WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita’s most outspoken evangelical leader, the Rev. Joe Wright of Central Christian Church, has announced his retirement effective July 1st. Wright has been a preacher for some 35 years.
When he was called to lead Central Christian Church in 1987 by a struggling group of 600 believers, no one suspected Wright’s unwavering stance on moral issues and unashamed proclamation of the Bible would earn him the respect of the national evangelical community; a place at the table with James Dobson, Sean Hannity, and Don Wildmon; or the title of “Pastor” to some 3,000+ church-goers every weekend.
Four short years into Wright’s pastorate at Central, Operation Rescue came to town. Soon thousands of Wichita locals poured into the streets to stand for the lives of unborn boys and girls. Wright’s leadership during the “Summer of Mercy,” speaking at pro-life rallies and praying at the “abortion mills” (as he called them) encouraged rescuers. Wright met with over 75 members of the clergy to pray and fast three days for revival and the end to abortion. Before 35,000 people on August 25, 1991, Wright dubbed himself a “repentant pastor,” apologizing for not standing sooner against the murder of children.
Through the years, Wright has continued to unflinchingly defend the lives of preborn children — and more recently, the foundational family. Last year, it was his example that inspired and motivated hundreds of clergy state-wide to speak up and stand strong and vote for God-ordained marriage. Without his relentless efforts on behalf of unions between one man and one woman, the Kansas marriage amendment of 2005 may very well have failed.
Pastor Wright’s most hailed “claim to fame” is the prayer he gave before the Kansas Senate on January 23, 1996, sparking more than 18,000 letters to his church, three mentions on Paul Harvey’s newscast, and hundreds of email chain letters to this day.
Wright, together with Pastor Terry Fox of Immanuel Baptist, will continue to host “Answering the Call” a issues-based call-in talk show Sunday evenings 7-9 Central Time on 1330 KNSS and Sirius radio. The team started the weekly show in December 2004.
“I have long admired Pastor Joe’s tenacious loyalty to the Lord. God used this servant to accomplish much on behalf of the unborn and the family. He faithfully believed the Bible, fervently preached the gospel, and fearlessly declared the truth. I expectantly await what Jesus will do in and through Joe Wright in the future!” –Troy Newman, President, Operation Rescue
Yep! This pastor and his church not only stood with us in ’91 but his congregates fed and befriended us as well. Using their resources to fight against the baby slaughter.
When I got out of jail on a 4th rescue arrest, my ride home had left and I had $7.00 to my name. Yet I stayed another 3 weeks because of repentant folk like Wright, Fox and their respetive churches.
Each morning the foyer of the Wichita Plaza was filled with pastries and fruits. And at lunch the Catholic Church fed out of state rescuers.
At night rescuers shared their room with others because they did not want us to leave and the killing to start again.
I chose to sleep in the day and take the night shift at Tiller’s abortuary. Folks would come to the killing center because they knew that Christians would be there. That killing center became a lighthouse of hope in that community.
I was able to lead four men to Christ that month in ’91 and Joe Washburn and I even baptized one young man in the swimming pool of the Wichita Plaza Hotel.
Thanks are extended to this pastor and the Christian community for making that month a time the angels rejoiced over.
We certainly have been blessed with some good pastors across this nation. And some awfully bad ones too. If only there were more good ones, then- we might be able to have a flock that could/would stand against the wolves of abortion.
pastor joe wright will be missed all the years he has been at church helping people and bringing god back into peoples life.i have been a member for 3 years now and ever time i go to that church he always comes up and says hi to everybody. Pastor Joe wright is a good man. He is pro life and loves to be a round kids. When pastor Joe wright went into surgery for an open heart transplant we all preayed for him to make it threw and he did when he came back he told us the hole story he said that he was druged but he felt almost everything it was terrible he said he just prayed to god and said please let me get threw this and he got threw it and know he is a healthy pastor and acts like a younger person then he really is he helps people by praying and telling god that he needs a prayer. well gotta go god bless breanna rose and greg rose and alexis rose
We need more Pastors like this man.
Could you please tell me who the parents of Rev. Joe Wright
are?
I was raised in Disciple of Christ (Central Christian Church)
in Georgia.
One of our beloved ministers was Rev. Orville Wright.
I was wondering if Rev. Joe Wright was the son of Rev. Orville and Sally Wright.
Thank you.
Sandra