In the News ... "'Brother Jack' Ridlehoover, 91, was devoted to faith, preachers and Pioneer Drive Baptist"

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• The preacher known as "Brother Jack" died Sunday. He was 91

By Greg Jaklewicz, Reporter
• Abilene Reporter-News

ABILENE, TEXAS - The Dallas Cowboys went 29 years with one coach. From 1963 to 2020, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church had two longtime "coaches."

One was Stan Allcorn, who pastored the southwest Abilene church for 22 years, retiring in August two years ago. The other was Jack Ridlehoover, who led the congregation from 1963-92. That's a combined 51 years, with George Gaston serving the five years between the two men.

Called a "truly devoted Christian man" and a "great, great friend," Ridlehoover took leadership of the church located today at the corner of South Seventh Street and Pioneer Drive not long after it was founded in 1954. He announced his retirement on the 28th anniversary of his PDBC pastorate and the 37th anniversary of the church.

The preacher known as "Brother Jack" died Sunday. He was 91.

Richie Neighbors began employment at the church when she was 23, and worked with Ridlehoover the final 16 years that he was pastor.

"Working for him were the best years of my life," she said, noting there were tragedies in her life during that time. "Having his support and prayers ... I am unable to say how valuable that was and how I was blessed by him."

She said Ridlehoover knew how to "pastor his people" at Pioneer Drive, but also was that kind of pastor to others in Abilene.

"You didn't have to be a member there for him to be your pastor," Neighbors said. "Anyone who was in need, he was there. He will be greatly missed."

A Pioneering Effort

Ridlehoover was a native Texan, born Oct. 2, 1930, in Gunter, which is 50 miles north of Dallas. He married Betty Jo Knight in 1948. Married for 74 years, she survives her husband. Like Allcorn, Ridlehoover attended Baylor University, graduating in 1952. He graduated next from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in 1957, and was awarded a doctor of divinity degree by Hardin-Simmons University in 1983.

He pastored five churches, the last being Pioneer Drive. The others were Ben Arnold Baptist in Ben Arnold, Bois D' Ark Baptist in Palestine and College Avenue Baptist in McGregor as a student, and later North Temple Baptist in Dallas. He was called to ministry at 17 and began preaching at 19, while in college.

Ridlehoover led several expansion projects at Pioneer Drive, including the construction of the current sanctuary in 1967. A family life center was added in 1973, and a $2 million education wing that recently was renovated was built in 1988.

The pastor didn't take credit for expanding the church campus and services.

"Any credit for what has been accomplished here should go to God and to the people here, not me," he said in 1991.

Also during his time at PDBC, a church was planted in the Wylie area. Today, Beltway Park Church - it was Beltway Park Baptist for years - is one of the city's largest churches. Pioneer Drive went to three Sunday services during his tenure, and about 1,600 regularly attended. Overall membership grew to about 4,200.

"Brother Jack was a leader in every respect," longtime church member Bobby Melson said. "He was a good pastor to the people, a good preacher and he led our church into so many different things. He thought out plans very thoroughly and presented those to the church and to the deacons. I don't remember any of his plans being turned down and they all succeeded."

A Mentor to Other Preachers

When he retired in 1992, Ridlehoover became president of Ministers’ Mentoring and Consulting Service. In his role, he mentored and consulted for pastors and smaller congregations. He was interim pastor at 22 churches in retirement.

"In my younger years, I would have welcomed the opportunity to sit down with someone with a great deal of experience as a pastor and say, 'Hey, this is my problem ...,'" Ridlehoover told the Reporter-News in October 1991, when his retirement plans were announced.

Melson worked with Ridlehoover in the mentoring project.

"There's no telling how many young preachers, any preacher, he counseled," he said. "He was interested in helping them succeed."

Melson said the church gave Ridlehoover $15,000 when he retired and he put it all into the program.

The former pastor was involved in the consulting service until October, when he contracted COVID, Melson said. Even then, he would counsel by phone.

"Jack Ridlehoover has been a great, great friend, mentor and helper," church member Sid Saverance said.

Ridlehoover served on the board of directors for the Baptist Standard, a widely circulated weekly publication. He was on the executive board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Locally, he served on numerous boards, including Hendrick Medical Center and then-Abilene State School (now Abilene State Supported Living Center). Ridlehoover was president of the Abilene Baptist Pastor's Conference and chairman of the Abilene-Callahan Baptist Association.

A Leader in Every Respect

Neighbors said Brother Jack was a perfectionist.

"I wanted to do his work the way he wanted it," she said. "He said he wasn't actually a perfectionist but he liked excellence. He taught me that work ethic." She said that when he worked, his desk would get cluttered with research materials. Yet, she said, laughing, he'd know if someone moved an item. "He definitely knew where everything was," she said. "He was very knowledgeable. He studied all the time."

Saverance called Ridlehoover the most organized man he has known.

The pastor was known for calling everybody on their birthday, regardless of church attendance. If he didn't reach them, he'd leave a message, Melson said. He visited those who were sick, and offered counsel to those who needed advice.

"That's the kind of preacher he was," Melson said ...

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