Baptist and his leadership of Hyles-Anderson.

I've been told by several people that Pastor Wilkerson is doing a wonderful job, and I believe these people. They tell me that he has restored order and has helped respect to be returned to the office of Pastor at FBCH. I'll take their word for that. On the name change? I also agree with y'all, that it probably will not happen, at least not anytime near soon. I do believe, however, that Brother Anderson has the right idea in requesting the name change. Brother Pope has never truly been one of my favorite people..I believe he is part of the previous problems with the college and the church, but I will not attack him. There's too much of that kind of thing going on in Christian circles right now, especially in the SBC, of which I am a member. Peace be to you.