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Remembering key leaders Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 24 December 2013 08:59 AM America/New_York

Christian products industry celebrates legacy of authors and artists who died in 2013

The Christian product industry saw the passing in 2013 of many influential authors, artists and leaders who have had a significant impact on the Christian products industry. From music pioneers to best-selling authors, the impact that they left on the industry is wide and lasting. As believers are urged to remember their leaders, to consider their way of life and imitate their faith (Heb. 13: 7, NIV), we look back on a number of those who have led the way for the church and our industry.

 

JohnPaculaboJOHN PACULABO - Christian music pioneer died Jan. 22 in Eastbourne, England. Paculabo was managing director of Kingsway, and established Thankyou Music as a global publisher, working with Capitol CMG Publishing. 

 

TLOsbornT.L. OSBORN - Pentecostal evangelist and best-selling author T.L. (Tommy Lee) Osborn died Feb. 14 at his Tulsa, Okla., home. His many books include Healing the Sick (Harrison House), which sold more than 1 million copies.

 

HowardHendricks-DallasTheologicalSeminaryHOWARD HENDRICKS - longtime faculty member at Dallas Theological Seminary, died Feb. 20. Hendricks mentored numerous well-known pastors, and  wrote 23 books. In Living by the Book (Moody Publishers, 1991), he taught the inductive study method.

 

CEverettKoop-surgeongeneralC. EVERETT KOOP - Former U.S. Surgeon died Feb. 25 at his home in Hanover, N.H. Koop also co-wrote with Francis Schaeffer the pioneering book Whatever Happened to the Human Race? (Crossway, 1983), which was turned into a Vision Video series.

 

RalphPMartinRALPH P. MARTIN - Bible scholar and author, died Feb. 25 in Southport, England. Martin wrote A Hymn of Christ (InterVarsity Press). He was  co-editor of Dictionary of Paul and His Letters and Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments (InterVarsity) and editor of several “Word Biblical Commentary” titles (Thomas Nelson).

 

EdithSchaeffer.ColorEDITH SCHAEFFER - author and wife of Francis Schaeffer, died in Gryon, Switzerland, on Easter Sunday, March 31. Schaeffer’s books include Affliction(Revell/Baker Publishing Group)and The Tapestry  (Word Books), both of which won a Gold Medallion from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. The Schaeffers also founded L’Abri Fellowship International.

 

DaveHuntDAVE HUNT - apologist, author and radio host, died April 5. Widely known for 1985‘s The Seduction of Christianity (Harvest House Publishers), co-authored with T.A. McMahon, Hunt was author of more than 40 books.

 

BrennanManning-BenPearsonBRENNAN MANNING - Author, speaker and Franciscan priest died April 12. Best known for  writing The Ragamuffin Gospel (Multnomah Books), Manning was as a fierce advocate for the marginalized, poor and church-abused. Ragamuffin Gospel, became an oft-quoted classic for many authors and artists, including the late Rich Mullins, whose group was called Ragamuffin Band.

 

ChooThomasCHOO THOMAS - best-selling author of Heaven Is So Real!, died April 13. Published by Creation House and then republished by Charisma House, the book has sold more than 1 million copies and has been translated into more than 40 languages.Thomas said she visited heaven a number of times.

 

GeorgeBeverlySheaGEORGE BEVERLY SHEA - Billy Graham Crusade soloist George Beverly Shea died April 16, in Montreat, N.C. He was 104. Shea, who first sang for Graham in 1943 on the “Songs in the Night” radio show, recorded more than 70 albums. In addition to earning 10 GRAMMY nominations and winning once, in 1965, he was presented with a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. Shea was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1978 and the Religious Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1996. 

 

DavidManuel1DAVID MANUEL - died April 25 at his Tulsa, Okla., at home. A graduate of Yale, Manuel co-wrote The Light and the Glory with Peter Marshall, with whom he also co-authored From Sea to Shining Sea (both Revell/Baker Publishing Group). Manuel also founded Awakening Books and Rock Harbor Publishing and was co-founder of Logos Publishing.

 

DallasWillardDALLAS WILLARD - professor and best-selling author, died May 8. His spiritual formation classic The Divine Conspiracy (HarperOne) was Christianity Today’s Book of the Year for 1999. His Renovation of the Heart (NavPress) won Christianity Today’s 2003 Book Award for Spirituality.

 

WilliamCutrerWILLIAM CUTRER - Kregel Publications author, a professor and physician, died July 13. With Sandra Glahn, Cutrer wrote Sexual Intimacy in Marriage and Lethal Harvest. As a professor, he also wrote The Church Leader’s Handbook.

 

RUSS DOUGHTEN - best known for the 1970s’ end-times thrillers A Thief in the Night and A Distant Thunder, died Aug. 19. RussDoughtenKnown as the “Father of the Modern Christian Movie,” the founder of Russ Doughten Films was behind more than 150 projects that led to more than 6 million decisions for Christ.

 

LeeHoughLEE HOUGH - literary agent and vice president at Alive Communications, died Sept. 10 of brain cancer. With influence widely felt in the industry, Hough was the recipient of the first-ever Christy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

 

CHUCK SMITH - author, pastor and founder of Calvary Chapel—died Oct. 3. Smith was a pioneer in the so-called “Jesus movement” of 1960s and ’70s. Smith wrote several books, including Charisma vs. Charismania (Word for Today), and helped ChuckSmithlaunch Maranatha! Music. 

 

DiannHuntDIANN HUNT - Author Patricia “Diann” Hunt died Nov. 29. Hunt was the author of 25 books. A Hallmark Channel adaptation of For Better or For Worse (Thomas Nelson) is slated for July 12.

 

PAUL CROUCH - founder and president of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), died Nov. 30. In 1973, Crouch and his wife, Jan, founded TBN, through which many Christian authors and artists have expanded their reach.

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