Robert Sumner

Robert Sumner

Sumner in 2003
Born August 3, 1922
Norwich, New York, United States
Died December 5, 2016 (aged 94)
Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Occupation Baptist Christian Evangelist
Website biblicalevangelist.org

Robert L. Sumner (August 3, 1922 – December 5, 2016) was an American Christian author, Baptist pastor, evangelist and editor of the fundamentalist newspaper called The Biblical Evangelist.

Personal

Born to an educated family in Upstate New York he graduated from Norwich High School and Summit University (formerly Baptist Bible College & Seminary in Johnson City, New York). He also received honorary graduate degrees from Bob Jones University and Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary in Sacred Theology. He was the brother-in-law of auto racing legend Hector Honore. Sumner died in December 2016 at the age of 94.[1]

Ministry

He was pastor of a number of Baptist churches in Illinois, California, Texas and Ohio. In 1959, he created the non-profit Sumner Evangelistic Foundation. In 1965, he was on the Council of 14 (now Council of 18) of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, and he changed the name of his foundation to Regular Baptist Evangelism. In May, 1966, this group launched a newsletter called The Regular Baptist Evangelist, which 9 months later became just The Biblical Evangelist. He has also attended many Christian conferences and lectures. In November, 1980, The Biblical Evangelist stopped publication and Sumner became Managing Editor of a Christian newspaper of (which he had served previously starting in 1954), The Sword of the Lord, which was published by John R. Rice.[2]

In 1982, Sumner left The Sword after a dispute with the editor that was mediated by Jack Hyles. After the ordeal, Sumner complained that he was left "without an editorial voice", so he restarted The Biblical Evangelist by sending letters to former subscribers asking them to resubscribe. The "Biblical Evangelist" is still being published, currently as a quarterly newspaper.[3]

Hyles Expose

Sumner received some attention when he criticized Jack Hyles in 1989 when he wrote a story in The Biblical Evangelist called, "The Saddest Story I've Ever Told," which accused Hyles of sexual scandals, financial misappropriation and doctrinal errors.[4] These charges were denied by Hyles who deemed them "lies".[4]

Author

Sumner has now published a total of 39 books including his latest, Jewels from James, a 15-chapter, 317-page expository and evangelistic commentary about the book of James in the New Testament. He is also the official biographer of John R. Rice.[5] As of 2007, The Biblical Evangelist is sent out for free to all who request it.

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ http://www.garbc.org/news/with-the-lord/robert-sumner-pastor-and-author/
  2. ↑ phone conversation with Robert Sumner 6-20-2014
  3. ↑ Sumner, Robert History - The Biblical Evangelist (accessed 5/26/06)
  4. 1 2 Hirsley, Michael (28 May 1989). "Charges All Lies, Hammond Pastor Says". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  5. ↑ Barlow, Dr. Fred M. (1983). "Dr. John R. Rice". Go to the Bible. Sword of the Lord Publishers. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
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