DR. JIMMY D. PRITCHARD
AUG. 30, 1955 – FEB. 24, 2021
Taken from the First Baptist Forney website:
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Senior Pastor, Dr. Jimmy D. Pritchard. He lost his brief but hard fought battle with COVID Pneumonia at approximately 5:25 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24. he has been called home and his body has been healed.
We ask that you please be in prayer for his wife Jeannette; his children, James, John and Julie and their families; his brothers and their families; his church staff; church members and all those who knew and loved Bro. Jim.
Bro. Jim ministered to thousands of people around the world. He loved well and was well loved. He will be deeply missed. We will share information from the family as it becomes available in the coming days; but for now, your prayers are coveted.
Dr. Jimmy Pritchard, 65, of Forney, Texas passed away from COVID Pneumonia on February 24. was born in Fairfield, Texas on August 30, 1955. He was born in Fairfield, Texas on August 30, 1955 and ordained to the Gospel Ministry by the First Baptist Church of Fairfield, Texas.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
• Doctor of Ministry (1992)
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas
• Professional Project: Leading Believers to Spiritual Maturity Through the Examination and Application of Selected Principles of Spiritual Growth
• Master of Divinity (1981)
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas
• Bachelor of Arts (1977)
• Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas
• Major: History
• Minor: Philosophy
• High School (1973)
• Fairfield High School, Fairfield, Texas
• Class President
MINISTERIAL EXPERIENCE
• Pastor, First Baptist Church of Forney, Texas (1994 – 2021)
• Web site: www.fbcforney.org
• Total membership of 6,500+
• Welcomed more than 6,000 new members
• Baptized over 2,600 new believers
• 38 have surrendered to full time Christian vocations
• Given over $8,000,000 to missions
• Mission trips to Mexico, Ukraine, Scotland, Hungary, Lebanon, Uruguay, Thailand, Czech Republic, India, Cuba, and Ethiopia as well as various North American Mission projects
• Completed $13.5 million first phase of a $40 million relocation project
• Currently leading $24 million expansion project
• Budget receipts have grown from $500,000 to over $4 million annually
• Birthed one new church, Talty Baptist Church
• Successfully led the church in transition following the 33 year ministry of beloved former pastor
• Author of Calling Down the Fire, CrossHouse Publishing, 2005
• Author of “Personal Spiritual Awakening” in Scripture Isn’t Silent, Why Are We? Edited by Bobby Ecklund, Southern Baptists of Texas, 2005
• Pastor, Congress Avenue Baptist Church, Austin, Texas (1988 – 1994)
• Reversed a 14 year period of decline
• Baptism rate over 15% of Sunday School attendance each year
• Baptized over 100 in 1991 for the first time since 1958
• Recipient of the fastest growing Sunday School Award for the Austin Baptist Association in 1990
• Birthed one new church, Hays Hills Baptist Church
• Nurtured the Austin Baptist Deaf Church and various ministries to the downtown area of Austin
• Pastor, Elliott Baptist Church, Camden, Arkansas (1984 – 1987)
• 88% increase in Sunday School enrollment
• 38% increase in average Sunday School attendance
• Renovation of several buildings
• Constructed new parsonage
• Pastor, First Baptist Church, Gould, Oklahoma (1982 – 1984)
• Baptized 7.5% of community population
DENOMINATIONAL SERVICE
• Baptist World Alliance
• Church Leadership Commission, 2000 – 2005
• Mission and Evangelism Work Group, 2000 – 2005
• Church Leadership Study Commission, 1995 – 2000
• Christian Education and Literature Committee, 1990 – 1995
• Southern Baptist Convention
• Trustee, International Mission Board, 2006 – 2014
• Chairman of the Board 2010 – 2011
• Chairman of the Presidential Search Committee
• Workshop Leader, Home Mission Board Nationwide Church Growth Conference – 1992
• Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
• President, 2014 – 2015
• Preached the Convention Sermon 2010
• Empower Evangelism Conference, featured speaker, 2009
• 2nd Vice President, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, 2008-09
• President of Southwestern Seminary Alumni Association, 2007; Officer, 2005-2006
• Trustee of Criswell College 2002 – 2007; 2010 – 2015
• Chairman of the Board 2010 – 2012
• Baptist General Convention of Texas
• Trustee of East Texas Baptist University, 2002 – 2006
• Second Vice President of the Texas Baptist Pastor’s Conference, 1998
• Moderator of Kauf/Van Baptist Association, 2000 – 2003
• Area Committee, Kaufman/Van Zandt Area, 1995 – 1998; 2000 – 2003
• Director of Evangelism, Austin Baptist Association
• Arkansas Baptist State Convention
• Evangelism Committee, Liberty Association
• Youth Committee, Liberty Association
• Chairman of Camden Area Wide Crusade, 1987
• Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
• Vice-moderator, Southwest Baptist Association
• Chairman, Baptist Student Union Committee, Southwest Baptist Association
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHURCH EXECUTIVE STAFF:
Dr. Pritchard was a wonderful friend to Church Executive, having appeared on our July / August 2020 issue cover, on our January / February 2021 cover, and Ensuring an engaging churchgoing experience — through technology, a roundtable discussion in the March / April 2020 issue.
He was a joy to work with. And his wealth of ministry experience — but most importantly, his eagerness to share this knowledge with his peers in church leadership — is greatly appreciated and will be sincerely missed.
