~ “Well Done!” ~
Earl D.
Radmacher (November 29, 1931– December 8, 2014) – personal friend and
mentor.
Earl was an internationally
respected theologian. As author of and
contributor to many books, perhaps he is best known as the General Editor of
the “Nelson Study Bible” (a.k.a. “New King James Study Bible”), which in my
opinion remains the finest study Bible available.
Earl and I were
both students at Sunnyside Grade School in Portland, Oregon (Earl was 10 years
ahead of me). Like myself, he had fond
memories of Perky, an elderly lady who operated a store across from the
playground at Sunnyside. We also both attended
every meeting (over a 6-week period) held by Billy Graham in the summer of 1950
in Portland, Oregon. It was here that
Earl gave his life to Christ. I
committed my life into Christ’s care 10 years later.
I first heard
Earl’s name in the early 1960s when one of my spiritual mentors (R. Fred
Elliot, father of martyred missionary Jim Elliot) mentioned him to me in very
favorable terms. It was a short time
later that we met for the first time.
What a privilege to be personal friends for decades.
He was
President of Western Seminary (1965—90) and later Chancellor. At the time of his appointment he was the
youngest seminary president in the country.
Earl would lead the seminary with great skill and innovation. “Dr. R,” as he was referred to by many of his
students, was fond of saying, “This life is training time for reigning
time.”
Our many
times together were always rich fellowship.
I’ll never forget his direct statement to me, “Bob, never forget that while you can cannot change God’s
character you can damage His reputation.”
On another instance while discussing
pastoral styles he quipped, “There is a world
of difference between leading sheep and driving cattle.”
Earl
never tired of quoting and expounding on his personal life verse, “But we all, with unveiled face,
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the
same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2
Corinthians 3:18).
During
his life of serving God, Earl traveled literally millions of miles, taught
thousands of hours in churches and conferences, and influenced unknown
thousands around the world for the kingdom of God.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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