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Jack Frasure Hyles (September 25, 1926-February 6, 2001) was a leading figure in the Baptist movement. He pastored the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana from 1959 to his death. Jack Hyles built a church of fewer than a thousand members to a membership of 100,000, with an average Sunday attendance of 20,000. He was a leading innovator in the church bus ministry. Over the course of his nearly 50 years as a church leader, Hyles was occasionally criticized for his doctorinal views and for alleged scandals.

His life and ministry

Jack Hyles was better known as "Brother Hyles" to his tens of thousands of congregants. Hyles led the Miller Road Baptist Church in Garland, Texas for about six years in the 1950s, but he was reportedly kicked out of the Southern Baptist denomination because he was too conservative for them.

In 1959, Hyles became the pastor of First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana, where he shepherded the church from a congregation of several hundred to more than 20,000. In the early 1990s a national survey ranked First Baptist as the largest church in the nation, by average weekly attendence figures.

Beginning in 1969, and continuing for several years, First Baptist Church of Hammond received recognition for the size of its Sunday School. The current Vice-President of Liberty University, Elmer L. Towns, who holds a doctorate degree in the ministries, wrote one of several books in which he analyzed FBCH's Sunday School in 1969. He presented a plaque to Jack Hyles in 1971, naming First Baptist Church of Hammond the nation’s largest Sunday school. In 1972, and for several years following, Christian Life Magazine proclaimed First Baptist Church of Hammond to have "The World's Largest Sunday School."

Jack Hyles co-founded Hyles-Anderson College (an unaccredited institution)with Russell Anderson to specialize in training Baptist ministers and school teachers in 1972. Hyles-Anderson College never sought accredition because Hyles insisted that he did not want other people telling him how to run his religious school. Hyles received an honorary doctorate from the Midwestern Baptist College, a bible college for budding pastors, missionaries, evangelists, and Christian school teachers.

One of the most noteable aspects of Jack Hyles' ministry is his church bus ministry. As early as 1975, Time magazine described the phenomenon in an article titled, "Superchurch." The Time article notes that First Baptist Church of Hammond Sunday School, which regularly ran almost 14,000 (the church had an active membership of 22,000), pushed the church to a record attendance of 30,560 on March 16, 1975, thanks to a boisterous contest between two bus route teams. In that year, according to the Time article, the First Baptist Church of Hammond bus route ministry consisted of 1,000 workers using 230 buses to ferry as many as 10,000 people every Sunday. The population of Hammond at the time was 107,983. The Chicago Sun Times reported in 2001, that a fleet of over 200 buses was regularly ferrying 7,000 to 15,000 people from throughout northwest Indiana and the Chicago, Illinois area to learn the fundamentals of Bible teaching.

Hyles was also a leader in the Independent Baptist movement through his speaking at 'The Sword of the Lord' conferences with John R. Rice and his own annual "Pastors School". The school continues to attract as many as 7000 visitors to the Hammond area.

Hyles wrote over fifty works in his lifetime, including Is There A Hell?, based on a sermon he preached at a National Sword of the Lord Conference. Another work, Enemies of Soul Winning tackled many issues considered controversial in fundamental and evangelical circles, which include the doctrine of repentance, Lordship salvation, and the role of the church in soul winning. The Calvary Contender wrote, "Hyles will be remembered as a one-of-a-kind, ever controversial leader whose ministry touched the lives of multitudes."

Honors, awards, accolades, and praise

Hyles has been the recipient of much praise, honors, and other accolades throughout the course of his life, and even continueing on past his death.

In 2001, the Hyle's boyhood home, a 384 square foot shack in Italy, Texas (30 miles south of Dallas, Texas) was purchased for a planned museum to honor Hyles. The home was shipped from Texas to Hyles-Anderson College. The home was planned to house Hyle's writings, photographs, and other relics on the 2,700-student campus. Ray Young, a close friend of Hyles, said, "We have 5,000 to 7,000 independent Baptists who come here each year for conventions. Reverend Hyles was very much adored by independent Baptists across the country. It should be a major attraction for them.

Hyles' commitment to poor children grew out of his own childhood. He was raised in poverty by a single mother during the Great Depression. Hyle's is given recognition for his commitment to the poor, mostly black and Hispanic children from Chicago's inner-city neighborhoods, whom he has bussed to private Christian schools in Hammond every day.

Hyles was known as a great preacher among the fundamentalist preachers. The Washington Post compared the meek preaching style of Jerry Falwell to the "spit and fire" of Jack Hyles. The Post suggested that after you heard a preacher like Hyles, "you knew that you'd been preached to".

Cathleen Falsani of the Chicago Sun Times wrote about Hyles, "When he chose the interests of poor, inner-city kids over millionaire church members, they said he'd never keep the doors of his church open. In more than 50 years of ministry, the Rev. Jack Hyles, pastor of mammoth First Baptist Church in Hammond, Ind. proved them all wrong. In the process he build one of the largest congregations in the country, a college, six schools, and a vibrant ministry that will now have to survive without him."

The President of Hyles-Anderson College said about Hyles, "He's a tremendous man of integrity, business acumen, leadership ability, organization. You didn't have to do everything his way. But after you experimented, you usually found out his way was the best way".

Matthew Barnett, a pastor in Los Angeles, was interviewed about his inner-city megachurch and at one point he says, "I learned from Jack Hyles." Barnett continues, "he was a tremendous soul winner, and he had great influence in the greater Chicago area. My dad attended his conference and learned bus ministry from him--bus captains and all of that. We adapted that."

Hyles continues to be honored in Hammond, Indiana with a huge portrait of Hyles and his widow, Beverly, dominating the skyline of the town. He is also honored in Founder's Park at his college, where they laid 30,000 bricks as flooring for life-sized statues of Hyles and his widow.

Controversy and criticism

Teachings

The Richmond Times quoted ex-Hyles follower and later critic, Robert Sumner, who said "Jack Hyles, runs his church in an authoritarian, almost 'cultist,' manner." Sumner, like most others with strong independent religious views, disagrees with a number of doctrinal issues with Hyles. Sumner, who has a personal website which he publishes and edits himself, called The Biblical Evangelist, was also quoted criticizing Hyles in another newspaper. This newspaper documented disputes that Sumner had with Hyles. Each of Sumner's charges were refuted by Hyles, who termed the accusations as "lies'. According to the Richmond Times Sumner's article had over 100 allegations.

Personal conduct

Allegations of misconduct were first made public in the "Godfrey Letter," sent by Evangelist George Godfrey to several hundred graduates, pastors, and former students of Hyles-Anderson college

On May 25, 1989 The Chicago Tribune reported that Victor Nischik, a former deacon of the First Baptist Church, accused Hyles of committing adultery with Jennie Nischik, Nischik's wife and Hyles' long time assistant. On May 28 the Tribune repeated this and added Nischik's allegations of questionable financial dealings. Hyles replied by saying the charges were "false". Hyles was not ever charged with a crime.

Sexual allegations involving the First Baptist community

Hyles has been a target of occasional criticism during his nearly 34 years at the helm of the independent First Baptist. 1,300 supporters of Hyles gathered to listen to Hyles as he branded the news reports linking him to a nationwide pattern of sexual molestations and abuse as "ridiculous assumptions and malicious lies". He said the reports were really an attempt to end Sunday school "bus ministries" operated by his church and others like it.

There is one documented instance where a member of First Baptist was found guilty of a crime of abuse. Daniel Lehmann of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "In March, 1993, a deacon at First Baptist, A.V. Ballenger, was found guilty of one count of child molestation dating from 1991." Furthermore, during a Sunday school class "a church worker reportedly witnessed the act and removed the girl from the room, police said." During the criminal trial Jack Hyles "told the child's parents that Ballenger 'just liked little girls,' and, 'You don't have a case.'" The parents later filed suit for one million dollars against Hyles and his church." Ballenger was found guilty of molestation and sentenced to five years. The Northwest Indiana Times noted "regrettably, Hyles does not seem to think that Ballenger's conviction is something that should require the former deacon to be removed from any contact with church children.

Lehmann reported that in May 1993, a Detroit, Michigan area news team, did a story called Preying From the Pulpit where it followed up on allegations of child molestation. The Sun-Times series said it found seven U.S. churches - all with ties to Hyles, it said - involved in sex scandals. However, Lehmann noted that "the Lake County (Ind.) prosecutor's office said it did not have any current cases involving Hyles or the church, and the Hammond Police Department confirmed a statement of last month that 'there is no investigation' of the church or Hyles".

Lehmann remarked that Hyles "disputed the latest reports point by point in a speech to Midwest ministers and businessmen, brought together by COMPASSION - Churches Organized & Mobilized for Preservation and Safety for Sunday Schools in Our Nation." Hyles also claimed out that those people said to have attended Hyles-Anderson College had not really attended the school.

On December 8, 1997 Christianity Today reported that Hyles and his church, the First Baptist Church of Hammond, were being sued for "for negligence in connection with alleged sexual assaults on a mentally disabled church member over a six-year period" The lawyer for the woman, Vernon Petri, "says Hyles is a defendant because he failed to protect the woman", such that "Controls have to be set to be sure things are conducted appropriately..." However, Christianity Today pointed out that no criminal charges were ever filed in the case.

Also, Hyles denied the allegations that either he or his church were negligent in the care of the woman in an October 12 advertisement in the Hammond Times. Hyles pointed out that his church had a long-standing outreach program to the handicapped and underprivileged of the Hammond area, ministries that Hyles said "are a financial liability. This is especially true in the case of the educable slow. We get nothing from them but the satisfaction of helping them."

In the advertisement, Hyles also said the church does "not believe that the events described in the allegations occurred." Hyles said the church preaches against and detests "any form of sexual misbehavior." In a news report, Hyles indicated that the church had no record of the woman's attendance at Sunday school since 1991.

References

1. ^ Lehmann, Daniel J. "Pastor Linked to Sex Abuse Lashes Out," Chicago Sun-Times, June 2, 1993. pg. 5
2. ^ Falsani, Cathleen Brother Jack Hyles of Hammond dies at 74 Chicago Sun Times, February 8, 2001.
3. Towns, Elmer. "The Ten Largest Sunday Schools and What Makes Them Grow" (PDF). Baker Book House. Retrieved May 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
4. ^ "First Baptist Church. . . Helping People for 116 Years, and Counting!" (PDF). The Voice of First Baptist Church. Retrieved May 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
5. "Megachurch Pastor Jack Hyles Dead at 74". Christianity Today. Retrieved April 2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
6. "Superchurch". Time. Retrieved April 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
7. "Population Trends for Indiana Counties, Cities, and Towns 1970 - 2000" (PDF). Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP). Retrieved April 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
8. Zabroski, Steve (2006). "Faithful flock to Hammond". Northwest Indiana Times. Retrieved March 24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
9. "Jack Hyles Succumbs To Heart Attack". Calvary Contender. 2001. Retrieved May 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
10. Associated Press Texas childhood home of prominent minister planned as Indiana museum Schererville, Ind. November 6, 2001
11. Harrington, Walt What Hath Falwell Wrought? Washington Post July 24, 1988, pg W19
12. High hopes: Matthew Barnett's secret is to inspire others to dream what God can do--and dream big The Leadership Interview Christianity Today Jan 1, 2005
13. News briefs Illinois edition: Dedication to unveil college founder Oct 20, 2001 Northwest Indiana Times
14. ^ "Ed Briggs. Fundamentalists' House Displaying Widening Cracks" Richmond Times - Dispatch. Richmond, Va.: Jul 22, 1989. pg. A-9
15. ^ "Charges All Lies, Hammond Pastor Says," Chicago Tribune, May 28, 1989.
16. Ed Briggs. "Fundamentalists' House Displaying Widening Cracks." Richmond Times. Richmond, Va. Jul 22, 1989.
17. ^ "AV Ballenger," South Bend Tribune, August 30, 1996.
18. ^ "Church leaders sued in sex-abuse case," Chicago Tribune, Oct 16, 1991.
19. Baptism by innuendo Northwest Indiana Times May 19, 1993
20. ^ "Baptist Megachurch Faces Sex Suit". Christianity Today. 2006. Retrieved 2006-05-01.

Bibliography

• Blue Denim and Lace. Hammond, Indiana: Hyles-Anderson Publishers (1972)
• Enemies of Soul Winning. Hammond, Indiana: Hyles-Anderson Publishers (1993) (148 pages)
• Logic Must Prove the King James Bible. Hammond, Indiana: Hyles-Anderson Publishers
• Is There A Hell? Hammond, Indiana: Hyles-Anderson Publishers
• Jack Hyles Speaks on Biblical Separation. Hammond, Indiana: Hyles-Anderson Publishers (1984) (112 pages)
• Teaching on Preaching. Hammond, Indiana: Hyles-Anderson Publishers (1986) (153 pages)

External links

Hyles Ministry

• The Jack Hyles– Home Page with Books, sermons, links
• Hyles Publications– Official

Criticism

• The Jack Hyles Story by Robert Sumner
• Criticism on Jack Hyles and his son by Jeri Massi (Includes audio programs and a copy of the Godfrey Letter)

• 1926 births
• 2001 deaths
• Baptists
• Religious scandals