Charles E. Cook

Charles E. Cook, an internationally influential Christian leader and retired church minister in Harford County, died of respiratory failure at the Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, Maryland
on Tuesday evening, January 11. He was 84.

From 1984 to 1994, Dr. Cook served as Senior Pastor at Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, overseeing the growth of what is now the largest non-denominational Bible-based church in the Northeastern U.S. In 1994, Dr. Cook was appointed as Pastor Emeritus, a position he held with Mountain Christian Church until cancer forced his retirement in 2003. Dr. Cook led a national and international career as a Christian ministry and missions leader, pastoral counselor, writer and college professor whose work, friends and travels stretched across many countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America.

"Dr. Cook is highly regarded all over the world as a visionary leader, respected Christian scholar, missions catalyst, and most of all, wise and caring pastor," said Ben Cachiaras, Senior Pastor of Mountain Christian Church. "Our congregation grew in numbers, became a significant impact in world missions, and saw the birth of many new programs
during his tenure. He presided over the construction of a spacious worship sanctuary which was dedicated and named in his honor in 2005. Today approximately 4000 people gather each weekend for worship at Mountain, but its greatest impact is felt in the community, with congregation members serving in dozens of ministries in the surrounding area
and across the world -- all of which is a legacy stemming from the vision of Charles Cook."

Dr. Cook's death followed an odds-defying seven-year battle with terminal lung cancer. The son of a coal miner and grade school teacher, he was born in Christopher, Illinois and grew up in the nearby towns of Elkville and Du Quoin. A lifelong non-smoker, his
cancer is thought to have been linked to childhood and adolescent exposure to local environmental
contaminants including coal ash.

During his lifetime, Dr. Cook established and pastored several small and medium-sized churches into thriving congregations in Indiana, Kansas, Arizona and Maryland. One of these, Central Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona, is now one of the largest non-denominational Christian churches in the Southwestern U.S.

From 1979 to 1984, Dr. Cook was Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, Kansas. He then moved to Harford County where he served as Senior Pastor at Mountain Christian Church from 1984 to 1994.

Dr. Cook began his ministry years in 1945 at the age of 19, as a student pastor with a tiny rural church in Glen Elder, Kansas. In 1947, he received a bachelor's degree in ministry from Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, Kansas. He was awarded a graduate divinity degree from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma in 1952. That same year
he married Barbara Jean Gregory, from Hennessee, Oklahoma, his wife of 58 years.

From 1952 to 1954, Dr. Cook and his wife joined the Barnes-Cook evangelistic team, touring numerous U.S. states while leading revival meetings of up to two weeks. An accomplished cornet player of the Big Band and Swing music of his era, Dr. Cook co-recorded several contemporary renditions of traditional Christian hymns while also performing vocal and instrumental duets with his wife in churches and revival meetings across the Midwestern U.S.

For more than five decades, Dr. Cook also served as a founding board member, director, chairman and president of Christian Missionary Fellowship International, with staff and operations now based in 17 countries. Dr. Cook also served as president of the North American Christian Convention in 1993 in St. Louis, receiving a mayoral key to the city in recognition of his presidency.

An avid reader, college sports fan, adventurous traveler and versatile conversationalist, Dr. Cook visited churches and missionaries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Dr. Cook received numerous honors during his lifetime, including the James A. Garfield Award from the Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, Tennessee. In 2005, the Mountain Christian Church designated its former worship center as the Cook Auditorium. That same year, the Christian Missionary Fellowship International established the Cook Conference Center in honor of Dr. Cook's 50 years of leadership and service. In 2006, the Emmanuel School of Religion established the Cook Institute for Excellence in Ministry. Dr. Cook was also awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Pacific Christian College in Fullerton, California.

"As a young pastor, nobody encouraged me more than Charles Cook," said Ben Cachiaras. "He was instrumental in my coming to Maryland, and through the years we shared a deep affection and profound mutual respect for one another that has always given
me a target of what to shoot for in terms of the kind of leader, husband, father, and Christian I am called to be."

In addition to his wife, Dr. Cook is survived by a son, Kevin Cook of San Jose, Costa Rica; two daughters, Charlesa Kay Mullin of Bel Air, Maryland and Leah Ann Crussell of Indian Hills, Colorado; a sister, Lowenn Land of Fullerton, California; and six grandchildren. ~Kevin Cook~

Those who desire may make a donation to Mountain Christian Church, 1824 Mountain Road, Joppa, MD 21085 or Christian Missionary Fellowship International, P.O. Box 501020, Indianapolis, IN 46250.