Dr. Larry W. Draper, age 75, of Rome, GA, passed away peacefully at home Wednesday evening, August 21, 2019.
Dr. Draper was one of the premier preachers of our generation. He was a faithful expositor of the Word of God. He preached the Word with confidence, without apology, and without compromise. Dr. Draper believed the purpose of all preaching is to confront man with the reality of God until man comes to understand that he is a sinner before a holy God and he cannot save himself. There is no one to save him but Jesus and there is no other way but His way.
Dr. Draper never lost the wonder of who we are in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is everything and everything is in Jesus Christ. At the heart of his preaching was Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
"Eer since by faith I saw the stream, Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die:
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue, Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, Ill sing Thy power to save:"
Dr. Draper was born in Chattanooga, TN, on July 21, 1944, son of Eleanor McClure Draper and the late James H. Draper. Dr. Draper has served as full-time evangelist under the auspices of Sound the Trumpet Ministries, Inc. since March 1995. Sound the Trumpet Ministries is a worldwide evangelistic ministry pledged to focus at least one-tenth of its efforts on foreign missions and the remainder in the United States. Dr. Draper had made fifty-five mission trips to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Crimea, and Siberia for the purpose of establishing churches and providing training for pastors in the former Soviet bloc. He has also helped train pastors and preach in Pakistan, Ecuador, Haiti, Nepal, and Greece. Over 400 churches were planted overseas under his ministry. A graduate of Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Draper attended Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He received the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministries degrees from Luther Rice Seminary in Jacksonville, Florida. A former minister of music, Dr. Draper served local churches for 32 years as pastor, which include Woodland Park Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Roebuck Park Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama; and West Rome Baptist Church, Rome, Georgia. This year marked his fifty-eighth anniversary in preaching the Gospel.
Dr. Draper is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Sandra Harper Draper, whom he married June 24, 1966; two daughters, Kelli Draper and Kimberly Draper; mother, Eleanor Draper; brother-in-law, Rodney Harper; two nephews, Jeremy and Chad Harper. A host of other relative and friends also survive.
Funeral services for Dr. Draper will be Monday, August 26, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church of Rome with Rev. Michael Rodgers and Dr. Edwin Hayes officiating. Interment will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. in Hamilton Memorial Gardens in Hixon, TN.
The family will receive friends Sunday evening, August 25, 2019, at Salmon Funeral Home from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m.
Pallbearers are asked to meet at the church on Monday by 1:30 p.m. and include Rodney Harper, Jeremy Harper, Chad Harper, Darby Hopper, Shad Smith and Joe Driver.
In lieu of flowers the family request memorial contributions be made to Sound the Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 2459, Rome, GA 30164.
Dr. Drapers family extends their sincere thanks and appreciation to the staff of Transitions Hospice of Rome for their diligent love and care for Dr. Draper.
The staff of Salmon Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Dr. Larry W. Draper.
Sunday, August 25, 2019
4:00 - 7:00 pm (Eastern time)
Salmon Funeral Home and Cremation Services
Monday, August 26, 2019
Starts at 2:00 pm (Eastern time)
Calvary Baptist Church
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
Hamilton Memorial Gardens
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