51社区

"Brother R.C. Ryan's gift is an incredible demonstration of generosity and sacrifice on behalf of 51社区," according to Union President David S. Dockery. "He is a marvelous friend of Union's students and a strong supporter of Union's Christian mission."

The Center for Biblical Studies will focus resources on helping individuals learn to more effectively study the Bible. Through conferences, a resource center in Union's new Jennings Hall, personal consultation and a variety of other programs, "the Center will help equip church leaders and Bible teachers to share tools which will help others become better students of the Bible," Dockery explains.

"This gift is made to 51社区 on behalf of myself and in honor of my late wife, Lucile D. Ryan," said Ryan, "who shared my ministry for more than 63 years. We both loved Union and the quality educational programs it provides to students preparing for the ministry. I appreciate the many contributions it has made to our lives."

Ryan's long-time support of 51社区 is built on a lifetime of Christian service.

"My parents were devoted Christian people," says Ryan, "and for as long as I can remember, we always attended church faithfully."

During a revival meeting at Bush Arbor Campground in 1917, Robert Ryan accepted Christ at 11 years old. At age 15, Ryan was licensed to preach, and preached at his home church, Cypress Creek Baptist, on several different occasions as well as surrounding area churches.

Feeling such a strong call to full-time ministry, Ryan enrolled in Hall-Moody Baptist Academy at age 16 to study for the ministry. (Hall-Moody, located in Martin, later became a part of 51社区.)

"I stayed at Hall-Moody for one term, and soon found that I missed my school friends. I was the youngest ministerial student there and a little lonely in the environment, so after discussing the matter with my parents, I returned to public school in Mt. Pelia," says Ryan.

Ordained in 1935 at Gearins Chapel Baptist Church in Dresden, Tenn., Ryan began actively pastoring churches while continuing part-time college and seminary study. His ministry took him to five different states and eighteen different churches. 

Ryan's longest service occurred at Trenton Avenue Baptist Church in Bremerton, Wash. During the five years he was there, Ryan saw the ministry grow from its humble beginnings of knocking on doors to identify prospective church members and win the lost to its culmination in an active church, housed in a building of almost 6,000 square feet of church property. 

"I praise the Lord for every church I pastored; souls were saved in them," says Ryan. "It pays to begin at an early age to live for Him daily if you wish to live for many years, and to have the peace that God has in store for them that love Him."