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Line 1: − + − On December 12, 2007, the stricken O'Brien performed a hasty wedding for Juliana and Nicholas at the VistaCare hospice in Lubbock where he was staying because it appeared that he might not survive beyond a couple of days. The hospice provided a wedding cake, decorations, flowers, a reception, and a photographer. O'Brien improved well enough to return home for Christmas and to have his daughter's regularly scheduled church wedding on January 12, 2008.<ref>http://lubbockonline.com/stories/021808/bus_248117481.shtml</ref> In the following weeks, however, his condition continued to deteriorate. Bethany Baptist opened for twenty-four hours a day starting on February 22 so that interested persons could come to pray at the altar for the pastor's recovery. He died five days later, the earthly end to a two-year fight against the disease.<ref>http://www.praylubbock.com/BulletPointPrayerNews.asp</ref> − − + Line 17:
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Line 25: − + − − In addition to his wife, children, and parents, O'Brien was survived by two brothers, Ronald O'Brien (son-in-law of Ross Spencer) and wife Patricia of Garland, Texas, and David O'Brien of Dallas, and his sisters, Karen O. Smith of El Paso and Tricia O. Pritchett of San Antonio. Services were held on March 4, 2008, at Bethany Baptist Church. Some sixty pastors, one as far away as Washington State, came to Lubbock for O'Brien's funeral. Officiating were associate pastor Billy E. Prater (the father of O'Brien's son-in-law, Tyler Prater) of the Fellowship Baptist Church of [[Liberal, Kansas]], and pastor Erwin "Bill" Mitchell of Hillcrest Baptist Church in El Paso, which O'Brien had attended as a youth. Prater and Mitchell are both members of the Heartland College board of directors.<ref>http://www.heartlandbaptist.edu/</ref> Interment was in Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock. Line 55:
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'''Kevin F. O'Brien''', usually known as '''Brother Kevin''' (October 31, 1955 - February 27, 2008), was an Independent [[Baptist]] clergyman who pastored Bethany Baptist Church in [[Lubbock]], [[Texas]], from October 1996, until his death from prostate cancer. In 1998, O'Brien was among a group of fundamentalist pastors instrumental in the establishment of Heartland Baptist Bible College in [[Oklahoma City]], which was renamed and relocated from [[Orange]], [[California]], where it had been founded in 1966. At the time of his death, O'Brien was serving as Heartland's secretary-treasurer.<ref>http://www.heartlandbaptist.edu/</ref>
'''Kevin F. O'Brien''', usually known as '''Brother Kevin''' (October 31, 1955 - February 27, 2008), was an Independent [[Baptist]] clergyman who pastored Bethany Baptist Church in [[Lubbock]], Texas, from October 1996, until his death from prostate cancer. In 1998, O'Brien was among a group of fundamentalist pastors instrumental in the establishment of Heartland Baptist Bible College in [[Oklahoma City]], which was renamed and relocated from Orange, California, where it had been founded in 1966. At the time of his death, O'Brien was serving as Heartland's secretary-treasurer.<ref>http://www.heartlandbaptist.edu/</ref>
O'Brien was born in El Paso, Texas, to Claude L. and Angeline E. O'Brien. He graduated from Irvin High School in northeast El Paso in 1974.<ref>http://irvin.episd.org/</ref>. He then completed a three-year theology program at the conservative Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, from which he graduated in 1977.<ref>http://www.baptist.edu/</ref> On June 12, 1976, he married his childhood sweetheart, the former Darlene Frances Turbeville (born ca. 1958). Their three children are Jeremy Daniel O'Brien, Jenilee Danielle (Tyler) Prater, and the newlywed Juliana (Nicholas) Carr. There was also a grandson, Griffyn O'Brien, at the time of O'Brien's passing.<ref>http://www.sandersfuneralhome.com/obituaries/02_February/obituary_obrien.kevin.htm</ref>
O'Brien was born in El Paso, Texas, to Claude L. and Angeline E. O'Brien. He graduated from Irvin High School in northeast El Paso in 1974.<ref>http://irvin.episd.org/</ref>. He then completed a three-year theology program at the conservative Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, from which he graduated in 1977.<ref>http://www.baptist.edu/</ref> On June 12, 1976, he married his childhood sweetheart, the former Darlene Frances Turbeville (born ca. 1958). Their three children are Jeremy Daniel O'Brien, Jenilee Danielle (Tyler) Prater, and the newlywed Juliana (Nicholas) Carr. There was also a grandson, Griffyn O'Brien, at the time of O'Brien's passing.<ref>http://www.sandersfuneralhome.com/obituaries/02_February/obituary_obrien.kevin.htm</ref>
==Bethany Baptist Church in Lubbock==
==Bethany Baptist Church in Lubbock==
After graduation from Baptist Bible College, O'Brien joined the staff of Bethany Baptist Church, 4402 40th Street (the intersection with Quaker Avenue), which first opened in September 1973 under the founding pastor, Ross J. Spencer (born June 12, 1933) of Lubbock, originally from tiny Detroit in Red River County near Paris in northeast Texas. The associate pastor, J.D. Young, later ministered in Corpus Christi and is now based in Stinnett, the seat of Hutchinson County in the northern Texas Panhandle. O'Brien was, first, the music and youth minister, then associate pastor, co-pastor, and full pastor on Spencer's retirement from full-time ministry. Spencer thereafter served for nearly three years as an interim pastor in Andrews near Midland, Texas. Under Spencer, Bethany church conducted three week-long revivals per year and observed homecoming and various other special events. The late Louisiana Governor James Houston "Jimmie" Davis, a gospel singer, addressed one of the early homecoming ceremonies.<ref>http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/030208/obi_252869562.shtml</ref>
After graduation from Baptist Bible College, O'Brien joined the staff of Bethany Baptist Church, which first opened in September 1973 under the founding pastor, Ross J. Spencer (born June 12, 1933) of Lubbock. O'Brien was, first, the music and youth minister, then associate pastor, co-pastor, and full pastor on Spencer's retirement from full-time ministry. Spencer thereafter served for nearly three years as an interim pastor in Andrews near Midland, Texas. Under Spencer, Bethany church conducted three week-long revivals per year and observed homecoming and various other special events. The late Louisiana Governor James Houston "Jimmie" Davis, a gospel singer, addressed one of the early homecoming ceremonies.<ref>http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/030208/obi_252869562.shtml</ref>
O'Brien was a well-known preacher in Independent Baptist ranks too. He used only the King James Version of the Bible, which he considered more conducive to the reception of the Holy Spirit and more helpful in memorizing and understanding scripture. <ref>http://www.biblepreaching.net/</ref> Some of his sermons have been placed on the Internet, including "Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14 and Jeremiah 32:17.<ref>http://www.sermons.org/txt/kobrien1.txt</ref> For a time, he also preached over radio.
O'Brien was a well-known preacher in Independent Baptist ranks too. He used only the King James Version of the Bible, which he considered more conducive to the reception of the Holy Spirit and more helpful in memorizing and understanding scripture. <ref>http://www.biblepreaching.net/</ref> Some of his sermons have been placed on the Internet, including "Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14 and Jeremiah 32:17.<ref>http://www.sermons.org/txt/kobrien1.txt</ref> For a time, he also preached over radio.
In 1998, Bethany presented two dramatic presentations highlighting the patriotism of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, and Generals Douglas MacArthur and George S. Patton, Jr. In an interview with the ''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal'', O'Brien said that there was "a need to for the nation to turn back to the Lord" and that presentations of this kind, which brought full attendance, served to acquaint people with the spiritual heritage of the nation. He said that the Constitution of the United States protects the church from encroachment by government, not government from being influenced by Bible believers.<ref>Beth Pratt, Religion Editor, ''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal'', Religion Section, July 4, 1998</ref>
In 1998, Bethany presented two dramatic presentations highlighting patriotism. In an interview with the ''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal'', O'Brien said that there was "a need to for the nation to turn back to the Lord" and that presentations of this kind, which brought full attendance, served to acquaint people with the spiritual heritage of the nation. He said that the Constitution of the United States protects the church from encroachment by government, not government from being influenced by Bible believers.<ref>Beth Pratt, Religion Editor, ''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal'', Religion Section, July 4, 1998</ref>
==Personal life==
==Personal life==
O'Brien was a motorcyclist too and often took sojourns with fellow Christian men to the Texas Hill Country and Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas. He and Mrs. O'Brien also toured parts of Colorado and Arkansas on his motorcycle.<ref>http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/030208/obi_252869562.shtml</ref>
O'Brien was a motorcyclist too and often took trips with fellow Christian men to the Texas Hill Country and Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas. He and Mrs. O'Brien also toured parts of Colorado and Arkansas on his motorcycle.<ref>http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/030208/obi_252869562.shtml</ref>
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:O'Brien, Kevin}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:O'Brien, Kevin}}
[[Category:Fundamentalism]]
[[Category:Fundamentalists]]