"Chief" Jordan of Calvary Lansdale Goes to Glory

From Calvary’s webpage:

“There will be a memorial service for Dr. E. Robert Jordan on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at seven o’clock in the evening. The service will be held in the Calvary Baptist auditorium.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary.”

http://www.calvarylansdale.org/

I remember meeting him one time a few years ago while attending the seminary conference. My parent’s pastor always spoke very highly of him. I am sure he will be greatly missed.

I have to share a story. As a BJU freshman, I traveled back down to school after Christmas break with a group from Dr. Jordan’s church. I had been dropped off there earlier by my parents after a tearful farewell, and while everyone was hugging their parents and saying their goodbyes, I stood alone by my luggage waiting to board the bus. I didn’t know a soul there. Dr. Jordan must have sensed my emotional state, walked over to me and gave me a big bear hug and a blessing for the coming semester. I never forgot it. :)

When my dad was a young man (the early 70’s) the Jordan family would attend the Baptist church he attended when they went to their camp in NE PA. Dr. Jordan was in the Sunday evening service when my father publically professed that God had called him into ministry. He came up to my father and told him to consider Luke 9:62, “No man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kindgom of God.” My dad never forgot that moment and is still in the ministry 39 years later.

Heard “Chief” preach in chapel at BJU at least once. Wish I could recall the particulars. What I do remember is being encouraged and thinking I’d had much more fun than usual in chapel that day. (And, yes, I do think something you do every single day like that should be fun once in a while)

I first heard of Chief Jordan when a bunch of my friends (Steve Brown, Jack Brown, Steve Davis, John Davis) from BJU decided to go to Calvary Seminary (1977-78). In those days BJU and Chief were not on the best of terms. Not long thereafter, Chief called Dr. Bob and apologized for some of his public comments about BJU. Dr. Bob forgave him, invited him to chapel, and began a good friendship from that point on.

I first met Chief when I spoke at John Davis’ church (Open Bible Baptist Church) in the suburbs of Philadelphia. In typical fashion he invited me to his favorite greasy spoon near the church and we had a great lunch together. He reminded me so much of Frank Bumpus—full of spunk and tough as nails. Chief was as down-to-earth as you could get. He was a good man to have in your corner when you were in a fight. He started hundreds of churches through his seminary and was a truly humble, yet courageous man. Tim said it well that we will remember Chief fondly and honor his great Savior.

I first met “Chief” in the early 1980s, and got to know him well when I taught block classes at Calvary Seminary. I shared many meals with him and was never once able to pay! His line was always “You pray, I’ll pay!” I came to love him and I appreciated his tenacious love for the Lord, loyalty to the Word, courageous stand against compromise in any form, and encouraging friendship.

Judy and I express our sympathy to the family, and we rejoice that he is with Christ.

Fred Moritz
Maranatha Baptist Seminary
Executive Director Emeritus - Baptist World Mission

Joe Tyrpak, with whom I’m privileged to co-labor, reflects on Pastor Jordan here. He’s also dedicated his new metrical version of Psalm 23 to Pastor Jordan. It can be found here.

I was a student at BJU when Dr. Jordan and Dr. Bob reconciled. If I remember correctly, his chapel message was titled “Gaining Your Brother.” I was encouraged to see Matthew 18 at work. I praise the Lord for this man.

Though I never met Dr. Jordan personally, I too remember his preaching in chapel at BJU. His emphatic “A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a MEN!” at his closing prayer was quite memorable. In the spirit of Heb 13.7, this Sunday night I’m going to put a picture of him up on our screen and read his salvation testimony from his autobiography, Chief.

I read most of Chapter 1 to my kids last night and we all found it moving and encouraging!

When Pastor Jordan was on the campus of BJU, I would see him in the snack shop. He spent a lot of time there because he wanted to visit the young people from his church while he was on campus. America needs more pastors who have this kind of heart for their people.

He was also a wonderful preacher. He also had a passion to plant churches and started many.

Praise God for this precious saint!