Changes

|spouse=Mary Elizabeth Herring Ballard

|spouse=Mary Elizabeth Herring Ballard

}}

}}

'''John Henry Ballard''' (born June 21, 1931)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/john-ballard/e21484711038036|title=John Ballard|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 12, 2018}}</ref> is a [[Southern Baptist]] retired [[clergy]]man with sixty years in the ministry,  thirty-eight  with the First Baptist Church of [[Lubbock]], [[Texas]], at which he taught the Downtown Bible class. During his ministry in Lubbock, Ballard was an associate pastor under the long-term former pastor, David Lawrence "D. L." Lowrie (born May 18, 1935) .<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/david-lowrie/e491223732348|title=David Lowrie|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 12, 2018}}</ref> Ballard conducted literally thousands of funerals during his career and made many visits to [[hospital]]s and [[nursing home]]s. He has since retired to [[Houston, Texas|Houston]] with his wife, the former Mary Elizabeth Herring (born June 19, 1929).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/mary-ballard/e33316590012|title=Mary Ballard|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 12, 2018}}</ref>

'''John Henry Ballard''' (born June 21, 1931)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/john-ballard/e21484711038036|title=John Ballard|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 12, 2018}}</ref> is a [[Southern Baptist]] retired [[clergy]]man with sixty years in the ministry,  thirty-eight  with the First Baptist Church of [[Lubbock]], [[Texas]], at which he taught the Downtown Bible class. During his ministry in Lubbock, Ballard was an associate pastor under the long-term former pastor, David Lawrence "D. L." Lowrie (born May 18, 1935) .<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/david-lowrie/e491223732348|title=David Lowrie|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 12, 2018}}</ref> Ballard conducted literally thousands of funerals during his career and made many visits to [[hospital]]s and nursing homes. He has since retired to [[Houston, Texas|Houston]] with his wife, the former Mary Elizabeth Herring (born June 19, 1929).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/mary-ballard/e33316590012|title=Mary Ballard|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 12, 2018}}</ref>

Ballard was one of ten children reared in the [[slum]]s of East St. Louis, [[Illinois]], an urban extension across the [[Mississippi River]] from [[St Louis]], [[Missouri]]. His father was also a minister who said that [[God]] could not trust him with money; so He gave children instead.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20180711/moving-ministry-ballards-leaving-lubbock-after-decades-sharing-gospel|title=A moving ministry: Ballards leaving Lubbock after decades sharing gospel|publisher=''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|author=Ray Westbrook|date=July 11, 2018|accessdate=July 12, 2018}}<ref>

Ballard was one of ten children reared in the [[slum]]s of East St. Louis, [[Illinois]], an urban extension across the [[Mississippi River]] from [[St Louis]], [[Missouri]]. His father was also a minister who said that [[God]] could not trust him with money; so He gave children instead.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20180711/moving-ministry-ballards-leaving-lubbock-after-decades-sharing-gospel|title=A moving ministry: Ballards leaving Lubbock after decades sharing gospel|publisher=''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|author=Ray Westbrook|date=July 11, 2018|accessdate=July 12, 2018}}</ref>

Prior to his time in Lubbock, Ballard  was at the North Fort Worth Baptist Church in [[Fort Worth]], Texas, for twenty-two years, when D. L. Lowrie arrived in Lubbock and tapped Ballard as his associate pastor. When he came to Lubbock, Ballard said that he "[[Prayer|prayed]] every day not to betray that trust [placed in him]. I keep that trust solid and firm, in the confidence that God put me here.”<ref name=bio/>

Prior to his time in Lubbock, Ballard  was at the North Fort Worth Baptist Church in [[Fort Worth]], Texas, for twenty-two years, when D. L. Lowrie arrived in Lubbock and tapped Ballard as his associate pastor. When he came to Lubbock, Ballard said that he "[[Prayer|prayed]] every day not to betray that trust [placed in him]. I keep that trust solid and firm, in the confidence that God put me here.”<ref name=bio/>

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

… God is sovereign — God doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn't follow our calendar - He has his own. And to know that when something happens, we must claim his promise. We don’t see it now, but all things that happen to us — all things — happen for the glory of God and for the good of those who love him. God says He works it ‘together.’ It’s ‘Wait a minute, I’m not through with this circumstance yet, let’s get on the other side, let’s walk through it together.<br>

… God is sovereign — God doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn't follow our calendar - He has his own. And to know that when something happens, we must claim his promise. We don’t see it now, but all things that happen to us — all things — happen for the glory of God and for the good of those who love him. God says He works it ‘together.’ It’s ‘Wait a minute, I’m not through with this circumstance yet, let’s get on the other side, let’s walk through it together.<br>

And when you get on the other side and look back, you say, you know, God did work all things together. ‘Together’ is the important word in that verse (Romans 8:28) … <br>

And when you get on the other side and look back, you say, you know, God did work all things together. ‘Together’ is the important word in that verse (Romans 8:28) … <br>

It’s a one-day-at-a-time situation. You get up each morning and say, ‘God, what do you want me to do today.’ And He directs your path. It’s where do you want me to be — put me in the place where I need to be, not necessarily where I want to be or desire to be, but where I need to be — where people need me. ...<br>

It’s a one-day-at-a-time situation. You get up each morning and say, ‘God, what do you want me to do today.’ And He directs your path. It’s where do you want me to be — put me in the place where I need to be, not necessarily where I want to be or desire to be, but where I need to be — where people need me. ...<br>

The sovereignty of God; it's amazing.<ref name=bio/></blockquote>

The sovereignty of God; it's amazing.<ref name=bio/></blockquote>

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballard, John}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballard, John}}