Pastor Ken Hutcherson, 61, Champion of the Multi-ethnic Church, Dies of Cancer
Pastor Ken Hutcherson, 61, of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Wash., highly respected for his solid biblical teaching and a champion of the multi-ethnic church movement, died Wednesday after a lengthy battle with cancer.
"Antioch Bible Church sadly announces that shortly before noon today our Senior Pastor Dr. Ken Hutcherson was ushered in the [presence] of the Lord. Please pray for comfort and peace for the family," an announcement on the church website reads. "The family asked that you give them some privacy at this time."
During an interview with The Christian Post earlier this month, Hutcherson (known to his friends as "Hutch"), with a voice weakened by cancer and its required treatment, said the number one thing he wanted to talk about was the importance of having churches that not only accept, but embrace people of different ethnicities and races.
"I have been studying scripture since I was 16 and I just couldn't get away from the fact that when Christ died on the cross, the homogeneous Jewish view of the church moved to the New Testament church out of the book of Acts was supposed to be and commanded to be free for all people, a cross-culture church. I was compelled that if I was ever led to do a church that it would be cross cultural and if it wasn't, we would shut the door."
Hutcherson was a middle linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers before becoming a ministry leader and pastor. He is survived by his wife, Pat, and four children.
"Even in weakness our Father made him strong. He brought the whole arena to its feet with the 'hot' Word of The Lord," commented a friend and church member on Facebook underneath the post about his death.