Ken Adrian, the Barnabas of Our Generation

The book of Acts tells the story of a man named Joses, whom the apostles called “Barnabus.”  The name Barnabus literally means “son of exhortation, consolation or encouragement.”  Barnabus was unselfish, selling a property and giving the proceeds to meet the needs of others.  He was mission focused, giving, promoting and becoming a missionary himself.  Though successful, he spent a lot of his time helping others achieve their potential. He befriended Paul and helped him gain acceptance by the apostles. He defended John Mark when Paul rejected him – the John Mark who became the author of the Gospel of Mark.  In every way, Barnabus lived up to his name.

In my opinion, my friend Ken Adrian was our generation’s “Barnabus.”  Ken had a Barnabus likeness in many ways:  unselfish, mission focused, successful preacher, pastor, counselor and missions ambassador…and Ken spent much of his time helping others achieve their potential.  He came alongside them, listening to their problems, listening to their ideas, applauding their goals, praising their achievements, commending their efforts, noting their strengths, suggesting possible solutions to problems, praying for them and telling them how God was on their side.  Ken had a quiet dignity and reserved strength.  He was very much like Barnabus.

In my own experience, when I was a pastor in Toledo, Ohio and struggling with lawsuits and church staff conflicts, Ken invited me to preach at his church in Warren, Michigan several times.  Those opportunities reduced my stress and lifted my spirit.  His gentle manner and positive words were just what I needed to keep working and move forward.  During my pastorate in Indiana, our friendship had grown and I had him speak at fellowship meetings we hosted, so he could teach and encourage the pastors in our state.

Ken encouraged me when I was vice president at Baptist Bible College by inviting me to speak at a national fellowship meeting hosted by his Phoenix, Arizona church.  When I was Editor of the Baptist Bible Tribune, he had me speak for him and led his church to support our publication.  He also promoted our work to other pastors.  When I served as our school’s president, Ken not only led his church to give significant gifts, he served as a trustee, sent students, spoke on campus and often shared words of support and encouragement.  

After I left the college, Ken was enthusiastic when I told him I was ghost writing Elmer Deal’s autobiography, Out of the Mouth of the Lion.  Unexpectedly on a Friday in 2012, I was diagnosed with a 95% blocked artery in my heart.  As I awaited open heart surgery over the weekend, Ken showed up at my room.  Unknown to me, he and Judy were visiting his daughter and son-in-law, Bill and Susan Smith.  He spent a couple of hours with me, listening to me, counseling me, comforting me and praying for me.  Obviously, you never forget a time like that.  

Our last personal visit was a luncheon arranged by his daughter Susan, after I started working on my own autobiography.  In typical Ken Adrian fashion, he was excited for me to get it done.  We’ve stayed in contact, though we lived in distant states for many years.  I was deeply troubled when he was too weak answer my last text on January 26.

I never got to meet the Barnabus of the New Testament, but I think I got to know him in the person of my friend Ken Adrian.