O.S. Hawkins, Criswell: His Life and Times (affiliate link). Nashville: B and H Publishing Group, 2024. 241 pages.
When I was growing up in a Southern Baptist home, W.A. Criswell was someone every pastor wished to emulate. He led the largest Baptist church in the world. His congregation was filled with powerful people, even boasting Billy Graham—who lived in North Carolina—as a member. First Baptist Dallas had been made famous during the 47-year-long pastorate of George W. Truett, but Criswell clearly took the church to a new level. Criswell was perhaps the first Baptist megachurch pastor since Charles Spurgeon, and he became a model for future church leaders. Rick Warren, among many others, confessed that Criswell was his pastoral model when he was growing up.
O.S. Hawkins authored Criswell: His Life and Times, a readable and interesting book on a fascinating, galvanizing, and in some ways tragic figure. Hawkins served as senior pastor of FBC Dallas while Criswell still attended the church. He and his wife vacationed with the Criswells. Therefore, he writes as an intimate and an admirer. His unique vantage point allows him to draw on first-hand knowledge of Criswell, but at times it also steers the book toward hagiography. Nevertheless, while Hawkins clearly admires Criswell, he also provides candid, less-flattering insights into his subject. For me, a serious biography of a historical figure generally runs between 600-1,000 pages. This 241-page offering is more of an overview of Criswell’s life. The serious student of Criswell may feel as though areas of Criswell’s life are treated only superficially. But this book offers a fascinating introduction to someone who left an indelible mark on Baptist churches and ministers of the twentieth century.
Hawkins makes much of the fact that Criswell’s father was a fan of the tumultuous pastor J. Frank Norris. Norris was a controversial figure who led First Baptist Church of Fort Worth and later a large church in Detroit simultaneously. He was a fundamentalist who loudly condemned the liberal drift he saw among Southern Baptists. He famously shot a man to death in his church office. He was a powerful preacher and commanded a large following. Criswell’s mother hated Norris but admired George W. Truett. Truett was a denominational statesman who eschewed controversy. He and Norris would be rivals for several controversial decades (xi).
Hawkins suggests that Criswell took the best from both Norris and Truett. He states, “W. A. Criswell stands alone among them in the coupling of these two God-given traits” (xii). He adds, “. . . he took the best of both men, discarding the worst, far exceeding both of them in lasting gospel influence” (4). Hawkins suggests that “W. A. Criswell was George W. Truett in public and J. Frank Norris in private” (5). However, Hawkins concedes that Norris won out in the end (8).
Hawkins claims that Criswell made Fundamentalism “respectable” (6). He quotes Joel Gregory, who wrote, “. . . the right wing of American Christianity had a genuine Ph.D. who could quote Shakespeare and Browning by the mile from memory as well as he could the Apostle Paul” (6).
Criswell, like most famous historical figures, had a complicated and at times messy past. Hawkins suggests that our childhood influences often profoundly impact our adulthood (3). Such was likely the case for Criswell. His mother, Anna, ran off with a traveling salesman at age 16, much to the consternation of her father, a Civil War doctor. Her husband eventually abandoned her and their children, making her a single mother (12). She soon married a widower, Wallie Amos Criswell (12). Their first child together did not survive. But a year later, on December 19, 1909, W.A. Criswell was born (13). Criswell was only given initials for his first and middle names, something he was sensitive about (13).
Throughout the book, Hawkins offers interesting glimpses into Criswell’s life and unusual habits. He relates how “The act of eating was a religious experience for him. All conversation ceased the moment a plate was set before him” (16). He also invariably ate his dessert first (17). Apparently, he also had the disconcerting habit of eating off of other people’s plates!
His mother was the greatest influence on his early life. On more than one occasion, she moved with her son so he could attend a better school. She enrolled him in speech classes and assured him he would make a great doctor like his grandfather (19). Though Criswell generally accepted his mother’s overpowering influence, he refused to attend medical school. Instead, he was adamant from a young age that he would be a pastor one day (22). Hawkins concludes, “There is no doubt that witnessing his mother’s unwavering confidence, eternal optimism, boundless energy, and rock solid assurance that everything would work out left an indelible and lasting mark on her first born son” (37).
During a revival meeting led by John Hicks, Criswell, at age ten, gave his life to Christ (23). Interestingly, when the evangelist John Hicks was dying, he told his friend, “Wallace, my life is over. My preaching days are done, and I have never done anything significant for Jesus. I have failed in the ministry” (23). He never knew that one of America’s greatest Baptist preachers had been converted under his ministry.
John R. Rice, another Baptist luminary, was preaching when Criswell surrendered his life to Christian ministry (23). Young Criswell went forward along with many others, but no one spoke with Criswell or seemed to notice him. Criswell claimed, “I slinked back to my seat wondering if God hadn’t noticed me either” (23).
Criswell appears to have been focused on preaching and pastoral ministry from an early age. He preached wherever he had opportunity. He preached passionately and was soon being asked to preach in local churches while he attended university and then seminary.
It is interesting that Criswell never dated in high school, college, or seminary until he entered the Ph.D. program. Even then, Hawkins suggests that Criswell knew he needed to be married to be hired as a pastor. He eventually met the controversial Betty Harris (58). She would replace Criswell’s mother as the dominant force in his life. Hawkins suggests that Criswell was somewhat naïve, assuming everyone loved him. Betty, who was far more shrewd, cautioned W.A. about certain people (59). In later years, these attributes had a much darker side.
When Criswell was about to graduate, he and Betty decided to accept the first church that called him. The prestigious First Baptist Church of Birmingham had expressed serious interest, but before they could extend an offer, First Baptist Church of Chickasha, Oklahoma, called him (64). Throughout Criswell’s life, he was blessed with strong, influential supporters. It is a mystery of history whether he was simply fortunate to be at the right place at the right time or whether he had a personality, charisma, and skill set that motivated people to support him at opportune times.
In one case, he chose to attend a denominational meeting when he was a seminary student. At the last moment, the designated speaker cancelled and young Criswell was enlisted to fill in without any time to prepare. He accepted and spoke on “13 Reasons Why I Don’t Believe in Tithing” (63). In that meeting were B.B. McKinney, a famous hymnologist, and John Hill, who would both play enormous roles in Criswell’s career. McKinney recommended Criswell to the church at Chichasha, and they wasted no time heeding his advice.
The Criswells had their only child, Mabel Ann, on June 28, 1939. She would live a troubled life and experience a tempestuous relationship with her mother (66).
Criswell’s second church was First Baptist Church, Muskogee, Oklahoma. While there, he learned to preach the exegetical sermons for which he would become famous (68). He also became a premillennialist dispensationalist during that time. He would ultimately be called from this church to First Baptist Church Dallas.
George Truett died of bone cancer on July 7, 1944. He had been the pastor at First Baptist Dallas for 47 years (69). The church had been in decline for many years as Truett aged and the church programs were neglected (71). Many immediately assumed that Duke McCall, a promising young minister, would be the natural replacement (76). But John Hill, who had heard Criswell speak on tithing, strongly recommended Criswell to First Baptist Dallas. Eventually, Criswell’s name rose to the top of the list, despite the machinations of many who desired for McCall to have the pulpit.
First Baptist Dallas called Criswell on September 27, 1944. As was often the case for Criswell, his timing was impeccable. World War Two was drawing to a close, and many American soldiers were returning to start a family. As the Baby Boom ensued, Criswell led his church to concentrate on ministering to families. Criswell asked for two things from his new church. His first request was for the pulpit to be his to preach what he felt God leading him to preach (87). His second was for the leeway to hire and fire staff as he willed.
Once again, Criswell was fortunate. Robert Coleman, Truett’s trusted colleague on staff, embraced Criswell and helped him transition into the role (90). In February 1946, Criswell began preaching through the entire Bible, starting with Genesis 1:1 (95). It would take him 17 years and eight months, but he would preach to his congregation on every verse of the Bible. People responded enthusiastically to the young preacher. Fifty-nine people joined the church on Criswell’s first Sunday (86). One thousand joined during Criswell’s first year (74).
In 1975, at a staff retreat, Criswell was asked if he was a dictator. He replied, “I say, I am. I am a benevolent one, but I am a dictator” (103). When he arrived, he had five staff. This number would grow to more than 300. Over Criswell’s fifty years as pastor, he was blessed with wealthy patrons who generously provided for him. They had a parsonage provided for them. They were given a new vehicle every year. A wealthy patron paid for an annual European vacation and helped them purchase expensive collections (103). Ken Cooper, Zig Ziglar, Don Carter, and Mary Kay were members of his church.
There were three wealthy women who did much to help Criswell through the years. The first was Minnie Slaughter Veal. When Criswell recommended to the deacons that they build a new building that could provide parking and recreational facilities for their family ministry, the deacons balked at the price tag. Minnie agreed to pay for the entire facility without the church even knowing what she was doing (109). Once the building was complete, she gifted it to the church. Mary Crowley and Ruth Hunt were also generous benefactors. If the church did not feel it could afford to purchase more land or build another building, one of Criswell’s supporters typically came to the rescue. When he wanted to build a new parking garage, the deacons asked him where he would come up with the seven million dollars required. His friend Jack Pogue, a wealthy real estate developer, rented the air above the church’s property and paid for the construction of the parking garage. The church then earned tens of millions of dollars in revenue as it was rented out each year (111). Oh, how many a pastor would covet even one wealthy patron such as the likes Criswell enjoyed!
By the 1960s, First Baptist Dallas was the largest Baptist church in the world (125). In 1968 Criswell was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention (137). Through the decades, Criswell enjoyed numerous accomplishments. He met with the pope in 1971, despite his earlier anti-Catholic statements (151). He met Cecil B. DeMille shortly before The Ten Commandments was released (121). The KCBI radio station was started to promote the church’s ministry (125). He founded Criswell college, which eventually hired Paige Patterson as president (142-144). He went on numerous international preaching tours and encouraged his church to be missions minded. At one point, a small plane transporting Criswell over a jungle in South America crash landed, but he survived to tell the story (133).
In his later years, Criswell became famously associated with what became known as the conservative resurgence (162). In 1961 Ralph Elliot of Midwestern Baptist Seminary published a book entitled, The Message of Genesis (162). It contained liberal viewpoints that were incongruent with standard Southern Baptist orthodoxy. Other books came out in a similar vein. Paige Patterson, president of Criswell College, and Paul Pressler, a judge in Houston, led the movement. But as Hawkins points out, Criswell preferred to have his minions do the dirty work for him while he remained ostensibly above the fray. At one point, all six SBC seminary presidents met with Criswell in his office urging him to make Patterson desist his efforts, but Criswell declared Patterson had his full support (165). At the pastors’ conference in 1985 before the Southern Baptist Convention, Criswell preached a famous sermon entitled, “Whether we live or die” (167). Then in 1988 he preached again on “The Curse of Liberalism.” His opening words were, “They call themselves moderates . . . but a skunk by any other name still stinks!” At this point, the conflict was essentially over, with Criswell’s team strongly in the ascendency.
Perhaps one of the most tragic tales was Criswell’s efforts to find his replacement. He had always intended to best George Truett’s record of 47 years. But, just like under Truett, as Criswell aged, his church began to decline. Prestonwood Baptist Church and others began to boom in the suburbs and draw hundreds of First Baptist Dallas’ people to it. People like Mary Kay, Ken Cooper, and Zig Ziglar all left (171). It became clear that the church needed a fresh infusion.
Hawkins points out that “Drama always existed behind the scenes in the machinery of the First Baptist Church in Dallas” (154). Criswell’s first attempt was to bring in Jimmy Draper as his heir apparent (154). Draper was dynamic, popular, and seemed like a perfect choice. But Betty Criswell and her acolytes viewed him as a threat to their positions of power and launched an all-out attack against him. Draper recognized the obvious and moved on to another church.
Criswell periodically experienced certain visions in which he held great stock. He had experienced a dream that he was to be the successor to George Truett. He also claimed to have had a dream in which God told him that O.S. Hawkins was to be his successor (172). Hawkins acknowledges in the book that this retelling can appear self-serving on his part. Nonetheless, he maintains it is what Criswell claimed on numerous occasions. Criswell went to the chairman of his deacons and was rebuffed in his effort to establish a seven-person pastor search committee to bring Hawkins into the fold. Instead, a 22-person committee was established that would experience much travail over the next two years.
The three leading candidates who emerged were Hawkins, James Merrit, and Joel Gregory (180). As the 22-person committee battled over control of the process, Hawkins entered a massive building program at his church in Fort Lauderdale and withdrew from consideration. Merrit insisted on a firm date when Criswell would retire, which set the pro-Criswell camp against him. Ultimately, Joel Gregory was chosen.
Gregory made some peculiar decisions. He insisted on bullet-proof windows and a secret escape door being installed in his office (182). While Criswell never publicly criticized Gregory, his wife and her allies opposed many of his moves. After 20 tumultuous months, Gregory suddenly resigned (185). Hawkins was chosen as his successor. He claims that Gregory’s experience caused the church members to realize they needed to stop fighting and to move forward as a congregation. By Hawkins’ account, he was kind and respectful to Criswell during his final days.
Hawkins was the pastor during Criswell’s final years, so he had a front-row seat to Criswell’s final decline and his troubles. He writes, “While W.A. and Betty Criswell were a power couple of unmatched proportions in public, behind the doors of the parsonage on Swiss Avenue was one of the most dysfunctional families imaginable” (216). Hawkins notes that “‘Mrs. C’ could be the most warm, winsome, and engaging person you were ever around, but if she ever thought you tried to embarrass her or cross her in any way, you would find yourself on the end of a ruthless assault” (216). Betty taught a large Sunday School class consisting of several hundred women. From this group came a significant portion of the church revenues. She taught this class into her 80s and used it as a formidable power base.
Hawkins points out that “There were repeated times across their life spans when she would not speak to Mabel Ann for a period of years” (216). Hawkins is surprisingly candid about the dark side of Betty’s influence in W.A.’s life. He suggests that “His lifelong acquiescence to Betty’s dominance may well have come from his total dependence upon his mother” (216).
Apparently when Criswell wanted to accept a call to a church as a young pastor, Betty made numerous demands. Criswell apparently told her, “‘Betty, I can’t be a pastor and be divorced.’ She made me make a lot of promises that I made, and all my life I have lived with that gun to my head” (216).
Joel Gregory wrote that “So awesome was the fear of her power that she was often spoken of in terms of her residence” (218). Hawkins claims that “Betty Criswell was a perplexing paradox of personalities” (218). Apparently, as her only daughter lay dying in the hospital, Betty came to see her but told her dying daughter, “I can’t touch you because I’m afraid I might catch what you have” (220). Betty did tell her daughter that she loved her. Mabel Ann later stated, “I waited sixty-three years to hear those words” (220).
In Criswell’s final years, he spent 49 days in the hospital battling various ailments. When he was discharged, Betty did not think he should return to their home. Their bedrooms were upstairs, and he needed constant care. So Criswell’s good friend Jack Pogue took Criswell into his home, quit his lucrative job, and cared for his friend until he died. Criswell would live four more years, ultimately dying in Pogue’s house on Jan. 10, 2002 (221).
Even in death, Betty loomed large. Criswell had often stated that when he died, he wanted a Bible lying on his chest turned to Isaiah 40:8. Pogue dutifully placed one in that position. But Betty demanded that it not be on his chest as W.A. had desired, but in his hand at his side (231). Pogue arranged with the funeral director, on the sly, that before he was closed up in the casket for the final time, the Bible would be placed on his chest as W.A. had desired (232).
Sadly, the Criswells’ only child, Mabel Ann, struggled throughout her life. She married young and had a child named Christopher (219). But she divorced her husband. Years later, she married again and had a son named Paul Daniel (220). She ultimately divorced her second husband as well.
Criswell regretted having neglected his family. He claimed he had placed the Church as the second most important priority after God, when his family should have occupied the position. He once declared that “I can say in truth that if I were to resign from the church and become President of the United States or Prime Minister of the British Empire, I would feel that it was a step down” (234). He would secretly meet with his adult daughter for lunch, lest Betty find out and be angry.
Criswell also regretted not calling O.S. Hawkins as he believed God had instructed him to do (221). Criswell officially retired at age 85 in 1994. He left a legacy for Baptist pastors to emulate. He would bless the conservative resurgence that would alter the course of the Southern Baptist Convention. Today, the current pastor of First Baptist Dallas, Robert Jeffries, has led a 200-million dollar renovation of the campus and left his own mark on the church. Yet even as a younger generation arises who doesn’t know of W.A., his influence and legacy continue.
I enjoyed this book. I met W.A. once when I was visiting First Baptist Dallas with my parents. W.A. invited Dad on stage to bring a greeting from Canada. Mom and I sat in a pew near the front so Dad could join us when he was finished. An older woman approached us and told my mother that she had sat in that pew for more than 28 years! My mother, with the backbone of Betty Criswell, smiled sweetly and told her she could see why she chose it, as it had a lovely view. Muttering under her breath, the woman took the pew behind us. W.A. introduced my father to the congregation with his famed eloquence and described Dad as a Baptist hero and his good friend. Immediately after the service, the chagrined woman behind us effused to my mother her delight in being able to share her pew with Dr. Criswell’s good friend!
Criswell, like most historical figures, was a complex individual. He saw himself as a benevolent dictator, yet his church suffered from various power bases each vying for their own power. In his own home, Criswell clearly was not the dominant dictator. Criswell built a great church but watched his only daughter suffer through two divorces. And, like his predecessor Truett, Criswell stayed long enough to watch the decline of the church he had so magnificently built.
Criswell endured several crises over his tenure as pastor. At one point he was accused of plagiarism. Hawkins admits that he did not footnote his thoughts as fastidiously as he ought. He also had to change his views on race and abortion through the years. Perhaps as a pastor adored by his congregation, it was easy to misspeak or be careless at times. One can only imagine how challenging it would have been to be quoted and transcribed for fifty years as he was.
Hawkins did an admirable job with this book. He is clearly a fan of Criswell, and it shows. He makes certain statements about his stature that sound like comments from a fan rather than from an objective historian. Hawkins also repeats a few stories and phrases, such as always calling new church members “happy,” which can become repetitive. Many aspects of Criswell’s story could have been fleshed out. Hawkins addresses Criswell’s tenure by the decade. But of course, a lot can happen in ten years. The chapters are more of an overview.
I found this to be an interesting read. I recommend it, especially to Baptist pastors. And especially for those of my ilk who grew up with First Baptist Dallas as the gold standard of what many thought the ultimate church could be.
Rating: 3
