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By RICH SHOPES

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 26, 2008

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  Forrest Pollock

  Preston Pollock

BRANDON - The Rev. Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, arranged more than 18 months ago to visit the Rev. Forrest Pollock, the senior pastor at Bell Shoals Baptist Church.

Pollock and Page had been friends for 10 years, and Bell Shoals was inviting guest speakers from across the country. The church was building a 3,450-seat sanctuary. A dedication ceremony is set for next Sunday.

But Sunday, instead of celebrating the new $24 million facility, Page, a pastor from suburban Greenville, N.C., stood at a lectern remembering his friend and their friendship and consoling Bell Shoals' grieving members.

The church lost its senior pastor in a plane crash two weeks ago in the mountainous terrain of western North Carolina.

"I loved Forrest Pollock, and I miss Forrest Pollock," Page said. "When I heard the news Pollock's plane was missing almost two weeks ago, I sent the word for 16 million Southern Baptists to pray for Bell Shoals Baptist Church. They're still praying for you.

"I've heard from people across the world who are praying for you."

Page described Pollock as "fun, self-effacing, just the greatest guy" and a rising star in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Pollock, 44, died May 12 while piloting a single-engine Piper aircraft from Rutherford County Airport to Little Rock, Ark., where he had planned to pick up another passenger for a flight to a Christian networking conference in Texas.

His six-seat plane crashed near Cold Mountain, about 20 miles outside Ashville, N.C.

Pollock's only passenger, his 13-year-old son, Preston, also died in the crash.

Page spoke for about 25 minutes Sunday. He said Pollock risked his political future in the church to support him over other candidates two years ago when he sought his first one-year term.

"He in his kindness said, 'I'd be glad to nominate you, Frank. I said, 'No thank you.' I said, 'Forrest, everybody knows you'll be president of the Southern Baptist Convention someday. You've got the looks. You got the teeth. You got the great church. Everybody knows that.'"

Pollock went on to give one of the most memorable nominating speeches in recent history at the convention. Page said the speech was one reason he was elected.

"I loved Forrest Pollock. He stood behind me. He asked everybody to vote for me. He became my biggest cheerleader. I got to tell you, I honor that man. I miss that man."

Pollock led Bell Shoals for 5 1/2 years.

A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board said the plane crashed at 5:33 a.m. May 12.

The combination of overcast, predawn skies, Pollock's skill level and the terrain may have contributed to the crash. The final NTSB report likely will take months to complete.

In talking about Pollock's death, Page quoted from Isaiah:

"And although the earthly throne is empty, the heavenly throne is filled with the presence of the almighty God of the universe," he said.

"The senior pastor position here may be vacant, but the senior God position is filled. We need to contemplate the presence of God.

"Many of you have been asking an unanswerable question. You've called out, 'Why did this happen?' And everybody just looked at you and said, 'I'm sorry. I cannot answer that.' We cannot answer the why, but we can answer the who. Who is on the throne? The holy lord God."

Afterward, church members said they appreciated Page's comments.

"The fact that he took time out to talk about Forrest was very touching," said Mary Zentkovich of Dover. "Our feeling is not sad for Forrest because he's in heaven. We feel sorry for his family."

"It was moving to hear how this pastor spoke," said Wendy West of Lithia. "It was about healing."

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or rshopes@tampatrib.com.

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