Paul Chappell: Tom Malone: Friends and Mentors Now in Heaven Series

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As I was recently browsing old photos, I was blessed to realize that God has allowed me to know some truly great men. Throughout this summer, I’m sharing some of these pictures and memories to introduce readers of this blog to some of these men. 

Tom Malone

Unique Trait: Innovation

Tom Malone may have been my favorite preacher to listen to. Dr. John R. Rice called him “the greatest pulpiteer of his generation.” He was one of the most educated men in the independent Baptist movement (with an earned PhD from Wayne State University of Detroit), and his messages were filled with biblical content. He challenged me to read and to thoroughly study the Word of God. 

Dr. Malone founded the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Pontiac, Michigan, which grew to be one of the largest churches in the nation. He pastored that church for fifty years. He exemplified what it meant to be a strong leader and a fighter for truth, while simultaneously being compassionate toward lost and needy souls. He maintained a fervency for the Lord, God’s Word, and lost souls throughout his life. He was also a godly man who loved and faithfully led his wife and children. He and Joyce were married for sixty-seven years until his Homegoing.

One of the fun memories I have of Dr. Malone was of one of the Sundays that he came out to preach at Lancaster Baptist Church. That Sunday afternoon he expressed to me that he really wanted to get home to Joyce by Monday morning. Our church is about an hour and a half from the LAX airport, so to get him on a flight that night, we would have to leave immediately after the evening service. Before Dr. Malone preached that evening, I told our church family that if they would like to ask him to sign their Bibles, to place them in a bin and let us bring them to the air port, and then I would bring them back to Lancaster. After church, I drove him to LAX in record time, and he sat in the back seat signing Bibles the entire way. 

When we started West Coast Baptist College in the fall of 1995, Dr. Malone was among the pastors from whom I sought counsel. He was a great encouragement to me in starting the college, and one of our early dormitories was named in his honor. 

Dr. Malone was also an innovator. With a rock-solid commitment to Bible truth, he kept an eager eye for innovative ways to share it. When we were considering placing screens in our new large auditorium, I sought his advice. He responded with a lengthy letter, encouraging me to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading for our church. He thought the screens were a great idea and supported our decision wholeheartedly.

Dr. Malone’s influence on me was profound. He was a great exhorter of young preachers and a great encourager to me. He made me grateful for my heritage within the independent Baptist movement. I thank God for the privilege of his mentoring friendship and the lasting impact he has had on my life and on our church family.

Previous posts in this series: 

• Dave McCoy
• Lee Roberson
• Shane Lewis

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