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KILGORE—Earl “Buddy” Duggins, 81, died shortly after preaching on the hope of the resurrection on Easter Sunday at Forest Hill Baptist Church, in Kilgore, where he has pastored for over 30 years. The final words of his sermon were “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
According to church members, an ambulance was called to transport Duggins to a local hospital after he reported feeling unwell. Shortly after arriving for treatment, he died of a heart attack.
“With a heart of greatest compassion, he came to the pulpit prepared and delivered a sure, powerful and good word from God,” according to Mark Fried, FHBC minister of music and long-time friend.
Duggins pastored the church since 1989, and was involved in ministry over 55 years. He preached over 400 revivals in 10 states and served as an advisor to the Conference of Texas Baptist Evangelists. Called to preach in 1964, Duggins served seven churches and led thousands of people to faith in Jesus Christ.
In fifty-nine years of marriage, he and his wife, Connie, saw many blessings, including the birth of their three daughters, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Duggins stood by his wife’s side through her nine battles with cancer until her death Jan. 30.
As he closed his final sermon, Duggins shared the difficulty he had sleeping following his wife’s death on Jan. 30, crying himself to sleep each night.
“The Lord spoke to my heart and I began to thank God,” he said. He was reminded of the words of I Thessalonians 5:18, reciting, “‘In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you.’”
Duggins continued, “I wanted to be in God’s will so I began to pray, ‘Lord, thank you for the 59 years, four months, 13 days and one hour that we had together.’” Struggling with the fact that he remained after his wife had died, Duggins said he asked, “‘Lord, why am I left?’”
He told the congregation listening remotely, “The answer has come to my heart,” adding that God had told him, “‘I’ve left you here to do nothing more than to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ that you’ve been preaching for over 55 years.”
With that in mind, Duggins closed his sermon with an appeal for souls to be saved. “I stand today this resurrection day to tell you Jesus Christ is alive. He has helped me. He has blessed me. I bless his holy name today. All for Jesus.
“He is the true, living Savior. He’s alive. He was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, was crucified out on Mount Calvary, put in a borrowed grave, but on the third day—on God’s schedule—up from the grave he arose and he lives as our blessed hope. Trust him today. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
