Jack Coe (March 11, 1918 – December 16, 1956) was one of the first tent evangelists of the post World War II period in the United States. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Coe was ordained in the Assemblies of God in 1944, and began to preach while still serving in World War II. The World Assemblies of God Fellowship, or Assemblies of God for short is the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with over 283413 churches and outstations After receiving a miraculous healing, Coe felt called of God to the gospel ministry. For the next twelve years Coe would be a leading proponent of divine healing and organize many tent revivals to spread his message. Faith healing is the attempt to use Religious or spiritual means such as Prayer, mental practices spiritual insights or other techniques to prevent Coe was hospitalized and diagnosed with bulbar polio in December 1956 and soon succumbed to the virus. Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral Infectious disease spread from person to person primarily via
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Early life
Jack Coe was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma one of seven children to George and Blanche Coe. Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. Jack’s early years at home were filled with deprivation due to his father’s [George] addiction to gambling and alcohol. After an episode of gambling where the family lost everything, Blanche left George and moved the children and herself to Pennsylvania, but soon reconciled with George. It wasn't long before George was back to gambling and drinking, and Blanche left him, this time taking their only daughter with her. George could not cope with raising six boys and soon Blanche returned for the boys. However, the reunion with the children dissolved when she could not take care of this large family by herself. At age nine [1927] Jack and the oldest boy was placed in an orphanage, where he stayed until about 1935, when at age 17 Jack left the orphanage.
Conversion and Early Ministry
Before his conversion to Christianity, Jack's life was filled with uncertainty and drinking. His alcohol consumption brought a warning from his doctor that he was on the path of dying at a young age. Coe continued drinking and wandered between California and Texas, constantly pledging to God that he would stop. Years later, Coe would recount the experience that turned his life around. Jack testified that the Lord spoke to him during one of his drinking binges and said “This is your last chance. ” Jack shook off alcohol and soon became a devout Christian attending church and studying the Bible. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Jack attended Southwestern Bible Institute at Enid, Oklahoma (an Assembly of God Bible school), but he left the school after the start of World War Two and joined the Army. Southwestern Assemblies of God University ( SAGU) is an undergraduate and graduate institution of higher learning located in Waxahachie Texas, USA. Enid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. The Population was 47045 at the 2000 census. The World Assemblies of God Fellowship, or Assemblies of God for short is the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with over 283413 churches and outstations World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Coe continued his ties with the Assemblies of God, and preached several meetings while he was in the Army [eventually being ordained in 1944]. Coe said that he felt truly called to ministry [this is during 1945] after he experienced a divine healing from malaria, in which the doctors said they couldn’t treat, and announced that God had called him to heal the sick, cause the blind to see, and restore hearing to the deaf. Malaria is a vector -borne Infectious disease caused by Protozoan Parasites It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions including True to his word, Coe soon began traveling the country. A year later [1946] Coe and his wife Juanita sold their house and bought an old truck and used tent and began to live on the road as itinerate preachers, taking the message of God and healing to whoever would hear them.
Tent Evangelist
Coe was dynamic and enthusiastic in his beliefs. Coe knew Oral Roberts and was taken in by the size of Robert’s revival tent. Granville Oral Roberts (born January 24, 1918, in Ada OK) is an American neo-Pentecostal Televangelist and is also a One day Coe went to a Roberts’s tent meeting and measured his tent. He then ordered one bigger. Coe was not bashful about announcing that his tent was the largest in the world [220 feet by 440 feet] seating over 22,000 people-bigger, he claims, than the one Barnum-and-Bailey Circus used.
Other Ministries
In 1950, Coe left as co-editor of the Voice of Healing magazine and began his own magazine, which he called the Herald of Healing. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Coe had worked with fellow evangelist Gordon Lindsay on the Voice of Healing, but Jack wanted his own magazine. James Gordon Lindsay (1906-1973 was born in Zion Illinois. His parents were disciples of John Alexander Dowie, the father of healing revivalism in America The magazine, at the time of his death, was circulating at around 350,000 copies. Around the same time Coe opened a children's orphanage at Waxahachie, Texas, and built the Dallas Revival Center which became one of the largest churches in Dallas by 1954. Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States. The population was 21426 at the 2000 census Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar)
Conflict With His Denomination
Coe’s revival messages centered upon healing, and he was adamant about not taking medicines and visiting doctors. He preached and taught that consulting a doctor was connected with the mark of the beast. During an era that some call the “Religious Wars,” the Assemblies of God expelled Coe (1953) on the grounds the he was "misleading the public. A religious war is a War caused by religious differences It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different The World Assemblies of God Fellowship, or Assemblies of God for short is the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with over 283413 churches and outstations Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. " Coe was also accused of having an extravagant lifestyle and home. Upon hearing that, Coe printed pictures of four homes owned by some top officials in the AG and the homes of himself and three other men who worked with him. To Coe's defenders, the homes of Coe and of those who worked alongside of him were modest compared to the church officials. It is probable that Coe was not being singled out because other noted evangelists were being pressured to be more orthodox in their beliefs, preaching, and claims.
Coe's Arrest and Acquittal
Coe taught and preached fervently on divine healing. It would be during a revival service he was holding in Miami, Florida in 1956, that Coe’s beliefs would be brought into the national arena. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Coe was arrested and charged on February 6th, 1956 with practicing medicine without a license. This was a felony conviction in the state of Florida. His arrest stemmed from an incident that occurred during a crusade in Miami, Florida. Coe had prayed for a boy, George Clark, who was stricken with polio. Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral Infectious disease spread from person to person primarily via Coe told the boy's mother (Mrs. Ann Clark), "If you believe Jesus heals the child, take the braces off, and leave them off. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) " She removed the braces from the boy's legs, but as he attempted to take a step, he collapsed to the floor. Mrs. Clark did not immediately put the braces back on her son, but soon the boy's legs began to swell she took him to a doctor. The doctor said the braces need to be on the boy, but first she consulted with Coe via a letter. Coe failed to answer her letter, so she contacted the police. Coe’s trial brought national attention to healing revival movement. It is reported that the Miami Herald newspaper switchboard was overloaded with telephone calls and broke down due to its inability to handle the capacity of calls. The Miami Herald is a daily Newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered in Downtown Miami Florida. After a short but highly publicized trial, the judge dismissed the case. Actual Dade County court records [1] reflect reasons why the judge dismissed the case. In the opinion of the judge, there was overwhelming evidence in the form of testimonies[2] from individuals who claimed to have been healed by God through the ministry of Jack Coe. It was also noted that medical professionals were often in attendance at the services and were prepared to submit medical evidence to substantiate the claims of actual healings. Furthermore, Jack Coe never claimed to be a healer, but he only prayed for the sick. Although faith healers and their doctrine of divine healing remains a highly controversial subject, there are undisputable facts, evidence and testimonies worthy of consideration.
Untimely Death
Just a few months later (December 1956) Coe was hospitalized after he fell ill while holding a revival at Hot Springs, Arkansas. Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the US state of Arkansas, the County seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot What Coe felt was just fatigue and exhaustion caused by his demanding schedule, was actually bulbar polio, and he succumbed to this disease in just a few weeks at Dallas Parkland Hospital, on December 16, 1956. Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral Infectious disease spread from person to person primarily via
NOTE: There is some discrepancy to the exact date and place of Coe's death. Some sources cite his death as occurring in December 1956 or January 1957. Also sources cite his place of death in Dallas, Texas or Hot Springs, Arkansas. Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the US state of Arkansas, the County seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot The New York Times and The Oklahoman ran obituaries on December 17, 1956. The Oklahoman is the largest daily and statewide Newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the Oklahoma City area The Oklahoman ran the headline "Bulbar Polio Fatal To Dallas Faith Healer. The Oklahoman is the largest daily and statewide Newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the Oklahoma City area " The New York Times ran the headline to his obituary: JACK COE IS DEAD AT 38. Texas Evangelist Succumbs to Bulbar Polio in Dallas. Dateline Dallas, Texas, December 16 (AP). - Jack Coe, an evangelist died today at Parkland Hospital of Bulbar Poliomyelitis. His age was 38. Mr. Coe operated the Dallas Revival Center and the Herald of Healing at Waxahachie, Texas, about thirty miles south of here. Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States. The population was 21426 at the 2000 census He preached extensively throughout the south, and employed some eighty persons, including a staff at Waxahachie-where he taped a radio broadcast. His wife, Rev. Juanita Geneva Scott Coe of Lancaster, Texas died on September 27, 1996 and was burial in Laurel Land Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas. Lancaster is a City in Dallas County, Texas ( USA) As of the 2000 U Mrs. Coe outlived her husband Jack by just days short of 40 years.
Legacy and Influence
Jack Coe during his brief tenure [1944-1956] was an up and coming evangelist whose unfortunate death while in his 30s, cut short his ministry and it would be speculation to claim Coe’s influence was generational. After his death, A. A. Allen bought his tent and continued on with large tent meetings. A A Allen (March 27 1911 - June 11 1970 was born Asa A Allen at Sulphur Rock Arkansas into the Methodist church Coe’s magazine ceased publications, his Jack Coe Revival Center was renamed, and his orphanage is under other’s care. However, Coe is viewed as a pioneer by Oral Roberts, Kenneth E. Hagin, and several others, and acknowledge him as a trailblazer in the faith and healing movement.
Dallas Revial Center was located at 2127 South Corinth St Rd . They also had a Christian day school there K-12. Many well known evangelists came from every where to speak. One well known pastor, who was just a child when he preached there years ago, Tommy Barnett, now pastors a large, well-known church (Phoenix First Assembly of God) in Phoenix, Arizona. Tommy Barnett is pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in the United States, Phoenix First Assembly of God in Phoenix Arizona. Phoenix First Assembly of God or Phoenix First as it is commonly called in short within the Assemblies of God denomination is a MegaChurch in Phoenix
Jack Coe's son, Jack Coe, Jr. is now a preacher with a healing ministry. [1]
References
- ^ http://www.jackcoe.com Jack Coe Ministries Website
External links
- God's Generals : Jack Coe [3]
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