Remembering Chattanooga's Pastor Ben Haden - 10 Years Later

“His preaching was like arguing a case before a jury.” That’s how the late Chattanooga News Free Press Editor Lee Anderson described his close friend and pastor of many years, Rev. Ben Haden.

“Ben,” as he liked to be called, died 10 years ago, Oct. 24, 2013, but the worldwide minister left a definite mark on Chattanooga where he spent half of his life and called the city his home.

“Chattanooga is the best kept secret in America,” said Rev. Haden.

Rev. Haden married art and interior designer Charlyne Edwards of Kingsport, Tn. in 1950 and five years later the Hadens had their only child, daughter Dallas.

Rev. Haden was an atheist until he accepted Christ in 1954 and that’s when his life changed. In his testimony, Rev. Haden said his wife went forward at a Billy Graham crusade in Washington, D.C. and accepted Christ. Rev. Haden said he had agreed to go to the crusade because he was intrigued by Mr. Graham’s showmanship.

Rev. Haden said, “In the next few years Charlyne was the happiest person I’d ever seen.” He said he accepted Christ in the middle of a church service when the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart and he responded, “Lord Jesus, if you want me you got me.”

Before entering the ministry in 1960, Mr. Haden had earned a law degree from Washington and Lee College and became a member of the Virginia Bar. He was president of an oil company, served with the CIA during the Korean War, and CEO of the Kingsport Times in Kingsport, Tn.

When Mr. Haden resigned from the newspaper in 1960 the Kingsport Times – News headline read, “Ben Haden Resigns To Enter Ministry.”

Rev. Haden enrolled in the Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta and studied under Bible scholar and teacher Dr. Manford George Gutzke.

Rev. Haden said he learned later that Chattanooga businessman Scotty Probasco persuaded Dr. Gutzke to start a radio ministry in Chattanooga on WDOD, “The Bible for You.” (Mr. Probasco would be involved in calling Rev. Haden to Chattanooga’s First Presbyterian Church).

Rev. Haden said, “I attended many of Dr. Gutske’s Bible classes and he held several conferences at First Presbyterian Church. Dr. Gutske was one of my favorites; the Canadian born Bible student knew the scripture and he lived it.”

Rev. Haden pastored two churches, Key Biscayne Presbyterian Church in Miami, Fl. and First Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. He was the 11th pastor of the historic McCallie Avenue Church where he spent 31 years.

Rev. Haden’s accepting the call to Chattanooga in early 1968 was the lead story on television news at 6 p.m. and front page of both newspapers. WRGP TV Newscaster Mort Lloyd’s headline sounded something like; “Former Vice President Richard Nixon’s pastor accepts call to lead one of our city’s largest churches.” Nixon was elected president later in the year. After arriving, Rev. Haden gave his first interview to the top rated TV anchorman.

Rev. Haden succeeded Dr. Donald Gray Barnhouse on the national radio program “Bible Study Hour.” Rev. Haden decided he wanted his own media ministry after two years of traveling back and forth to Philadelphia, Pa. to record the Bible Study Hour broadcast.

He then started his own program, “Changed Lives” which the “best of” still airs today on the Internet and on radio stations across the U.S. When the program started in 1968, an ad in the Chattanooga News Free Press said, “Straight from the Shoulder in street language,” Changed Lives with Ben Haden, “practical answers to practical problems.” “Changed Lives” now airs on WDYN in Chattanooga every Sunday at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Rev. Haden became good friends with the Billy Graham team after hearing the evangelist address the Texas Legislature where he received a standing ovation.

Mr. Haden handled the media during several Graham crusades and even wrote news stories for both the AP and UPI.

Rev. Haden served as the Richard Nixon family pastor while in Florida and knew the former president personally. Rev. Haden was invited in 1971 to speak at the White House while Nixon was president and he was introduced by his friend Dr. Graham. It was the birthday of Dr. Graham’s mother who requested Rev. Haden speak.

Rev. Haden later introduced Dr. Graham when he came to Chattanooga, Sept. 24, 1991, to speak at the dedication of a new chapel on the Baylor School Campus.

In his introduction at Baylor, Rev. Haden said, “Dr. Graham rose like a meteor and became an international figure almost overnight. The earmarks of his life have been integrity, goodwill, encouragement and the love of Christ. Of all men that I’ve known, I admire him most as a man of God.”

While this writer worked at UCTV in Fort Oglethorpe, the Lynchburg, Va. native was guest on my TV show talking about the Graham ministry, specifically George Beverly Shea, who was celebrating his 102nd birthday. The two men were very good friends.

Rev. Haden said, “By singing before every message of Dr. Graham, Bev sang to more people than any other artist, Christian or secular.” Rev. Haden said “so many singers want to be the star; not Bev Shea, the song was always out front, that’s what made Bev so great.” One of Pastor Haden’s favorite songs was “I’d Rather Have Jesus”, which Shea penned.

Rev. Haden said, “God put the Billy Graham team together and that’s why it lasted for decades; although Billy had the final word, he relied heavily on both Shea and Barrows.”

Rev. Haden enjoyed a lot of time with Mr. Barrows who visited First Presbyterian in Chattanooga speaking during several Bible Conferences. Rev. Haden said, “Mr. Barrows’ first grandchild was dedicated in our church; at that time Cliff’s daughter lived in Dayton, Tn.”

Rev. Haden retired from the pastorate in 1998 to devote all his time to “Changed Lives.” When the minister died, his daughter Dallas Gibbons took over the broadcast ministry continuing her dad’s work.

After coming to Chattanooga from Miami, Rev. Haden made a lot of friends with those who never attended his church. The pastor would eat breakfast every morning at Wally’s on McCallie Avenue. His server would just write on the ticket, “Ben” and the cook knew what he wanted. Rev. Haden knew many of those eating by their first name.

The popular pastor liked hamburgers with nothing but the meat and bun. A favorite place of Mr. Haden for a late lunch was the Waffle House on Signal Mountain Road. He once told the server, “Why ruin it with onion, cheese, mustard, lettuce and tomato?” To go with the burger Ben would enjoy his black coffee. He said that was a throw back to his newspaper days.

Barber Ken Davis knew the pastor for 25 years and was one of his best friends. Mr. Davis said a poster in his shop, “I’d like to be an optimist but don’t think it would work,” turned out to be one of the minister's best sermons entitled, “Pessimist or Optimist, Which One Are You?” Mr. Davis said, “Ben Haden was always interested in me and not himself; he was a blessing to me up until his last days and he was looking forward to seeing his Savior, the one he preached about all over the world.”

Flintstone Baptist Church pastor Rev. Brent Smith worked at First Presbyterian Church while a student at Tennessee Temple University. Pastor Smith said he spent a lot of time in Rev. Haden’s office learning how to be a preacher. Rev. Smith said, “It was as good as any classroom training.”

Rev. Haden was a Chattanooga media favorite appearing with Harry Thornton on WDEF TV’s morning show at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Rev. Haden said, “Thornton liked me for some reason.” The minister was always available to offer prayer when the country faced challenges like 9-11.

For many years, the American Forces Radio and Television Service broadcast Rev. Haden’s messages around the world to the troops. Rev. Haden said he answered a lot of letters from those serving in the Armed Forces. Rev. Haden offered the invocation and spoke at several of Chattanooga’s Armed Forces week activities. He was featured speaker at the city’s annual Prayer Breakfast.

In both Florida and Tennessee, the dedicated pastor would get up early and visit the hospitals on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. Rev. Haden said, “It’s what Christmas is all about, sharing the love of Christ with those who can’t be at home with their family and friends. I always leave encouraged.”

Freedoms Foundation in Valley Forge honored the pastor for his 1970 sermon “Biopsy or Autopsy” dealing with a Christian working in government.

Rev. Haden was the speaker in 2002 at a memorial service held for families after 339 uncremated bodies were found at the North Georgia Crematory. Prior to the service, the minister spent an afternoon visiting the Noble, Ga. site talking with workers and officials. After the Memorial Auditorium service, Rev. Haden spent time, one on one, with some of those attending the event. Rev. Haden said sometimes listening is the best medicine for those hurting.

The entire time Rev. Haden was pastor in Chattanooga, Dr. Glenn Draper was his music director at the church and on radio and television. The pastor said Dr. Draper was a musical genius and loved choral music. “I hired him in a back booth at the Southern Restaurant on Dayton Boulevard; that was one of Glenn’s favorite places to eat his beans and potatoes” (Ben laughs very heartily). Rev. Haden said, “Most important was Glenn’s dedication to Jesus Christ, his faith never wavered.”

Many church members and friends commented about Rev. Haden’s ability to remember. Chattanooga home builder Ben Mason said he was impressed that his pastor would preach without notes, only using several key words he’d written on his fingers to guide him in his sermons. The late Mr. Mason said, “I never knew anyone with a memory like Ben Haden, it was phenomenal.”

Thousands of Rev. Haden’s messages were saved, and his staff is in the process of digitization, making them available by CD and over the Internet. Several CD collections are also available.

Some of Rev. Haden’s books are in print and available by contacting Changed Lives. His ministry has put together two short devotional books entitled, “One on One, A Minute With Ben.”

When Rev. Haden retired from First Presbyterian Church in 1998 to devote his ministry efforts to the Internet, he said his messages would be short and conversational instead of sermons. Mr. Haden said the concept worked because viewer response was excellent.

Hamilton County Clerk Bill Knowles has hundreds of Rev. Haden’s messages. “They are so practical and like a daily devotional to me; Ben presents the Gospel message so anyone can understand it.”

In David Cooper’s book, “Catalyst for Christ, 150 years,” a history of First Presbyterian Church, the historian calls Ben Haden, “Christ Communicator.” Mr. Cooper said, “In all of Chattanooga history probably no individual has shared the Good News of the blessed Savior with more people than has Ben Haden.”

Mr. Cooper goes into detail about Rev. Haden’s coming to Chattanooga replacing Dr. James L. Fowle who served as First Presbyterian Church pastor for 38 years. Mr. Cooper notes that Rev. Haden never wore clergy attire rather choosing to speak in a business suit, walking back and forth across the pulpit area while delivering his message.

Mr. Cooper said the pastor worked countless hours counseling and he was his very best at conducting funerals.

Before Lee Anderson’s death in 2016, the newspaper editor said he especially liked his pastor’s definition of GRACE taken from the “One on One” book. Quoting Rev. Haden,
“Grace is not much use if you don’t share it, is it?
It’s easy to read about the prodigal son but never dwell on your own prodigal life.
The same grace available to the prodigal son is available to us, and to this nation for its misdeeds, its sins, its distance from the only one and true and living God.
The Cross is what draws us. At the Cross it’s all GRACE.”

Mr. Anderson noted, Many of Rev. Haden’s sermons emphasized forgiveness and he most always closed with the line, “What a Christ.”

If the popular preacher were alive today he’d celebrate his 98th birthday Oct. 18.

Rev. Haden didn’t talk much about hobbies but did enjoy tennis and some fishing. Friends said Rev. Haden followed a lot of sports and could tell you the winners. He never lost interest in the newspaper business subscribing to the “Advertising Age” publication for most of his ministry. This writer often sought the minister’s advice when trying to come up with an ad for one of my radio sponsors; he was quick with catchy phrases. Ben was very practical and taught me so much about life in general.

When asked to share a memory of his ministry, Rev. Haden responded, “Which one?” He went on to say he never saw a greater spirit of love than when he spoke in the late 70’s to 300,000 at a Christian event on the Washington Mall.

Ten years later I can’t forget Rev. Haden’s hearty laugh and his famous lines at the beginning of nearly each message, “A little more volume please sir” and “let’s talk about it.”

One day we ran into each other at the Burger King on Signal Mountain Road and my friend gave me a tape of his testimony as presented at a Chicago Billy Graham crusade in 1971. Ben Cagle created a video.