Christian Research Institute - Ministry Post-1989

Ministry Post-1989

On June 26, 1989 Martin died at his home of a heart attack at age 60. The news of Martin's death was reported in various Christian periodicals. Hank Hanegraaff succeeded Martin as the ministry's president.

Both at the time of Martin's death and then in the immediate years to follow, several staff researchers associated with CRI began to emerge as authors of various countercult apologetics books. These authors included Richard Abanes, Robert M. Bowman, Craig Hawkins, Elliot Miller, Ron Rhodes, and Kenneth Samples. Many of these authors left CRI and started their organizations.

Hanegraaff's presidency of CRI has been dogged by criticism and controversy. A public dispute has emerged between Walter Martin's family and Hanegraaff concerning his succession to the CRI presidency. In 2000 Martin's widow and eldest daughter called for the removal of Hanegraaff as CRI president The parting of the ways is further reflected in the action taken in 1998 by Martin's eldest daughter and son-in-law, Jill Martin-Rische and Kevin Rische when they established Walter Martin Ministries. They continue distributing Walter Martin's various audio-lectures and are rebroadcasting his radio messages as a program called Essential Christianity. They have published a posthumous version of Martin's book The Kingdom of the Cults, collated some of his other lectures in Through the Windows of Heaven, and also produced a book on the occult that is partly based on Martin's recorded lectures and some publications.