UPDATE: Henry Blackaby, 78, was found safe Friday night, according to Twitter posts by family members.
“He has been found!” his son, Richard Blackaby, posted about 9 p.m. Friday. “Doctors are checking him to see if he is OK, but he is safe. THANK YOU for your prayers!”
Another son, Mel, tweeted at about 8:45 p.m.: “We are rejoicing tonight. [They] have just found Dad. Checking him over physically. Traumatic 28 hrs. Thanks for prayers! Family of God!”
Blackaby was found by a state trooper in Tifton, Ga., according to Atlanta TV station FOX5. Tifton is about 180 miles south of the Atlanta area where Blackaby lives.
Richard Blackaby later posted that his father suffered a heart attack while driving in Atlanta on Thursday and became disoriented before driving around for the next 29 hours. The elder Blackaby is scheduled for quadruple bypass surgery on Tuesday.
Blackaby, one of Southern Baptists’ most beloved Bible teachers, had been missing since Thursday, Sept. 19, around 4 p.m. Eastern time.
His son Richard, in a notice posted today Sept. 20 on Twitter around 8 a.m. Eastern, stated: “Please pray. Henry Blackaby has been missing since 4 p.m. Thursday. He is in black Lincoln without his diabetic medicine in Atlanta area.”
Around 11 a.m. Friday, Richard Blackaby posted an update on Twitter, asking for ongoing prayer and stating: “His credit card has been used within 6 miles of his home. Missing for 19 hours. Police continue to search.”
In a third Twitter notice, Richard Blackaby reported: “As of 12:30 Henry is still missing. Believed in the Atlanta area. Is Type 2 diabetic. No insulin. Please pray.”
In a fourth tweet, he stated: “As of 5 p.m. he has not been located. Police still searching. 100s of volunteers searching. Please continue to pray!”
Prayers for Blackaby were circulated by various Southern Baptist leaders and over the PrayerLink network of Baptist workers who lead intercessory prayer initiatives. And a report of his disappearance has been on local TV in the Atlanta area.
Blackaby is best known for the “Experiencing God” Bible study he coauthored with Claude King. The discipleship resource, first published in 1990, has sold more than 7 million copies in 45 languages. Blackaby is retired from the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board but has continued to lead prayer and spiritual awakening conferences internationally. His ministry began as a pastor in his native Canada. He later became president of the forerunners of the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary and College and the Canadian National Baptist Convention.
— With reporting from Art Toalston, editor of Baptist Press.