I remember when I first met BJ. He was volunteering in the student ministry at Crestmont Baptist Church in Burleson, TX while I was attending Southwestern Seminary. Yes, that Burleson, home of Reba McIntire (or owned a huge mansion up on the hill anyway–or so I understand that to be the case. You know how rumors get started, right?), and American Idol’s first ever winner, Kelly Clarkson. Kelly was a high school student at the time and was actually at the event that I first met Brian–a DiscipleNow that my buddy, Rick Murray and I did together with his church, Crestmont and my church, Cedar Ridge Baptist Church (right down the road from Alsbury Baptist Church where BJ was on staff.)

I got a text last night from my buddy last night that he had just attended BJs funeral. It had been almost 11 years since Rick had been in Burleson. After Rick left Crestmont to go work for Student Life Camps, BJ became the student pastor at Crestmont. I graduated from Southwestern and saw him at a conference when he was at Crestmont. I honestly had lost track of BJ over the years. I thought that he might be serving in another church, but not necessarily a church right around the corner from Crestmont. But honestly, that makes a lot of sense–he was a Burleson boy ministering to Burleson kids. Pretty cool, really.

I think that you can see what kind of leader, believer, husband, and father BJ was from just reading the articles about the accident he was involved in on Father’s Day night. You can also see it in his son, Evan, at a press conference that was held at Alsbury Baptist Church where BJ was on staff. Amazing young man! Pray for Evan.

BJ had stopped late at night on a two lane road to help a lady with a flat tire. He was headed home from a graduation party for his son earlier that evening. He was hit and killed while being a Good Samaritan. That is what I remembered of BJ, a good samaritan. A great guy that would do most anything for anyone that needed help. He will be missed terribly in the Burleson community and especially with the Alsbury Baptist Church youth group and his dear family.

Please be in prayer for the Jennings family and friends there in Burleson, TX as well as Alsbury Baptist Church and the other churches in the area that were very well connected with each other “contending as one man” for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/06/19/4948320_son-of-minister-killed-on-fathers.html

http://www.wfaa.com/news/At-least-four-people-killed-in-crash-near-Rendon-211722701.html