Fort Lauderdale, FL - Dr. D. James Kennedy, a great visionary and pastor, passed away early this morning at the age of 77. Liberty Counsel offers condolences and prayers for his wife, Ann, his daughter, Jennifer, the rest of the Kennedy family and the entire Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church community.

Dr. Kennedy's life changed one Sunday morning in 1953, when he was startled awake by a preacher's stern question on his clock radio: "Suppose you were to die today and stand before God, and He were to ask you, 'What right do you have to enter into My heaven?' - what would you say?" Dr. Kennedy soon discovered the answer, was converted to Christ, and shortly thereafter was called into the ministry.

Dr. Kennedy's televised messages were broadcast from the 10,000-member Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to an audience of some three million people across the United States and into some 200 nations. His vision of changing the world was brought to life through the creation and implementation of various ministries, including Coral Ridge Ministries, Evangelism Explosion International, Knox Theological Seminary, and Westminster Academy.

"Dr. Kennedy was a preacher who was committed to evangelism and cultural renewal. He was a courageous leader who stood for Christian and moral principles and never flinched from God's call on his life. I consider him one of my mentors and a good friend. He activated a new generation of Christian leaders. His legacy will live on through the lives of those of us he inspired. He will be greatly missed," said Mathew Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law.

Staver continued: "I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Dr. Kennedy for many years and appeared many times on his weekly television broadcast. When I was the graduation speaker three years ago at his Westminster Academy, I told him how impressed I was at the astounding academic success of the graduating class. At that graduation, all but two of the 100 plus graduates had already been accepted to college. Two years ago I invited him to Liberty University, where he spoke to the student body during convocation and where about 10,000 voices sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. During his tour of the law school he was impressed to see that a new generation of lawyers was being trained in Christian law school."