“I thought I was heading into oblivion,” he said. “It was scary—and exciting.”
Huffman thrived in Florida, though, getting an opportunity to minister not only to the president but also to an island of young professionals who wanted to grow in their faith and a rotating cast of powerful people spending time on Florida’s beaches and golf courses.
He was careful to “just preach the gospel,” he said, regardless of who was in church, and to remember he was preaching to everyone, not just the most powerful person in the room.
“There may have been someone else in the congregation who needed to hear what I said more than the president,” he said. “You’re there to serve the Lord. That’s the important part. Let the chips fall where they may.”
The year after Huffman told Nixon to confess, he accepted a call to be pastor at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Pittsburgh, a prestigious pulpit at a respected and historic congregation. Decision magazine did a photo essay on the church while Huffman was there, naming it “one of the great churches in America.”
We mourn the loss of Rev. Dr. John A. Huffman, Jr., beloved friend, supporter, and former board chair. His life and legacy shaped Gordon-Conwell from its earliest days. Please join us in prayer for his family.
— Gordon-Conwell (@GordonConwell) September 29, 2025
Read more: https://t.co/B5s9yM8dRw
#GordonConwell pic.twitter.com/mc9Aj8LGtk