Christian apologist and cult expert Dave Hunt passes to his reward

By Sally Oppliger

Internationally esteemed defender of the faith and pioneering biblical discernment author Dave Hunt drew his final breath and entered into the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, April 5, 2013 with his beloved wife, Ruth, at his side. He was 87.

Noted for his ground-breaking research on cults, the occult, and New Age doctrines that began creeping into the church during the 1980s, Dave Hunt was most renowned for his controversial 1985 best seller, “The Seduction of Christianity”, co-authored with T.A. McMahon.

A prolific author of more than 40 books with over 4 million copies sold (many translated into at least 50 languages), Dave’s lifetime of ministry was devoted to evangelism, apologetics, and the steadfast proclamation of God’s Word.

Concerned about the breaking down of the true church by secular and cosmic humanism, Hunt began to write in 1973. Empowered by the Spirit of God, he sounded the alarm as a biblical watchman, warning believers about the incursion into Western culture and into the church itself of Eastern religion, psychological and selfist philosophies, ecumenism, and other unbiblical teachings.

In order to answer God’s call upon his life full time, Hunt founded the ministry of The Berean Call in 1992. The ministry name is derived from Acts 17:11, in which the Apostle Paul praises those who not only listened to and accepted his teachings but checked and tested them against the Word of God: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, [to see] whether those things were so.”

With T.A. McMahon working alongside as executive director of The Berean Call, Hunt was able to share his love for Christ and his defense of the faith through newsletters, books, videos, and speaking engagements worldwide — a pursuit that quickly put him in the “million mile” travel club.

In addition to his prolific pen, Dave Hunt’s voice was carried to millions of radio listeners worldwide for nearly a decade, as he and McMahon co-hosted the weekly radio program, “Search the Scriptures Daily,” broadcast on more than 400 stations in the US and internationally.

As the website of The Berean Call recalls, “Dave’s bold yet loving approach to discern and then deliver the truth is evident in everything he did. His love for Jesus, for Israel, and for people in general was obvious to all. His enthusiasm for the truth, along with his anger over the sin and wickedness that he knew was robbing people of what God wanted for them, flamed his desire to share the Lord with anyone with whom he had contact.”

Believers from all over the world are expressing their heartfelt gratitude for the lifelong ministry of Dave Hunt, echoing the sentiments of the staff, who are carrying on his vision and mission:

“Dave has left the church a legacy of inestimable value. We are blessed to be able to see and hear and read what he has taught about the evidence for God in a breathtaking number of materials. From explaining about the history of Christianity, to exposing the deception that has crept into the church, to teaching about the prophecies that are being fulfilled even today, this humble, brilliant man will go on teaching us for a very long time. We look forward to the day when we will see him again.”

A private burial service was held. There will be a time to remember Dave Hunt during the annual summer Bible conference of The Berean Call on August 23-24 in Bend, OR. Additional biographical details and conference information may be viewed at www.thebereancall.org.