Gordon was called to Olivet Baptist after completing his seminary training in 1954. While attending seminary and college he did itinerant preaching and served smaller churches, the last of which was the Alta Mere Baptist Church of Ft. Worth. In the early 40s Gordon served in the United States Navy, and after WWII ended and he was discharged, he came back home to attend 'Carson Newman College' (now university), one of our great old Baptist Schools nestled in the mountains of Tennessee. At Carson Newman he met Doris, 5 years his junior, and the handsome couple stepped forward to answer his call to ministry together. While at Southwestern Baptist Theological seminary in Ft. Worth they started a family; then, after completing seminary, a four-year-old Southern Baptist mission, now a newly formed church of the Kansas Nebraska Southern Baptist Convention, called him as their pastor.The next years were filled with dynamic growth, and by the time the Dennis' arrived from Texas in 1964 - then followed by joining Olivet in 1965, the church was booming with a strong youth ministry to the students of the North-West Wichita community. The Dorians' first two children were classmates of mine and my eldest sister, Pam, and their youngest daughter, born in Kansas, was a classmate of our little sister, Kim. The Dorian family were active in every area of our community, and Gordon was ever-ready to share the gospel with anyone who might sit still long enough to listen. I can't count the number of times he 'shocked' or 'embarrassed' me by engaging in conversation with a stranger at restaurant or store about either his church, the gospel, or both - so that when the same now happens to me with my own (family or staff) I simply smile sheepishly at them thinking how I was trained and held accountable by this wonderful man.
One Wednesday, when I was about 20 (ca.1970), Gordon asked me to ride with him in his Buick Electra to Oklahoma City. He wanted to take me to First Southern Baptist Church of Del City, where Johnny Bisagno was pastor. On the way down he told me that we were going to a youth service led by a young preacher on Johnny's staff. The young preacher was Richard Hogue, and the program was called "Encounter." What I saw was unbelievable. There were over 200 hundred High School students - if not more - engaged in s service that was just theirs. The music was loud, enthusiastic, and almost rock and roll like - and Richard preached in a way I had never heard - speaking from God's Word but to the hearts of young people in a way and with illustrations they could understand.
After the service ended, Bro. D and I got back in his car to drive home. But, by the time we had hit Edmond, he asked me, "Well, Sam, what did you think of that?" Still excited over what I'd seen, I told him that I was impressed - that I'd never seen anything like that before, but loved it. After a pause, Gordon replied, "Sam, I'd like to start something like that at Olivet." Then asked, 'do you think that could work in our city?" I said, "Bro. D, that would be great -and, yes, I think it could." After another pause he continued, "Sam, I believe that you're the one to lead that service." When he said that my heart began to race. I was shocked - and felt so insecure - but in my heart of hearts I knew that this was what God wanted me to do. Bro. D then asked me to pray about it and the rest, as the cliche goes, is history. Within 6 months over 100 students were meeting on Wednesday nights at Olivet Baptist Church, and "Encounter Christ" became a place where scores of young men and women gave their hearts to Christ, and a young preacher/pastor was born.
When I was young man people would often ask me about Encounter Christ. I would tell the story - but, somehow, in my youth I often left out the part of this pastor who'd put me in his car to drive me to Oklahoma City. Now that I am a pastor of many years, I realize that pastor's all over, just like Gordon, who dream dreams and see visions, and who call out the called, are the very reason many of us are now doing what we do.
This week one of my church members came by to see me. He had no agenda. His purpose was simply to love on me, and... it was good. After lunch, and as I stepped out of his truck to return to my office, my heart was overwhelmed with joy for my call. And, right then I thought of Bro. D. I thought of how much I loved him and of the impact he'd had on my life and the lives of so many. So... I texted the pastor who had succeeded him, one who'd been called into the ministry under my own preaching, and who followed me by serving on Gordon's staff as Youth Pastor before stepping up to take his place after Gordon retired. I asked Ron Pracht if he'd talked to Bro. D. lately, then, I paused - why should I ask Ron this question? Why shouldn't I call to talk to Bro. D.? So... I did! After three rings Gordon answered the phone with a voice as strong as ever. "Is this Sam Dennis?" "Yessir, it is." "Well how are you?" With tears running down by cheeks I reported I was fine, and vainly kept trying to turn the conversation back to him. But, Bro. D would not let me. "What are you reading?" "With whom have you shared the gospel?" "How's the church doing?"Thankfully, I must add, when the question came to me about the gospel I had an answer for him. Bro D never allowed anything otherwise. He always said, 'any preacher who doesn't share the gospel is really no preacher at all." He was right!
Thank you, Bro. D.
Pastor Sam
