Members vow, 'We will continue to live out the ministry'
By Deborah Gruszecki / The Hammond Times, February 8, 2001
HAMMOND -- Hyles-Anderson College was closed Wednesday, enabling a team of teachers and administrators to fan out to First Baptist Church of Hammond schools to counsel students mourning the death of the Rev. Jack Hyles.
Hyles, pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond since 1959 and founder of the Schererville-based college, died Tuesday morning in University of Chicago Hospitals of complications resulting from heart bypass surgery.
The 74-year-old pastor had been hospitalized since Jan. 31, when he suffered a heart attack.
Youth Pastor Eddie Lapina said Thursday that while sadness prevails, Hyles' followers, friends and families are maintaining a "very steady course."
"Everyone is doing their jobs and the church is going strong," said Lapina, who joined First Baptist at the age of 4 and has been on staff a little more than two decades.
Wednesday church services were not canceled, he said.
JoJo Moffitt, who helps run the bus ministry along with her husband, the Rev. Roy Moffitt, said their son, Justin, and other seniors of Hammond Baptist High School in Schererville may launch balloons to honor Hyles this morning after a senior class breakfast. Other staff members were busy fielding calls Wednesday from around the world. Lapina said office staff in Hammond had been averaging 1,000 calls a day and an unofficial Web site about the church has had 10,000 hits since Monday.
Lapina said the family asked that their thanks be relayed to the people of Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicago area for their thoughtfulness, prayers, cards and calls.
"Brother Hyles' heart was in the Calumet Region," Lapina said. "Though he had very strong religious beliefs, his main concern was pastoring the people of this area and reaching souls for Christ."
Reaching souls for Christ will continue to be the church's mission, Lapina said.
Just last month, a new Hammond City Baptist Grade School opened south of Ridge Road on Calumet Avenue in Munster. That school is one of many serving underprivileged youths from the bus ministry. Other city Baptist schools are located in the 7000 block of Hohman Avenue and the 700 block of Sibley Street, Hammond. A cluster of schools for children of area church members -- a grade school, middle school and high school -- is based in Schererville.
In a few days, Lapina said the newly remodeled Lincoln Hotel on State Street in Hammond is expected to become the home of Hammond City Baptist Rescue Mission. A new $4 million educational building for youths may be built across the street. Hyles had been planning a summertime groundbreaking for the new center.
"That was one of his prize goals, to get that building up," Lapina said. "We've rehabbed all those old buildings downtown, but could only do so much with them. Brother Hyles was excited about getting those old buildings torn down to make way for this new building and parking lot."
Moffitt predicted that members of Hyles' ministry will not let him down.
"We've been trained by God to live for the Lord, and now that it has come to this, we will continue to live out his ministry," Moffitt said. "I believe you'll see Hyles' work continue. The church will keep on growing. It won't stop."
College classes were expected to resume today.
All schools were expected to be closed Friday.