The Baptist Bible Fellowship International recently lost one of its most influential founding leaders, Parker Stokes Dailey, who entered the presence of his Savior on June 16, 2025, at the age of 96. His life and ministry left a deep and lasting impact, not only on his family and church but on the entire Baptist Bible Fellowship.
From humble beginnings on a Missouri farm to the bustling streets of Kansas City, Parker Dailey’s journey was marked by a passion for Christ, a sharp mind, and a gift for leadership. It was in Kansas City, during his high school years, that he first heard the gospel and committed his life to Christ, an event that would shape the rest of his life. Sensing God’s call to ministry, he began preparing for the pastorate at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also met his wife. He took his first pastorate in Columbia, Tennessee, at the age of just 20.
In 1954, Dailey founded Blue Ridge Baptist Temple in Kansas City, Missouri. What began in a rented feed store with only a dozen people quickly grew into a thriving congregation of hundreds, then thousands. He faithfully pastored there until his retirement in 1996, guiding the church through decades of fruitful ministry.
Beyond the local church, Dailey played a pivotal role in shaping the Baptist Bible Fellowship International. He served as BBFI President twice (1969–1972 and 1990–1994), totaling 7 years, which makes him the longest tenured BBFI president. He also served as National Director and as Vice President of the Fellowship. His leadership extended into Baptist Bible College (now Mission University) as well, where he served as Trustee, Vice President, and Executive Director of the Baptist Bible Graduate School of Theology.
Throughout the decades, he was known not only for his preaching and leadership but for his love for people, his faithfulness to the Word of God, and his vision for the local church.
In the space below, we will revisit several archived Baptist Bible Tribune articles highlighting key seasons of Parker Dailey’s life and ministry. His story reminds us of what God can do through a life fully surrendered to Him.
Baptist Bible Tribune, August 31, 1956
Blue Ridge Baptist Temple
Parker Dailey Pastor
Hickman Mills, Missouri
To The Tribune:
Here are just a few lines to let you know how we have been doing during this summer season.
On Sunday, August 12, we had 185 in Sunday school and four additions throughout the day. In the last three Sundays, we have been blessed with nine responses, eight of whom have united with the church. One of these was an out-of-town visitor who did not unite with the church.
We are expecting to add 18 feet to our basement next Monday. We plan to have it ready for use in September, thus making it possible for us to completely reorganize our Bible school. We have set a goal of an average attendance of 240 for this fall.
Enclosed is a check, half of which is for The Tribune and the other half for the College.
Baptist Bible Tribune, October 1970
Parker Dailey and John Bonds Head Fellowship
Canton, Ohio – Parker Dailey and John Bonds were elected president and vice president, respectively, of the Baptist Bible Fellowship at the 20-year-old organization’s annual fall meeting, which was held here in Canton Baptist Temple. The election was by ballot.
Dailey succeeds Al C. Janney, pastor of New Testament Baptist Church, Miami, Fla., and Bonds succeeds Dailey.
The following new directors of the Fellowship were elected: Charles Yates, pastor of Berean Baptist Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico, succeeding Curtis Goldman, Albuquerque, for Section 7; Tommy Lindsey, Victory Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma, succeeding Bert Harrison, Oklahoma City, Section 6, and Harold Jayne, Grace Baptist Temple, Salina, Kansas, succeeding Carl Boonstra, Denver, Colorado, Section 3.
The following were elected trustees of Baptist Bible College: James B. Allen, Community Baptist Church, Garden City, Michigan; David A. Cavin, High Street Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri; Harold Henniger, Canton Baptist Temple, Canton, Ohio; Lloyd Ledbetter, Central Baptist Church, Sherman, Texas; Fred Neidy, South Side Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri; Howard Sears, Grace Baptist Church, Middletown, Ohio, and Harry Vickery, New Testament Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri.
Parker Dailey
Parker Dailey, 41 years old, slim and graying, quiet-mannered and punctual, was reared on a 40-acre Missouri farm near Richmond. He did everything on that farm that a healthy boy was supposed to do in those days.
Sixteen years ago, Dailey organized Blue Ridge Baptist Temple in Kansas City with l2 people. Today, the membership is around 2,000, and the weekly Sunday school attendance is between 1,200 and 1,500. The church occupies two large brick buildings. Plans have been drawn for a third- an educational building. The weekly offerings total around $3,100.
The church recently completed the sale of $350,000 in bonds. The church gives annually around $42,000 to missions. “I am hoping,” says Dailey, “we will be able one day to give $1 to missions for every $1 we use inside our church.”
Baptist Bible Tribune, July 1990
Candidates for Elective Offices in 1990 – Two-Year Terms
Baptist Bible Tribune, June/July 1992
Candidates for President
Parker Dailey
With the Fellowship since its inception, Parker Dailey has been an active pastor and leader for four decades. He will soon celebrate forty years at the Blue Ridge Baptist Temple in Kansas City, a 3,000-member church, which he founded in 1954. He is a former vice president of BBC and served as the BBF president in the 1970s for two years. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri.
Baptist Bible Tribune, November 1996
Parker Dailey Retires from Blue Ridge Baptist Temple
Forty-two and a half years ago, Parker Dailey preached his first sermon as pastor of Blue Ridge Baptist Temple. He started in a feed store; Sunday school was held in two cars pulled together with the windows open between them. It wasn’t much to look at. He was a little ashamed to invite people to such humble facilities, but not ashamed enough to go somewhere else. God had called him to Kansas City, Missouri, and any leaving would come when God said so.
Well, God never said so.
Even when the pianist played one song while the song leader led another; even when his family doctor finally visited the services in the basement with the leaky roof and had to prop his feet on the chair rung to keep them out of a two-inch-deep puddle of water and the pastor thought, “What a time for the doctor to visit!” Even in those early days when the BBF seemed to “glamorize ignorance,” God never said, “Go.” Humanly speaking, there may have been a few things to be ashamed of, but the Word of God had long ago clarified Dailey’s priorities: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
On Sunday, October 27, 1996, surrounded by family, friends, congregation members, and guests, Parker Dailey preached his last sermon as pastor of Blue Ridge Baptist Temple. He preached from Romans 1:16 and began with a quote by Charles Dickens: “It’s a disquieting thing to do anything for the last time.” People were saved after the message, just like people always had been.
Starting at 7 p.m., the entire evening service was devoted to an outpouring of honor and affection for Pastor and Jean Dailey. Their children sang and gave testimony to consistent, loving parents (Ruth Ann, the youngest daughter, especially emphasized giving honor to the “hoary head”).
Intermingled with testimony and congregational singing were presentations by Missouri State Fellowship Chairman Milton Hathcock (a letter of appreciation and a check for $1,000), Tribune Assistant Editor Tom Harper (framed tribute and a letter of appreciation), Assistant Mission Director Don Brown (letter and plaque), and BBC President Leland Kennedy (plaque, gold watch for Pastor Dailey and gift for Jean Dailey).
The evening message was delivered by Gary Grey, pastor of Park Crest Baptist Church in Springfield, Missouri. He used the story of Abraham’s faithful servant, Eliezar, from Genesis 24 to develop principles of success.
Following the evening message, Pastor Steve Brown awarded now Former Pastor Dailey with the title of Pastor Emeritus. The church also voted to continue the Dailey’ s health coverage for the rest of their lives, and presented them with a 1997 Buick Park Avenue.
At the end of the service, an offering was taken at the back of the auditorium as guests left, and a churchwide reception was held in the church fellowship hall.
The Daileys plan to remain in Kansas City, and although Dailey commented that, so far, the best thing about retirement was “not having to come to the office in the morning,” his speaking schedule will keep him almost as busy as ever for the foreseeable future.
