Tragic triumph

Campus pastor hailed as ‘walking miracle’

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom,” cried the Psalmist thousands of years ago in the 90th Psalm. This ancient plea resonates deeply in the soul of Liberty University Campus Pastor Dr. Charles Hughes, affectionately known as “Liberty’s walking miracle.”

“The doctors say that Charles may have minutes to live, but we are trusting the Lord for a miracle in his life,” wrote Charles Hughes’ wife after his tragic car accident and ten-week long coma 37 years ago.

While Hughes remained in the coma, Dr. Jerry Falwell persisted that believers all over America pray for this man and decreed, “Lord willing, next year’s commencement speaker will be Charles Hughes.”

Sure enough, one year later, the man once standing at death’s door was standing proudly on Liberty’s stage for the 1979 commencement ceremony.

Charles Hughes’ father, Dr. Robert L. Hughes, founding dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, adopted Charles Hughes from an orphanage in Philadelphia, Mississippi, when Charles Hughes was 8 years old. The loving adoption by his earthly father helped Hughes to understand the divine adoption by his heavenly father.

Charles Hughes later obeyed the call the Lord placed on his life to preach and evangelize all over America.

Charles Hughes pastored multiple churches all over the United States. In 1998, he became the first graduate of Lynchburg Christian Academy to earn the Doctor of Ministry degree. In addition to being a campus pastor, he is the founder of the Prayer Center. Student workers and volunteers gather together each day at the Prayer Center to lift up requests from residential and online students.

“Dr. Hughes is constantly overflowing with joy,” Student Manager of the Prayer Center Sara Trammel said. “I’ve never encountered a conversation with him where he hasn’t mentioned God’s love and goodness. He is definitely passionate about prayer.”

TAYLOR is a feature reporter.