Ira North

Ira Lutts North (August 31, 1922 Ethridge, Tennessee – January 15, 1984 Nashville, Tennessee) was a preacher and author within the Churches of Christ.

He received his education at David Lipscomb College, Abilene Christian College (B.A.), University of Illinois (M.A.), and Louisiana State University (PhD).

At the age of 17 he began a 43-year preaching ministry that ranged from Illinois and Louisiana to Tennessee. His longest ministry service was for Madison Church of Christ in Nashville. He began preaching for the Madison church in 1953 continued for 32 years. Through his leadership, the Madison church grew to one of the largest Churches of Christ worldwide.

He was editor of Gospel Advocate, a prominent religious journal among the Churches of Christ. He wrote several books, most notably Balance - A Tried And Tested Formula For Church Growth. He was also a teacher on the nationally televised Amazing Grace Bible Class which featured sermons like If I Were a Woman.

He was also instrumental in starting a retirement home and an orphanage in the Madison, Tennessee area. He has been called a "lover of the very young" (in the Gospel Advocate, November 1990, VOL. CXXXII, NO 11).

His wife, the former Avon Stephens, whom he wed in 1939, died in April 2008.^[1]

References

External links

• Ira North at Find a Grave