The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 36

43 Saturday, December 13, 2003 CISwj Gazette Woman teaching Bible lessons most weeks for past 70 years ft 8 Lf Associated Press Bessie "Betty" Marie Criswell, 90, In her Dallas office. Over the past seven decades, Criswell has taught every book of Bible except Song of Solomon. "It's too racy," she said. DAVID GRUBBVGazette Staff Pastor Harlan Durgan has no trouble bringing In young people for the LMngston Congregational Church's Wednesday night youth progam. Young people flock to Livingston church program Dallas Morning News DALLAS Virtually every week for the past 70 years, Bessie "Betty" Marie Criswell has taught the Bible During those decades, she married, raised a child and lived in three Southern states.

She has reigned as "first lady" of First Baptist Church Dallas since 1944, watching as the church blossomed into the largest Baptist congregation in the country. Last year her husband. Dr. WA Criswell, died, followed six months later by the death of their only daughter, Mable Ann Criswell. Through all this, Criswell has continued teaching, and, at age 90, has no plans to retire.

"She is an icon," said Anne Hood, a longtime member of First Baptist "She is one of the greatest women teachers anybody has ever heard." She taught her first class, a group of elementary-aged children, in 1933 at her hometown church in Mount Washington, Ky. She led Bible studies at churches in Kentucky and Oklahoma, where her husband served as pastor before taking the reins at First Baptist of Dallas in 1944. And for the past 32 years, she has taught Sunday mornings before a class of 300 at First Baptist KCBI-FM has aired the class at 930 am every Sunday for 25 years. Announcer Charlie Campbell, who introduces the program each week, says her audience of about 25,000 listeners is devoted. "If there's some sort of glitch, or a dish is down, so they don't get the show, then I catch hell about it," he said.

"The phones light up." Class members like her quick wit and down-home approach. Her voice, at 90, is slightly labored, but steady; her style is straightforward and dignified. "The amount of time she spends preparing is phenomenal," said the Rev. Robert Jeffress, 47, pastor of First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls. He likes to joke that he was exposed to Criswell's teaching before he was bom his mother attended Criswell's class while she was pregnant At her antique-filled home in East Dallas, Criswell begins each day reading Psalms.

Bible, no breakfast," she likes to say.) She devotes several hours daily preparing her lesson, taking breaks only for a caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks at 330 pjn. and a few favorite TV shows Judy" and "Wheel of Criswell, a nationally known preacher, used to say that his wife devoted more time to her weekly lessons than he spent preparing his sermons. "I enjoy studying," Criswell -said. "I don't know why, because I of Luke 18. She speaks from an elegantly appointed desk situated on a furnished riser that looks like a living room for a television soundstage.

Attendees followed along with their Bibles as she led them through related texts in the book of DanieL She called on class member Lamar Cooper, interim president of Criswell College, for his take on the text Then she asked the class, "Do you want to hear what Pastor had to say about this," referring to her late husband. Every week, she reviews material from the archive of Dr. Criswell's sermons and writings as they relate to the week's lesson. (Dr. Criswell's study remains untouched in her home, filled with his books and papers.) Recently, she culled words from a sermon he gave from Luke 18 in the early 1970s.

"My greatest source is my husband and his sermons," she said. Referring to Dr. CriswelL as she often does, in the present tense, she added: "He is the ultimate. He is the greatest preacher since Paul I dont think anybody has touched him." Through their 67 years of marriage, "they were a remarkable team," Jeffress said. They were the light of each other's lives." Dr.

CriswelL apparently, was equally awed with her work. He once told Campbell that he was never nervous before an audience except in his wife's class, where he feared he might disappoint in comparisoa Dr. Criswell listened to her class on the radio while he was ill, and called her "the finest Bible teacher I have ever heard." CriswelL however, describes her talent in her characteristic, unembellished way: "I guess we all have a gift," she said. "Mine is Bible study." Gazette Staff While some churches struggle with an aging congregation, the Livingston Congregational Church struggles with what to do with so many young people. The church's Wednesday night youth program draws more people than its regular Sunday services, said Harlan Durgan, the congregation's pastor.

"The challenge is knowing how to reach more boys and girls in our community since we are now operating at total capacity," the pastor said. Here's what else the Durgan had to say about reaching out to the young and the other single members of his church: Name, position: Harlan Durgan, pastor Name of church and address: Livingston Congregational Church, Third and Clark Livingston, Mont 59047 Contact names and phone numbers e-mail, fax numbers: Harlan Durgan 222-1577; Hdurganwmconnect.com; fax 222-1577 Name of denomination: Congregational Size of congregation (members and weekly attendance): Weekly attendance, 65 Service days and times: Sunday worship at 930 and 6 p.m; Sunday school for all ages at 10:45 a.nx; AWANA Clubs for boys and girls 630 to 830 p.m. K-12 Wednesdays; prayer and Bible study at 7 p.m. Thursdays. 1 Number of staff members (ministers, laity, full-time staff): One Do you have a full-time pastor? Yes Church's mission in the community and how the church is involved in the community: To provide a place of worship for people, to teach God's word, to provide a place of fellowship and meet the spiritual needs of people.

We provide Bible study and worship opportunities for two of the nursing homes in the community, deliver Meals on Wheels, and our Wednesday night youth pro gram reaches community children. Give a brief history of the church: It began in 1962 with nine individuals. In 1968, we pur-, chased the current property and have been there since. How is your church funded? What is the church's annual budget? Funded solely by free will offerings. Annual budget is $60,000.

Tell about the programs that are unique to your church: AWANA is our youth program and we have more clubbers K-12 on Wednesdays that we have worshippers on Sunday morning. AWANA is an international kids club with the goal to reach boys and girls with the gospel and to train them to serve Him. You have to come see a Wednesday program to fully understand the impact of AWANA You are welcome. ADVENT Dec. 17 7:00 p.m into the night: Get a peek at Is there something unusual about your church that would interest those outside your congregation? There are only two churches (us and one other) that are a part of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches in the state of Montana.

Give one piece of advice that has helped you, as a pastor, succeed and one pitfall to avoid: Advice Live what you preach and teach; pitfall to avoid complacency. How has your churchcongregation changed in the past five years? We have more single people. What plans do youyour congregation have for the next five years? We plan to send one or more teams of people on short-term missionary trips to Molokai. We are involved in the "Jesus Video" project to distribute this video to every home in the state of Montana. We have plans for a possible addition to our church.

What's the title and subject of a favorite recent sermon? I have been preaching through the commands of Jesus Christ because I think it is important that we know specifically what He has told us to do. Favorite hymnworship song? I enjoy the hymn "The Love Of God" because it expresses His love for us. Favorite Scripture? I like the book of Proverbs because it is so practical. Bernard's I i St. Patrick's 1 tomorrow's Gazette didn't like school.

But I learn every day. Til be studying a passage, and ril think, 1 never saw that before'" "I think she feels called to lead this class," said Ramona Whitehurst, a class member who began attending in 1979. "I believe thaf why the Lord has kept her healthy and kept her clarity of mind." Her teaching attracts people of all ages, from young married couples to a few of Criswell's contemporaries. Dr. Ron Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Parkland Health Hospital System, joined Criswell's Bible study after listening to her radio broadcasts for years.

The class "is a place you look forward to going to," Anderson said. "If a great fellowship." She gets letters from around the state, including from prisoners. She's even convinced her cardiologist, who is Jewish, to tune in on Sundays. Criswell works through one book of the Bible at a time, alternating between the Old and New Testaments, usually working from the New King James Version. She once spent three years teaching the book of Revelation.

Over the years she has taught every book of the Bible in this way, with only one exception. With a laugh, she vows she will never teach the somewhat racy Song of Solomon. Her study is methodical, thorough and intuitive. When finished with one chapter, she prays for guidance to select the next Her lesson isn't scripted she speaks without notes. "Whenever I get to a passage I feel people need to know, Fll stop and talk about it," she said.

At last week's class, she spent an hour lecturing on the first half BILLINGS, MT 2604 Putting a value on the future School District 2 trustees are set to decide exacdy how much money city taxpayers will be asked to spend on improving facilities. if 1 1 Complete cymbals MAY TURSER JT 5 pc. sets 'thg'jf' stool UMl'iJtk COMMUNAL RECONCILIATION SERVICES Wednesday, 3. Thursday, Doc. 18 7:00 p.m YAMAHA FOLK GUITAR PACKAGE 922 GRAND AYE.

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