January 25, 2014
Dr. Kenneth Lynn Brown, 65, of Bella Vista, Arkansas, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, January 22, 2014, at his residence. He was born October 11, 1948 in Columbia, Missouri, to Donald Albert Brown, Sr. and Helen Jocelyn Morosi Brown.
He graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1967 and was the featured coronet soloist in the school fight song “The Prairie Jump” by Charles Lee Hill –the famous horse whinny. Ken’s father was Dr. D.A. Brown, professor and then professor emeritus in the Agriculture Department of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
Kenneth attended Ouachita Baptist University, where he met his wife Donna during their first week in college; they have remained best friends since then. He graduated with a B.A. in Pastoral Ministry with a minor in New Testament Greek–a language he loved to teach and did so in three languages (English, Spanish and Haitian Kreyol). Kenneth and Donna were married the same day they graduated college: May 8, 1971. They traveled to Angola, Africa for their honeymoon as Donna’s parents, Drs. Harrison and June Pike, were pioneer missionaries in that country.
Kenneth and his wife graduated with their master’s from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1975. Kenneth went on to complete his prerequisite doctoral studies toward a Th.D. degree in Church History at the same seminary. He discontinued those studies to pursue full-time pastoral responsibilities at Bethany Baptist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana. He pastored other churches in Arkansas and Louisiana but felt the leading of the Lord to found Abundant Grace Fellowship of Northwest Arkansas in Rogers (both English and Spanish congregations) in 1992. In 1993, he finally achieved a life goal and received the Doctor of Ministry degree from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
He loved to study the Bible and to impart what he learned to others. He moved his family to Lima, Peru in 1983, where he served as Director of the Seminario Biblico Palabra de Fe in the Catedral de Fe church. In 1988, the Browns answered the call to move to Port-au-Prince, Haiti for two years, where he was director of a Bible institute. Upon his return to the U.S., he served as Dean of Student Affairs of the Graduate School of Theology at Oral Roberts University and taught Theological French as adjunct professor there as well. He and his wife later moved to World Harvest Bible College in Columbus, Ohio, where he served as Chief Administrative Officer of that institution for two years and taught several classes of over 200 students.
In 1999, the Browns returned to Ken’s home roots in northwest Arkansas. He continued his long-standing teaching and advisement relationship with Ecclesia College of Springdale, Arkansas, becoming the Academic Dean in 2001 and serving in that capacity for the next ten years. Although Kenneth had suffered a major physical setback in the form of a ruptured brain aneurysm and its sequelae in April of 2000, he was still active at the time of his death, serving as Christian Leadership Division Chair. A summary of Ken’s ministry and life would be: pastor, teacher, mentor, counselor and friend–whether in the U.S. or abroad. Kenneth loved people. He loved the church of Jesus Christ–the Ecclesia. And, he loved Ecclesia College, specifically.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Kenneth L. Brown Scholarship Fund to help deserving students called to full-time ministry service: www.ecollege.edu or to Christian Education Ministries International, a not-for-profit organization founded by the Browns in 1988 for worldwide missions: P.O. Box 1616, Bentonville, AR 72712.
Kenneth was preceded in death by his father, Donald Albert Brown, Sr.; one granddaughter, Hope Brown; and one brother, Donald Albert Brown, Jr.
Kenneth is survived by his precious wife of 42 years, Donna June Pike Brown; two sons, Michael Winston and wife, Ana Celia Romero Brown, of Springdale, AR, and Joel Donovan and wife Sarah Marie Hollinger Brown, of Chesapeake, VA; mother, Helen Jocelyn Morosi Brown of San Marcos, CA; one sister, Jocelyn Elaine Brown of San Marcos, CA; father-in-law, Dr. Harrison Hayes Pike of Bella Vista, AR; mother-in-law, Dr. June Elizabeth Summers Pike also of Bella Vista, AR; and six beloved grandchildren.
A memorial service celebrating a life well lived is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at the United Methodist Church in Elm Springs, AR. Visitation will be from 10:00-11:00 a.m.; a celebratory service will follow from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Kenneth’s long-time friend and mentor, Dr. H.D. McCarty will be officiating. Private burial will be held.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Stockdale-Moody Funeral Services in Rogers. Words of comfort may be expressed at stockdalefuneral.com