With multiplied thousands of Christians praying on Friday, Henry Blackaby, 78, was found safe. He was missing for 29 hours.
The Southern Baptist minister is best known for his book Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, which sold more than 7 million copies and is available in 45 languages.
“He has been found!” his son Richard Blackaby posted about 9 p.m. Friday. “Doctors are checking him to see if he is OK, but he is safe. THANK YOU for your prayers!”
The family was concerned because Henry Blackaby has Type 2 diabetes and hadn’t taken insulin in more than 24 hours. Richard posted a prayer request on Twitter that went viral.
According to Fox, Wes Agnew, the administrative pastor at First Baptist Church, said the 78-year-old was first spotted at a tobacco store in Perry, Ga., about 90 miles south of metro Atlanta. Fox 5 reported that Blackaby was later pulled over by authorities in Tifton, Ga.
A statement on the family’s website reads, “The Blackaby family would like everyone to know that Henry has been found and is safe. His health concerns are being addressed and we will keep everyone posted with the news. We wish to express to everyone our appreciation and gratitude for the prayers and concern over the last 29 hours. Henry has taught us that we can experience God in the good and the bad times. We thank God that we have experienced his grace, peace, and faithfulness in these times.”
However, there’s been no official statement on where Blackaby was during those 29 hours. According to the Baptist Standard, Annie’s Link—an email that former personnel of the Southern Baptist Convention Home Mission Board receive—has said, “His health concerns are being addressed, and we will keep everyone posted with the news.”
Henry and Marilyn Blackaby served in churches in California before serving 18 years in Canada, where they saw many new churches begin. They raised their five children in Canada. It was also at that time that God taught the Blackabys the truths concerning walking with God that would eventually become the basis for the best-selling book Experiencing God.
Raised in that environment, all five children sensed a unique call of God into ministry. Their oldest son, Richard, currently serves as president of Blackaby Ministries International and resides in Greenville, S.C. Thomas Blackaby is the former senior pastor of North Sea Baptist Church in Stavanger, Norway, and now is director of international ministries for Blackaby Ministries International. He and his family reside in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Melvin Blackaby is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ga. Norman Blackaby is a professor at Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas. Carrie Blackaby-Webb is a career missionary serving in Germany.
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