Alan Malone Bryan
1925-2006
Christian Chronicle Retrospective On Major Events In The 20th Century
RESTORATION 21
RETROSPECTIVE
1970-1980
Eighth in a Series
Chronicle Event of the Decade:
Soul-winning Workshops
A nationwide grassroots movement
The soul-winning workshops began as the brainchild of Alan Bryan (left) in 1972 at International Bible College — with more than 3,000 attending a layman’s hands-on workshop. By 1979 there were more than 30 of these special workshops and more than 300,000 people had attended them, a number far greater than the college lectureships. Marvin Phillips and Terry Rush have led the Tulsa Workshop, which began in 1976 with 9,000 attendees, and grew to a high of 15,000 in 1978, drawing from 45 states and 20 countries. Attendance at Tulsa still averages 12,000.
For several years soul-winning workshops were held in Indianapolis, Pensacola, Orlando, St. Louis, Seattle, San Antonio, Chattanooga, Denver, Ft. Wayne, Pueblo, Houston and a dozen other cities. Alan Bryan provided significant influence, motivation and consultation in the development of many of them.
The workshop movement attracted primarily church members interested in evangelism and special-needs topics rather than leaders and preachers interested in issue-oriented programs.
Source: The above article appeared in a series of articles produced by The Christian Chronicle at the turn of the 21st Century. The 8th article in the series revealed the success of Evangelism Workshops throughout the brotherhood, the "brainchild" of Alan Bryan. This article was copied from the website of The Christian Chronicle, July, 2000.
1961 Biographical Sketch on Alan M. Bryan
Alan M. Bryan was born August 20, 1925, in Birmingham, Alabama. He was baptized in August of 1938, by John D. Cox. He attended public schools in Birmingham, Alabama, and later was graduated from Freed-Hardeman College, Henderson, Tennessee, and George Pepperdine College, Los Angeles, California. He received the M.E.D. degree from Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas. In 1949 he was married to the former LaJuana Payne. The have two children.
Brother Bryan began preaching in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1942. He served the churches in Sundown, Texas; Morton, Texas; and Spring, Texas. He was formerly educational director of the Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. He, also, served on the faculty of David Lipscomb College while directing the educational program for the West End congregation in Nashville, Tennessee.
Brother Bryan has conducted meetings and teacher training series in twenty seven states and has appeared on the lectureship programs at seven Christian colleges. He conducts twenty, or more, teacher training series as well as three gospel meetings each year.
Brother Bryan serves as associate editor of the Christian Bible Teacher and is a contributing writer for the Gospel Advocate,Twentieth Century Christian,and the MINISTER'S MONTHLY. His book ideas for Bible School Growth, is widely circulated among churches of Christ.
At present Brother Bryan resides in Dallas, Texas, where he serves as president of the Gospel Press, an organization which places gospel articles in National magazines. He is also president of the Milbryan Foundation, a non-profit foundation which publishes gospel tracts. Brother Bryan serves as vice-chairman of the board of Christian Schools, Incorporated, Dallas, Texas; vicepresident and board member of the Christian Family Book Club; and vice-president and board member of The Christian Teacher, Gadsden, Alabama. He is also a member of the associate board of Freed-Hardeman College and Georgia Christian Institute.
Brother Bryan's dynamic and energetic approach to the Lord's work will produce a great abundant harvest. Through his work with the Gospel Press he is helping contact millions of Americans in behalf of the Lord's Kingdom.
-J. Cliett Goodpasture, Minister's Monthly, Vol VI, No. 6, page 261
Personal Recollections
Growing up in the home of a gospel preacher meant that the occasions rose quite often to be in the presence of nationally known preachers and missionaries. They were my heroes as a young man. I recall men like Gus Nichols, Franklin Camp & B.C. Goodpasture in my home from time to time. Another preacher that made a great impression on me was Alan Bryan.
As a young teen, my father, Richard T. Harp, preached for the Forest Park church of Christ in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area. Brother Bryan made trips to visit with us at the Forest Park congregation, would preach meetings for us, and always did an excellent job. I remember well his abilities to so describe the word of God as to keep the entire audience in the palm of his hands. He was able to make the Bible come alive for young and old alike. He could take passages of Scripture and illustrate them so as to convict all in his hearing. In reflection he was one of my favorite preachers to hear.
Upon learning of his death in 2006, I determined to visit his grave someday if the Lord allowed. In January, 2010 it was my blessing to be able to visit in the Fort Worth area. While there I was able to finally visit the grave location at Restland Cemetery. May God bless the memory of this great man of God.
-Scott Harp, Web Editor, www.TheRestorationMovement.com
Gospel Advocate Obituary
Alan Malone Bryan, 80, died July 4.
Over his career, Bryan preached to hundreds of thousands. He was the first minister to focus on education at the congregational level, the first to introduce Soul-Winning Workshops, and was a great promoter of bus ministries.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, LaJuana; his children: Brant Bryan of Dallas, Texas, Brenda Burnett, of Houston, Texas, and Blair Bryan of Charlotte, N.C.; and 14 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Richardson, Texas.
Gospel Advocate, August, 2006, page 45.
Location Of The Grave Of Alan Bryan
Alan Bryan is buried in the Restland Cemetery in North Dallas, Texas. The Restland Cemetery is located at 9220 Restland Rd. Dallas, TX, 75243. Phone (972-238-8311). The cemetery is located just north of Dallas, NE of the junction of State Hwy. 75 and the I-635 Loop. Go north of I-635 on Hwy.75 and take Exit 22, Centennial Blvd. and turn right. Turn right on S. Greenville Ave. (Hwy.5) and head back south toward Dallas. You will see the cemetery on the right and left. Enter the cemetery on your left. Then take the second right. Take the first left, and about midway, stop the car. Head down to your right toward the little brook. Near the brook, you will see a section of elongated markers with numerous names on each. It is actually a location in the cemetery for burials of cremated remains. Look for one with BRYAN. It will be the grave location of the remains of Alan Malone Bryan. The exact GPS location of the grave is: 32°55'17.5"N 96°44'48.6"W / or D.d. 32.921517,-96.746833
Rich Berdan Standing By The Grave Of Alan Bryan
LaJuana Payne
Loving Wife, Mother, Grammy
And Child of God
BRYAN
Alan Malone
August 20, 1925
July 4, 2006
Loving Husband, Father, Papa
And Child Of God
Special Thanks
Special Thanks - A very special thanks goes to my good friend, Rich Berdan. In January, 2010, my wife, Jenny and I were out in the D-FW area for the Fort Worth Lectures. We stayed with our dear friends Rich and Barb. One day he accompanied me for a day full of activities in locating graves of Gospel Preachers of Yesteryear. Many thanks to him in helping me find the grave of Alan Bryan.
