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'~ach day is a gift' Etowah pastor finds special ministry after cancer dia • no zs

BY DENISE DEMAIO Time-News Staff Writer

To receive a doctorate, a candidate must beco e an expert in a particular field. If anyone could be an

expert in dealing with terminal ill-ness and those suffering from ter-minal illness, the ~ David Hyde, 42. pastor of 1:<,towah Baptist Church. fits the description.

When the Rev . .J4ike Jirajth of Fruitland Baptist hurch approached Cumberland College, Williamsburg, Ky., with Hyde's ministerial history. the trustees agreed. T he Rev. David Hyde is an expert in the field of dealing with terminal illness. He ha anc r -in his colon, liver and lungs - and continues with his ministry despite the illness.

On Sunday, May 17, Cumber-land College conferred an hon-orary doctor of divinity degree on Hyde - the only time such an honor has been bestowed in the college's 109 year history.

The Bryson City native is a graduate of Cumberland College, and received a master of divinity degree from Southern Baptist The-ological Seminary, Louisville. Ky. He pastored a church in Mocksville before being called to the Etowah church 11 years ago.

It had been hi dream to pursu and obtain a doctorate in divinity. He and Smith began study in a atellite doctorate program set up

by Southern in Asheville. He had just completed his second semes-ter when he was diagnosed with cancer in April 1994. The odds of the 38-year-old having cancer was about two percent. In June of 1994, he had surgery and then in November 1994, doctors con-firmed that the cancer had pread to his liver.

Hyde has battled back from death' door on several occasions. During one bout, he was hospital-ized in Winston-Salem for over a month. Friends and family were told at one point that if they wanted to see him alive, they should come to the hospital immediately.

"I have had several friends tell me 'If I ever saw a d ad man, you were it,' '' said Hyde during an

interview Wednesday. "I got out of the hospital in February 1996 and in April 1996 was told that the extraordinary measures used dur-ing my hospital stay had saved my life, but they had not fixed any-thing."

Doctors predicted that Hyde could expect to survive about eight months if he submitted to chemotherapy treatment. If not, he would die within six to nine months. He opted for quality of life over quantity of life and chose not to take chemotherapy. In Novem-ber 1996, he was told he could expect to live another three months or so.

"Gratefully, they've been wrong," said Hyde. "I've had a bunch of people praying for me.·•

Since then, Hyde has minis-tered to others fighting the same battles while continuing to fight his own.

'The difficulty for me comes in visiting in hospital rooms (of peo-ple terminally ill with cancer) because there's a great deal of transference th re. I recognize

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The Rev. David Hyde, left, received an honorary doctor of divinity degree in a special service at his church, Etowah Baptist, May 17. Cumberland Col-lege, represented by Dr. James Tay-lor, right, conferred the degree on Hyde - the only time such an honor has been bestowed in the college's 109 year history. The 42-year-old pastor was working on earning his doctor-ate when he was diagnosed with cancer in 1994. Since then, he has continued to minis-ter, especially to others coping with the disease.

MICHAEL JUSTUS/TIMES-NEWS

that the role could be reversed. That's the most difficult - when I go in and talk with someone, it's a constant reminder of where I am, along with where they are.

'The disease is unfair," Hyde said. "It doesn't fight fair. If it fought fair, more folks would beat it. Cancer attack not only physi-cally, but in every avenue of life -emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially, and in relationships.

"I had a lady sharing with me just the other day. She wondered why her husband (who is suffering from cancer) gets so irritable. Her relationship with her husband was suffering.

"I explained to her that when you feel so bad that it's hard to lift your hand, you feel sick and nau-seated. irritability just goes with it. The person's not mad at you. he just feel bad."

Of course, the diagnosis and the subsequent battle put his goal of obtaining a doctorate on the back burner. Smith knew about Hyde's dream and understood that, to Hyde. the degree was more than just a title.

It was an opportunity to prepare himself better for the ministry.

"A few weeks ago, I hadn't been thinking about anything like this at all," said Smith. "Then one day, thoughts started running through my head about David. If he were pronounced totally free of cancer, he probably would not pursue the doctor of ministry again because it would take up too much time -time with his family, time with his church. In the past few years he has found out that time is precious.

"If he didn't survive, he would-n't achieve his dream. So it dawned on me, 'Why wouldn't Cumberland confer a doctor of divinity on him?' I talked to his wife and asked what she thought and she became excit-ed.

"It occurred to me that in order to receive a doctorate you must become an expert in a particular area. He had become an expert in terminal illness and how to deal with people with terminal illness. H had earned a doctorate."

Smith contacted Dr. John Broome, a former professor of

Hyde's at Cumberland College. Broome explained the protocol involved in making such an honor come about. Smith contacted Hyde's doctors, the professors who had been supervising his doc-toral studies at Southern, area pas-tors and others who had been touched by Hyde's ministry, and urged them to write letters to Cum-berland on his behalf. Dozens of people responded.

"I have to think it was providen-tial," said Smith. "I had not thought about it, but the decision required a vote of the college trustees. The trustees were to meet two or three weeks after the process began, and all the information got there for the meeting. The trustees considered it and unanimously voted to approve it."

James Taylor, president of the college, and Dr. Joe Early, vice president for academic affairs, traveled to Etowah Baptist Church to personally confer the doctorate on Hyde.

"I am trying to survive in spite of the terminal diagnosis," said Hyde. "Folks come asking me to visit friends and family members who have cancer. I don't know if I have ministered, but we sit and talk and I find that 1 don't have to act like I know how they feel. Just talking helps deal ~ith the feelings most cancer patients.

"A ministry of presence is the best ministry. I don't try to explain it. I never try to say I know how they feel, because I don't. I just want them to know I care. The best I can do is identify with them.

"If we can share our faith and our struggle, it helps."

Hyde has been married for 19 years and he and his wife, Lind_ Marie, have two children, Christy, 14, and Micah, 12.

"The thoughts of leaving them at this age - it's unbelievable to think about. As far as myself, I can look people in the eyes. My life ha been a good one. I have been blessed beyond measure.

"Sure I have had bumps in th road. But each day is a gift. Just to be alive is a gift. If I died today, I couldn't complain about the quality of my life. I've not accomplished everything I'd like to, but I've been

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Dedicated in Honor of

David Hyde David Hyde was born February 13, 1956 in Bryson City, Nonh Carolina, the Son

of the Reverend and Mrs. Jack Hyde, and was raised as a "pk" (preacher's kid), . After joining a church, David realized that he had never truly accepted Christ. He gave his hean and life to Jesus in his bedroom at the age of eleven. In high school he felt God calling him to preach. At first he feared that God could not use a person with a voice and comic personality like his, but he fmally surrender to God's call and was licensed to preach when he was eighteen. David graduated from Cumberland College with a B.A. degree and from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a M.Div. degree. He entered the Doctor of Ministry program at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, but is currently on interrupted status because of illness.

David manied Linda Marie in December 1978. They have two children; Christy Ann (10) and Michael David (9) . His parents and his sister's family live in this area. In 1986, David became pastor of Etowah Baptist Church. He has just celebrated his eighth anniversary with the congregation. He says that the church has been a tremendous blessing to his family, especially in the last several months. Since June of this year, David has been battling colon cancer, which has now spread to his liver. He appreciates all of the churches and people who have been praying for him and his family.

David has served as vice-moderator and moderator of the Carolina Baptist Association and on various committees. He says, "My true love is teaching and preaching. That's when I can let my hair down (what's left of it) and share with people concerning my wonderful Lord. I must admit that I try to find different ways of telling the gospel message. In fact, one of my greatest compliments came from a lady visiting our congregation who said 'You are really different from most preachers I've heard, but I learned a lot from you message'."

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Dedicated in Men1ory of

Dr. David E. Hyde David Hyde was born February 13, 1956 in Bryson City, North Carolina to Rev. and Mrs . Jack

Hyde. He gave his life to Jesus in his bedroom at the age of eleven. ln high school he felt God calling him to preach and was licensed \.vhen he was eighteen. David married Linda Marie (Samuelson) on December 30, 1978. They were blessed with two children, Christy (14) and Micah (13).

He was a 1978 graduate of Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Kentucky, and received his master of divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina in 1982. He entered the Doctor of Ministry program at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1993, but was interrupted because of illness that made it nccessaf) for him to drop out of the program. Then on May 17 1998 he received an honorary doctorate from Cumberland College.

He was youth and music director of Care Ba tist Church in Henderson, North Carolina from 1979 to 1982, the pastor of Blaise Baptist Church in Mocksville, North Carolina from 1982 to 1986, and in 1986 became pastor of Etowah Ba tist Church until the remainder of his ministry.

After battling with cancer for four years, David died in his home on August 14, 1998 at the age of 42. TI1roughout his struggle with cancer he ministered to fellow cancer patients and was always concerned for the well-being of others instead of himself. He loved the ministry and had a positive outlook on life. He v,1as loved by all who had the ·privilege to know him. We arc fortunate and we thank God for the time spent with David.

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