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His last major pastorate was from 1969 to 1988 at the large Ninth & O Baptist Church in Louisville. Under his ministry there, the church grew from 2,800 to 4,600 members and [[baptism|baptized]] 2,823 confessed believers. Ninth & O began a [[radio]] ministry that featured Butler's preaching in 1970 and a daily [[television]] program beginning in 1972. Ninth & O began seven new churches under Butler's tenure. It also operated a school. Sunday morning services were televised via a Louisville station.<ref name=aabc/>​

His last major pastorate was from 1969 to 1988 at the large Ninth & O Baptist Church in Louisville. Under his ministry there, the church grew from 2,800 to 4,600 members and [[baptism|baptized]] 2,823 confessed believers. Ninth & O began a [[radio]] ministry that featured Butler's preaching in 1970 and a daily [[television]] program beginning in 1972. Ninth & O began seven new churches under Butler's tenure. It also operated a school. Sunday morning services were televised via a Louisville station.<ref name=aabc/>​

Under Butler, Ninth & O was one of only two or three conservative congregations within the Southern Baptist denomination in the Louisville metropolitan area. Physically close to the Southern Seminary, Butler challenged the modernist and [[libera]]l theology then being taught there. He encouraged [[conservative]] students during the height of the Conservative Resurgence movement that began in the late 1970s. He criticized seminary professor Dale Moody for Moody's claim that a [[Christian]] believer could fall from grace and lose his [[salvation]]. When Moody appeared at Ninth & O one Sunday to confront Butler, the latter remained calm and gracious. Butler was involved in wider Southern Baptist life too through a network of conservative pastors who supported the resurgence and known as the Baptist Faith and Message Fellowship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nathanfinn.com/|title=One Baptist Perspective|publisher=nathanfinn.com|accessdate=December 23, 2010}}</ref>​

Under Butler, Ninth & O was one of only two or three conservative congregations within the Southern Baptist denomination in the Louisville metropolitan area. Physically close to the Southern Seminary, Butler challenged the modernist and [[liberal]] theology then being taught there. He encouraged [[conservative]] students during the height of the Conservative Resurgence movement that began in the late 1970s. He criticized seminary professor Dale Moody for Moody's claim that a [[Christian]] believer could fall from grace and lose his [[salvation]]. When Moody appeared at Ninth & O one Sunday to confront Butler, the latter remained calm and gracious. Butler was involved in wider Southern Baptist life too through a network of conservative pastors who supported the resurgence and known as the Baptist Faith and Message Fellowship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nathanfinn.com/|title=One Baptist Perspective|publisher=nathanfinn.com|accessdate=December 23, 2010}}</ref>​

Butler left Ninth and O to become president of Mid-Continent University, a theologically conservative institution in Mayfield in Graves County in western Kentucky. Founded in 1949 and formerly known as Mid-Continent Baptist Bible College, Mid-Continent gained accreditation under Butler's stewardship in 1992. He worked to expand the university curriculum and served there until his retirement in 1997. While in Mayfield, he attended the Northside Baptist Church.<ref name=foust/><ref name=obit/>​

Butler left Ninth and O to become president of Mid-Continent University, a theologically conservative institution in Mayfield in Graves County in western Kentucky. Founded in 1949 and formerly known as Mid-Continent Baptist Bible College, Mid-Continent gained accreditation under Butler's stewardship in 1992. He worked to expand the university curriculum and served there until his retirement in 1997. While in Mayfield, he attended the Northside Baptist Church.<ref name=foust/><ref name=obit/>​

David Alan Butler (born 1952), older son of LaVerne Butler and the lead pastor of CenterPoint Church in [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]], [[New Hampshire]], recalls that his father worked many years to help the resurgence succeed. "The theme for his life, and I think this captures him more than anything else, is . . . [[Ephesians]] 4:15: Speaking the truth in love. That's the caption that goes across Dad's life. There was a not a mean spirit in him, but he never compromised his positions. He was synonymous with taking a stand but always speaking the truth in love. That is the big headline of his life."<ref name=foust/>​

David Alan Butler (born 1952), older son of LaVerne Butler and the lead pastor of CenterPoint Church in [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]], [[New Hampshire]], recalls that his father worked many years to help the resurgence succeed. "The theme for his life, and I think this captures him more than anything else, is . . . [[Ephesians]] 4:15: Speaking the truth in love. That's the caption that goes across Dad's life. There was a not a mean spirit in him, but he never compromised his positions. He was synonymous with taking a stand but always speaking the truth in love. That is the big headline of his life."<ref name=foust/>​

 

==Death and legacy==​

==Death and legacy==​

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Services for Butler were held on December 20, 2010, at the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], Kentucky, where he had retired and formerly twice served in an interim capacity. He is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville. Butler was twice married. On the death of Lillian Kiser Butler (1929-2004), his wife of fifty-seven years and mother of his three children, he wed the former Shirley Patton (born 1929), who survives him. His children are Sandra B. Hodge (born 1949) of Princeton in Caldwell County in western Kentucky and Richard C. Butler (born 1958), a minister in West Lafayette, Indiana. He had ten grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and two stepchildren.<ref name=obit/>​

Services for Butler were held on December 20, 2010, at the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], Kentucky, where he had retired and formerly twice served in an interim capacity. He is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville. Butler was twice married. On the death of Lillian Kiser Butler (1929-2004), his wife of fifty-seven years and mother of his three children, he wed the former Shirley Patton (born 1929), who survives him. His children are Sandra B. Hodge (born 1949) of Princeton in Caldwell County in western Kentucky and Richard C. Butler (born 1958), a minister in West Lafayette, Indiana. He had ten grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and two stepchildren.<ref name=obit/>​

 

Mid-Continent University announced plans to build a 500-seat chapel to be named the "LaVerne Butler Memorial Chapel."<ref name=foust/> In 2008, Butler was honored for a "lifetime of sacrificial service" with the unveiling of his portrait at the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church.<ref name=aabc>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashlandbaptistchurch.org/aabc/2008/07/23/dr-laverne-butler-honored-at-aabc/|title=Dr. LaVerne Butler Honored at AABC|publisher=ashlandbaptistchurch.org|accessdate=December 23, 2010}}</ref>​

Mid-Continent University announced plans to build a 500-seat chapel to be named the "LaVerne Butler Memorial Chapel."<ref name=foust/> In 2008, Butler was honored for a "lifetime of sacrificial service" with the unveiling of his portrait at the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church.<ref name=aabc>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashlandbaptistchurch.org/aabc/2008/07/23/dr-laverne-butler-honored-at-aabc/|title=Dr. LaVerne Butler Honored at AABC|publisher=ashlandbaptistchurch.org|accessdate=December 23, 2010}}</ref>​

 

Randy Sweazy of Bardstown, Kentucky, wrote in Butler's guest book: "He was  always so happy and full of life. Who can forget the orange sports coat at [[Halloween]], or the yellow one at [[Easter]]? His legacy lives on in all that went to school at 9th & 0."<ref name=obit/>​

Randy Sweazy of Bardstown, Kentucky, wrote in Butler's guest book: "He was  always so happy and full of life. Who can forget the orange sports coat at [[Halloween]], or the yellow one at [[Easter]]? His legacy lives on in all that went to school at 9th & 0."<ref name=obit/>​

 

==References==

==References==​

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