The Rev. Dr. D. James Kennedy, a Christian broadcaster and the pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., died this week at his home in Fort Lauderdale. He was 76. His life’s ministry may be remembered broadly for its support of conservative Christianity. However, his legacy of personal evangelism may last longer.

According to The New York Times, Kennedy "played a critical role in the rise of conservative Christianity."

Focus on the Family founder and chairman, James C. Dobson, Ph.D., issued a statement saying Kennedy had been "a passionate defender of biblical truth in a culture that increasingly forgot it."

Among his many activities, Kennedy played a role in establishing the Alliance Defense Fund. Alliance Defense Fund President and CEO Alan Sears called Kennedy a true servant and statesman, but also characterized him as a preacher.

"He never wavered from his convictions," Sears said. "He never compromised his core beliefs for the sake of worldly approval.  Instead, he believed in boldly preaching the Word of God."

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said Kennedy’s ministry "spanned from the halls of power to the hearts of believers."

Equipping for evangelism

In addition to social and political causes, Kennedy’s interest in personal evangelism led him to found Evangelism Explosion in 1962, a program to equip people to share their faith in Christ.

In part because of this program, Kennedy served a church that grew from a fewer than 100 to several thousand members. He launched radio and television ministries, including "The Coral Ridge Hour," reportedly one of the nation's most widely syndicated religious programs, reaching as many as 3.5 million people a week.

In addition to these achievements, The Times and The Washington Post both recount Kennedy’s socio-political messages against hot-button issues such as homosexuality and abortion—comparing him to the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, and the Rev. Pat Robertson.

However, The Post ended its obituary on Kennedy by contrasting him to other televangelists, saying: "Although other religious broadcasters such as Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart had spectacular falls from grace, Dr. Kennedy lived modestly and was never tainted by moral or financial scandal."

It is the unusual televangelist or megachurch pastor whose life resonates with the quiet life advocated in 1 Thessalonians 4:11.

Will others follow?

Perhaps there will be more, though. After Falwell’s death this spring, Christianity Today published a comment from Bill Leonard, dean of Wake Forest University Divinity School, who differentiated current megachurch pastors from the ilk of Falwell and Kennedy, because of their political interests.

Younger megachurch pastors have not followed Falwell or Kennedy’s leads in politics, Leonard told CT.

"With some exceptions," he said, "the new generation of megachurch pastors are just not as interested in politicizing their ministries."

What are they interested in? If they follow Kennedy’s example, it will be an interest in worldwide evangelism and holiness. That's not likely to capture media attention. But then, neither did Kennedy.