Flight Path
A Biography of Frank
Barker, Jr.
By : Janie Buck and
Mary Lou Davis
Reviewed by Pat Beaty
This book is historical.
Yes, it is history. You may have
flunked history in school from a lack of interest, but I urge you to read this
account of church and personal happenings.
You will not believe how quickly you will find yourself enmeshed in the
tale of someone who gave up his lifestyle reluctantly and found the freedom
that belief in Christ offers.
The text is written as if Dr. Barker was penning it himself,
although two other authors wrote it.
This made it very interesting for the reader.
Dr. Barker went to seminary (after a long battle with the
Lord and his conscience) without knowing what “being saved” meant. But first,
he went through a number of experiences as a pilot flying off flat tops. Later,
he had to give up drinking and partying, and a number of other bad habits that
he learned in the service, I’m sure. He
was guided throughout his early years by what he called stars – like the one
that guided the wise men to Jesus. These
were the instances and circumstances that he felt “God used to get my attention
and woo me to him.” Virtually all of these were life-threatening events. “I
knew I couldn’t change myself. Only God could change me from the inside-out.”
Dr. Barker did very well in seminary and was determined to
get his Ph.D. after graduation; and he believed he was meant to be a
pastor. “Then why do you want your
Ph.D.?” he was asked. He answered that
he was speaking to a sophisticated audience; and he felt that if he added a
Ph.D. after his name, it would give more credibility to what he preached. The
seminary professor he was speaking to said, “young man, the Holy Spirit
convicts men of sin, not your degrees!”
Much of the remainder of this fascinating work deals with
Dr. Barker’s work with his four thousand member church – the beginning of it,
the love he had for it, his passion with which he preached Christ in it, and
his determination to keep the worship place and teachings God-breathed and
truthful.
The reader will be amazed at how complete this biography
is. One of the most dramatic occurrences
was when 800 pastors, Dr. Barker included, met together and signed a commitment
to the doctrine of the Westminster Confession of Faith, the catechisms and
historic Presbyterian policy. This ultimately led to the founding of our own Presbyterian
Church in America (PCA).
“The wages of sin is death.” This sign was on a tree that almost
ended this man’s life and was the beginning of a noted life completely devoted
to God.
Previous book reviews available at : http://patbeaty.blogspot.com
