FALL 2019

ASK BOLDLY Is your prayer life stuck in a rut? Try the ABCDs.

DON SHIRE, THE TRUMPET- FORMER ATHEIST EARNS LEGACY ALUM BILL TAYLOR PLAYING MISSIONARY p.12 A MASTER OF DIVINITY p.22 ON FINISHING WELL p.24 FEBRUARY 4–7, 2020

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

with Kerwin Rodriguez ’09, Bryndan Loritts ’03, and Mark Jobe ’84 Alumni Day: Friday, February 7 • foundersweek.org moody.edu/alumnimag CONTENTS VOLUME 69, ISSUE 02 16 22

24

IN EVERY ISSUE

05 Moody Highlights 28 Life & Ministry Notes 32 Present with the Lord

Sellout 36 Why I Give 12 Don Shire left the business world to become a 38 Bold Steps trumpet-playing missionary. 39 Flash Back

Ask Boldly 16 Peter Grant offers ways to pull your prayer life out of a rut.

Finding Your Roots 18 Fourth-generation alum uncovers clues about her alumni relatives. 39 Back to School: Former Atheist 22 Earns a Master of Divinity ‘I never in a million years would have taken this path . . .’

Big Shoes to Fill 24 Global missionary Bill Taylor talks about finishing well.

Cover Photo by Lawance Bowlin MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 03 Good News Wherever You Go Moody Radio’s all-in-one app connection

GET MOODY RADIO’S NEW APP • Personalize the app with your favorite Moody Radio content • Connect with your local Moody Radio station • Listen to daily Today in the Word devotionals • Seamlessly connect with Android Auto and Apple Carplay • Easy to use—and free!

MR000492-2 Radio App Ad.indd 1 9/10/19 10:36 AM MOODY

New Mural Honors Emma Dryer’s Prayerful Persistence and Faith

new 20-foot mural painted by “It all comes down to her prayers,” says More tributes: A Moody student Isaac McLaugh- McLaughlin, a senior majoring in Evan- The Alumni lin is among several new cam- gelism and Discipleship. “She had a Auditorium was pus tributes to preserve the legacy of really strong passion for the Bible . . . recently renamed Chicago Bible teacher Emma Dryer. The and she wanted to make a school of Dryer Auditorium. mural depicts Emma in prayer, then the evangelists.” McLaughlin hopes the new An Emma Dryer people impacted by her prayers to estab- mural will give everyone on campus “a exhibit opens in lish a Bible school—D. L. Moody, Moody visual representation of Emma Dryer’s the D. L. Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, and the world. values and faithfulness.” n Museum in 2020.

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 05 HIGHLIGHTS

Left: A look inside one of Moody Moody Aviation Gets Aviation’s new Frasca flight simulators. Above: The Cessna airplane Flight Simulators, Plane arrives from MAF.

hanks to generous donors, Moody Aviation Conrad expressed gratitude for the donors, who T recently acquired three custom-made flight provided 87 percent of the funds needed to pur- simulators and a Cessna 185 airplane. chase the simulators. Moody’s capital funding paid The new Frasca advanced aviation training devic- the rest. es simulate the three Cessna airplanes in Moody Aviation’s fleet (172, 182, and 206), and are ideal for MAF Airplane training during inclement weather in the Pacific Moody Aviation is also grateful for the four-seat Northwest. Cessna 185 donated by Mission Aviation Fellow- “Dispatchability for training aircraft can be as ship. The retired aircraft, which was flown in Indo- low as 20 percent in December and January in nesia by Moody Aviation graduates over the years, Spokane, whereas the simulator lets us train inside will be used initially as a maintenance training whether it’s raining, snowing, or sleeting outside, rebuild project. “Our students will take the airplane and at lower student cost,” says Jim Conrad ’98, all apart and refurbish it. They’ll rebuild the air- Moody Aviation’s program manager. “That helps frame, overhaul the engine, and install new avion- tremendously.” ics, as part of their maintenance training,” says “Our students fly 15 to 20 hours in the simulator Conrad. “Then it will be released for service in our before they move into the airplane,” he adds. flight training curriculum.” The new devices replace aging simulators that The Cessna 185 is a high-performance tail wheel Moody Aviation used for two decades. “The simula- aircraft with a float conversion to take off and land tor is a computer,” Conrad says, “and how many in water. Moody Aviation will offer float training 20-year-old computers are still running well?” during parts of the year on the water runway at While simulators have been used to teach instru- Felts Field and on the many lakes around Spokane. ment flying, the new simulators can also introduce With more than 100 students in the five-year students to visual attitude flying—navigating by program, Moody Aviation values the partnership looking at the horizon outside and determining the with MAF, which loans instructors and has Moody airplane’s pitch and roll. They have a 210-degree, graduates serving with MAF. Conrad says, “We’re 10-foot-tall wrap-around projection display system. excited about what the Lord is doing in and through “It seems as if you’re flying a real airplane,” Conrad Moody Aviation’s staff and students and looking says. “So it’s very realistic, and we’re excited to be forward to many years of continued ministry to our able to deploy this in training for our students.” students.” n

06 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS Moody Radio Charleston Named for C. Donald Cole

Moody Radio’s newest station, Moody Radio Chicago Named WCDC, is on the air and broad- NRB Station of the Year casting in Charleston, South Car- olina, via 107.7 FM and AM 950. oody Radio Chicago was named Matt McNeilly The station call letters, WCDC, M Station of the Year by the National (center left) and were chosen to honor C. Donald Religious Broadcasters. Station man- Doug Hastings Cole, the longtime Moody Radio ager Matt McNeilly accepted the award during ’79 (center right) pastor who hosted Open Line, a the NRB’s annual convention in Anaheim, of Moody Radio Bible Q and A broadcast, from California, on March 29. receiving NRB’s 1982 to 2008. Pastor Cole was “WMBI 90.1 FM has been broadcasting the Station of the inducted into the National Reli- truth of God’s Word for 93 years, and we’re as Year Award. gious Broadcasters Hall of Fame dedicated today as we were in 1926 to help our in 2006. He died in 2012. listeners take the next step in their journey with Jesus Christ,” said “Pastor Cole’s life and minis- McNeilly. try left an indelible mark on this NRB, whose association includes more than 1,100 Christian broad- world for the gospel, and we are cast organizations, annually awards a station that is “innovative, local- overjoyed by the opportunity to ly focused, and that effectively impacts its market through community honor him through Moody Radio service, promotions, outreach, ratings, and/or other means.” Charleston,” said Doug Hast- Over the last year, Moody Radio Chicago’s morning show, Karl and ings ’79, Moody Radio’s vice Crew, has heard from more than 4,000 people who have dedicated president. or re-dedicated their lives to Christ because of the program’s biblical, Moody Radio has grown to in- gospel-centered teaching. Programs such as Money Wise Live, Open clude more than 70 stations, six Line, and In the Market with Janet Parshall are also reaching listen- digital stations, and more than ers with sound teaching. And Moody Radio Chicago and its listeners 1,500 affiliates that carry its pro- partnered with Bible League International to provide thousands of gramming. “We believe the great Bibles to people who lack God’s Word in their language. city of Charleston is a terrific fit “WMBI remains a model for broadcasting excellence—a vital minis- for us, where listeners will con- try that is richly deserving of this recognition,” said Troy Miller, NRB’s nect with and embrace Moody interim president and chief executive officer. n Radio programming,” he said. n

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 07 HIGHLIGHTS

Retiring O’Neal Promoted to from Moody Associate Provost Dr. Larry Davidhizar ’74 calls his retirement “sort of an end of an r. Bryan O’Neal ’87, vice president and dean of era.” Then he explains how he ar- D Moody Bible Institute Distance Learning, has been rived on campus in the first grade promoted to vice president and associate provost of (1960), when his parents left their academic affairs and assessment. Indiana farm so his dad could at- “Bryan has been a valued member of Moody Bible Institute for tend Moody. Larry enrolled as a a number of years, both from the faculty side and the administra- freshman in 1971, and notes that tive side,” said Dr. Mark Jobe, Moody’s president. “He continues there has been a Davidhizar on to bring to his leadership role a deep and abiding commitment campus every year since then (so to the Lord and His Word, as well as a vast amount of ministry many, in fact, that the family will experience and passion for our legacy as an alum.” be an interesting story in a later Dr. O’Neal will oversee all academic programs for undergrad- issue of the magazine). uate, online, and seminary programs. His appointment is part He later earned a ThM from of a streamlined administrative leadership structure announced Dallas Theological Seminary and earlier this year that eliminated four vice president positions a PhD from Loyola University of (associate provost and dean of faculty, dean of MBI, dean of Chicago. After returning to Moody MTS, and dean of MBIDL). Four newly appointed associate in 1984, he served as associate deans, already working in Education, are stepping into expanded dean of student leadership, dean roles and will report to Dr. O’Neal: Dr. David Woodall as the of the undergraduate school, and associate dean of academic affairs; Dr. Tim Sisk as the associate then vice president and associate dean of faculty development; Doug Murphy as the associate dean provost of faculty. of teaching, learning, and assessment; and Kevin Mahaffy as the The Davidhizars are moving to associate dean for instructional design and development. Sarasota, Florida; they have par- ents and siblings in Texas, plus ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENTS three children and nine grandchil- David Papendorf ’10 is a special instructor in Theology dren. Looking back on his 40-plus while he finishes his PhD dissertation at Central Michigan years at Moody, he credits “God’s University. Harry Shields returns from retirement to faithfulness to the Davidhizar fam- serve as the one-year program head for the Pastoral ily and faithfulness to Moody under Ministries program, filling in while Dr. Chris Rappazini its new leadership.” n ’07 is on sabbatical. n

08 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS Kids Say the Wisest Things: 26 Lessons You Didn’t Know Children New Books from Could Teach You Alumni and Faculty by Jon Gauger “Dad, how do you text the Lord?” In this thoughtful Moody Publishers book, Jon Gauger, a 1980 Moody graduate, ponders profound and often humorous sayings and anecdotes from kids’ and grandkids’ lives to teach important truths from Scripture.

Practicing the Present: The Neglected Art of Living in the Now by John Koessler

Dr. Koessler, an award- winning author who retired this summer after 25 years on Moody’s faculty, shows how easy it is to be stuck in the past or fixated on an uncertain future, while missing the divine present of living in relationship with God now. Whether you’re plagued with regret or worried about a cancer diag- nosis, this book offers wisdom on how to live inten- tionally in the present tense.

Ending Well: Advice for The DIY Guide to Building a Family Successful Re-entry That Lasts: 12 Tools for Improving after Living Abroad Your Home Life by Ellen Rosenberger by Gary Chapman and Shannon Warden This Moody alumna shares The authors give practical tools to improve your her experience of relocating home life, addressing real situations with wise with her husband and four advice for resolving struggles and helping families young children back to the function at their best. Written by the author of The 5 States after 12 years on the Love Languages, Gary Chapman ’58, and Shannon mission field of Nicaragua. Warden, a professor of counseling, this book offers Ellen (Stewart ’04) Rosenberger includes heartfelt down-to-earth goals, guidance, and tools for devel- goodbye letters with helpful advice for leaving a oping compassion, getting organized, and creating country and getting settled in a new one, as well as a happier home. useful lists and resources for the transition.

For more information or to purchase one of these titles, visit moodypublishers.com

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 09 HIGHLIGHTS

Our New Look We hope you said “Wow!” when you be- gan reading this issue of Moody Alumni & Friends. Yes, you may have noticed that we’ve added & Friends to the title. We’re discovering that everyone loves our arti- cles and news—not just alumni. And with the fresh page design and larger size, we have more space to tell alumni sto- ries and Moody news. You’ll see bigger photos, a clean and modern aesthetic, and reader-friendly fonts. Our designer also uses phrases like “clear navigational Celebrate Christ’s Birth at hierarchy” and “multiple entry points for the reader” (sounds wonky, but we love Candlelight Carols December 7 how the magazine feels to read it all the way through). njoy the true meaning of Christmas at Moody You’ll find several new story ap- E Bible Institute’s annual celebration, featuring music proaches, including Dr. Jobe’s Bold ensembles, choir, and a drama, “The Word Became Steps column, a new Why I Give to Flesh.” A cherished tradition for more than 60 years, Candle- Moody feature, a Back to School series light Carols will take place at The Moody Church on Saturday, about recent seminary students, and a Dec. 7, at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. Flash Back photo from the archives. Tickets for the 7:00 p.m. Saturday evening show are only Behind the scenes, Doug Fleener led $14 each (a maximum of four tickets) with the alumni discount the design effort. He’s previously led and include a pass to an alumni dessert reception following the the design makeovers for Leadership concert. To receive your discounted tickets, call the dedicated Journal, Campus Life, and Focus on the RSVP line: (312) 329-4163. Hope to see you there! Family’s Citizen. Our managing editor, Linda Piepenbrink, enjoys developing Plan to Attend Alumni Day and Founder’s Week! great story ideas. She was previously Add Founder’s Week 2020 to your calendar (February 4–7), an editor for Today’s Christian Woman, beginning Tuesday night, and remember that Alumni Day is Virtue, Clubhouse, and Clubhouse Jr. February 7—on a Friday. Alumni Day speakers will include Finally, we’re upgrading our website Kerwin Rodriguez ’09 (Pastoral Studies instructor), so that all the feature stories in the print Bryndan Loritts ’03 (pastor in Nashville), and Dr. Mark edition are also online. Whether you read Jobe ’84 MA ’98 (Moody Bible Institute’s president). in print, online, or both, you’ll appreciate The Big Four reunion dinners will be held on Thursday, all the ways God is using Moody alumni February 6, for the classes of 1970 (50th), ’80 (40th), 1995 around the world. n (25th), and 2010 (10th). And the Alumni Banquet takes place on Friday. Afterward, join your classmates for an alumni so- cial for all class years ending in a 5 or 0; separate gatherings are planned for those celebrating their 40th or 50th reunions. Plan to attend all week to hear great preaching and music. Come early for morning prayer at Moody, led by Dr. Jonathan Armstrong. Join your class page on Facebook by visiting Moody Bible Institute Class of (insert your class year). And watch for a special mailing with more details about the banquet and alumni activities. n

10 YOU CAN HAVE A LASTING LEGACY Use your IRA assets to help Moody

Help bring the truth of God’s Word to people around the world. Recent tax law changes will allow qualifying donors to make a charitable rollover gift from their IRAs.

LEARN MORE Contact Moody’s Stewardship team today! [email protected] • (800) 801-2171

BLESS IT FORWARD! Help today’s students get the same biblical and ministry training that others provided for you. Your gift to Moody helps equip the next generation of world-changing Christian leaders.

As a thank-you for your gift by Oct. 31, we’ll mail you a copy of The Moody Bible Commentary chapter on Romans (while supplies last).

Give today at launchaleader.org/alumni or by calling 1-800-400-7022 2019

Launch a Leader 1/2 ad.indd 1 8/28/19 2:53 PM Don Shire left the business world to become a trumpet-playing missionary.

BY LINDA PIEPENBRINK

Don Shire with his custom-made Harrelson trumpet.

SELLOUT ack in 1989 Don Shire ’76–’78 and soon ministry began to take a back seat to mak- was a partner in a successful com- ing a living. puter business. He took his wife, “It’s just so easy to let things creep in a little bit Kathy (Johnson ’73–’74) at a time and draw you away and distract you from Shire, and young children to what you’re supposed to be doing—and from your church on Sundays and lived as a relationship with God,” he says. goodB person during the week. And he couldn’t have been more miserable. A MAJOR TURNAROUND “I was living the life where it’s just ho-hum Chris- Don knew God wanted first place in his life. So he tianity,” Don says. “I was raised better than that, and made a decision to rededicate his life to Christ. Moody taught me better than that.” “That was when I asked forgiveness and said, ‘Lord, He couldn’t imagine then how God would use a if you can still use me, show me where,’” he says. trumpet and Don’s soon-to-be surrendered life to “And from that point on, doors began to fly open for change lives around the world. ministry.” The trumpet was suddenly back in service as an FROM DECISION TO DETOUR evangelistic tool. Don began playing traditional and As a high school junior, Don committed his life contemporary Christian songs, often with videos, in to full-time Christian service when he went forward church concerts on the weekends. Then he added at the Christian Youth short-term mission trips, Center in Joliet, Illinois. sometimes with a team of Don was mentored by its people. Soon he was tak- dynamic founder, the late ing six to eight weeks off Harv Russel ’50, and from work each year for was good friends with mission travel. The min- Rollie Lindstrom ’76, istry was growing, and he who later served as a pas- realized he couldn’t do both tor and director of Moody’s indefinitely. “One I loved, Alumni Association. Don the other one I didn’t,” he also met his future wife recalls. “It seemed like a there. no-brainer.” Kathy attended Moody “I just didn’t want to for two years, studying be one of those people Communications before who said, ‘Yeah, I went they married. Then Don to Moody and was going enrolled as a double-major in Christian Education Don playing to be a missionary, but and Music, and played his trumpet in the Symphonic trumpet and then I got into debt and Band, led by a ’57 alum. “Gerald Edmonds was sharing the I got married. And I often SELLOUT the band director at that time, and he was a great gospel at a private wonder, What if I would encouragement to me,” says Don, who started play- school in India. have?’ I just didn’t want ing trumpet in churches too. that to be.” Besides his studies, Don started a family and So he said, “Kathy, just give me a few years. If worked as a youth pastor in Calumet City, Illinois. God blesses us, we’ll keep going. I’d rather try and Overwhelmed, he quit school with just one semester fail than not try at all.” to go for a three-year diploma. “Honestly, I wish I With Kathy’s full agreement, he quit his job in would have finished,” he says. “But I had a job so 1995 and started Don Shire Ministries—a full time, I figured I’d use that two-and-a-half years and just nonprofit, global ministry of music and missions get going.” (donshireministries.org). They sold everything, Don did youth ministry for about five years—until leaving the Chicago suburbs to buy a cheaper home the computer business opportunity came his way, with no house payment in northern Wisconsin.

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 13 SELLOUT

Left: Don and friends pose with the village chief of Kulungungu in northeast Ghana, where Don helped plant a church. Below: Don visits with a girl at Jehovah Rapha House, a special needs home in Haiti.

so the widows could harvest rice, and sewing machines so they could create colorful scarves for Don to sell at his concerts. The scarf sales provide enough to support 220 widows, he says. In Haiti, he saw a vital need to As “a wandering minstrel,” Don committed to stay help orphans with special needs and fully supports as debt free as possible while playing for love offer- Jehovah Rapha House, which currently cares for 29 ings. No negotiating contracts for him. “To me the children. One little girl was rescued from the middle biggest insult is when a church says they can’t afford of a busy intersection where her father had left her. me. I want to go where God opens doors. So I’ve been “In Haiti’s voodoo culture, a child with special needs to big churches but also the tiniest of churches.” is seen as a curse,” Kathy points out. They are often abandoned on the streets and in garbage dumps. But A TRUMPET-PLAYING MISSIONARY the Haitian government knows they can bring them God has used Don’s trumpet to open doors to the to Jehovah Rapha House. gospel in 35 countries and many unlikely places— When Don visits, the children snuggle on his lap from prisons in Poland and jungle tribes in Vene- and call him Grandpa. With 10 grandchildren of his zuela to the mountains of Myanmar and Muslim own, he takes it hard when he hears the sad news that villages in Ghana. “If I was an evangelist, they’d run two disabled kids died from health complications me out. But because I’m American and play trumpet, they’re intrigued,” he says. “Even Muslim chiefs will say, ‘Yeah, go ahead; do a concert for my village.’ I start playing my trumpet, people come. Through an interpreter we share the gospel, and churches are planting.” His travels have exposed him to heart-wrenching needs, spawning other ministries. During an evan- gelistic tour in India, he visited a pastor who had 40 street children sleeping under a tarp tent on church property. When the rice ran out, the kids were back on the streets, begging for their next meal. “They weren’t going to school, they were living in rags,” he recalls. Right then Don decided to try to be their spokesperson. “I came home with what I thought was an impossible task: how were we going to feed 40 kids every day?” Don began presenting the need in his concerts, and God provided. On other trips to India he saw widows begging on the street. He bought rice paddies

14 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS and cancer in the same week, and one of the widows in India died the previous week after open heart sur- gery. “It’s been tough,” Don says softly. Yet he responds as he believes Jesus would. About 600 orphans and widows depend on Don Shire Min- istries for food, shelter, surgeries, and school fees. Most are in India. “We have five homes for widows, four orphanages, and a sponsorship program where we place children into the homes of Indian pastors,” Don says. “We are at a point now where we send out about $28,000 a month to support orphans and widows before we even pay our own light bill,” he says. “But God keeps providing for it, so it’s pretty amazing.” Besides two part-time employees, Kathy says the Lord has blessed them with an army of volunteers. From setting up Don’s concerts to sending out their monthly newsletter and arranging the details of their short-term mission trips, “people just give of their time. . . . We’re very humbled by that.” While monthly supporters provide 60 percent of the money needed for Don Shire Ministries, the rest comes from unpredictable sources: love offerings, CD and scarf sales, and God touching hearts to give. One day a volunteer was going through the mail and preparing a bank deposit. Don said, “There should be a check in there today.” When the volun- teer asked from whom, Don replied, “I don’t know, but we have a big need!” The volunteer opened the next envelope and said, “Is $12,000 enough?” “The stories just go on and on,” Don says with a laugh. “We get to see God truly reveal Himself in Top: Some of the widows that Don Shire Ministries some very special ways.” supports in India. Above: Don and Kathy. Kathy, who has been to every ministry location but often stays home to save money, says, “Our min- istry has never, ever borrowed a penny. We just do Living by faith may not be the best business plan, things as the Lord provides.” he adds, “but it’s God’s plan.” Plus, Kathy “finally got Thanks to a nephew’s idea, for nearly 20 years the husband she thought she was getting when she the Shires have also been leading Caribbean mission married me.” cruises for 40 to 50 people with prearranged minis- Kathy smiles. “For a wife just to see her husband try opportunities at each port—visiting orphanages, finally happy in what he’s doing and fulfilled in what prisons, churches for VBS, schools, and parks. “It’s he’s doing, that’s huge,” she says. “I can look at Don a great way for a Christian to take a cruise and use today and see that he absolutely loves what he’s it for the Lord,” Don says. doing and that God is blessing it.” At 64 years old, Don has no plans to retire (“I’m Don says, “I still make a lot less money than doing what I love. It’s what I would do if I was I did 24 years ago when we left the business. But retired.”). But Don and Kathy are praying how to I wouldn’t trade what I get to do now for anything in sustain Don Shire Ministries long-term. the world.” n

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 15 ASK BOLDLY The ABCDs of Prayer BY PETER GRANT

hen Jesus talked about prayer We all hear announcements about prayer, hold in the Sermon on the Mount, meetings about prayer, and talk about prayer. He did not do it so we could just We can even attend prayer breakfasts that are all take notes or make a three- breakfast and no prayer! Announcements, talk, and W point outline—then stick it in breakfasts about prayer don’t necessarily glorify our Bibles and forget it! Jesus wants to connect our Christ. But today as you read this, I pray that you need to His limitless resources through prayer that will glorify Christ as God takes His Word and speaks glorifies Him. to you. I pray that you will respond with real action:

16 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS “Right here, right now, I’m praying to the Father for. That’s why Ephesians 3:20 says God is “able about that!” to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imag- In Matthew 6:9 Jesus began the Lord’s Prayer ine.” And F. B. Meyer was right when he said, “The with “This, then, is how you should pray.” In a par- greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but allel teaching from Luke 11, the disciples listened unoffered prayer.” So be quick to ask God. to Jesus pray, and one of them responded with a request: “Lord, teach us to pray!” OLDLY. Second, ask boldly. Jesus ASK BOLDLY Here’s what is encouraging to me. If He’s telling teaches a parable in Luke 11 about a man us how to pray, then He knows we’re all capable of it. who requests something from a sleeping Second, in Luke 11 we discover that this capability is B neighbor. The man repeatedly knocks on also teachable. We can learn it. We can get better at the neighbor’s door, and Jesus says, “Yet because of it. We can teach it to others. And we have the words his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and of Jesus as a model. He finishes with “Yours is the give him as much as he needs” (11:8). This is the kingdom and the power and the glory” (Matt. 6:13). point Jesus is teaching: Keep asking boldly! My inference is this: If I follow Jesus’s prescription Jesus teaches this again in Luke 18:1, a parable for prayer (pray the way He instructs me to), I will al- about a poor widow going to an unjust judge, “to ways see “the kingdom and the power and the glory,” show them that they should always pray and not give something I wouldn’t be able to do on my own. up.” And in James 1:6–8 we are instructed to “ask As I have been encouraged by these words of boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People Jesus, I’ve used an outline, the ABCDs of Prayer: who ‘worry their prayers’ are like wind-whipped Ask Boldly because He Cares Deeply. waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your SK. First, ask God. In just a few short options open” (msg). verses of Matthew 7:7–11, the Lord re- When we get serious about asking God boldly, peats this five times. And if you count it forces us to eliminate all our other options. We A seek and knock, He’s probably saying could gossip, control, meddle, or work harder. But the same thing about ten times. Then He connects when we pray boldly, we make new discoveries this asking, seeking, and knocking with the ask be- about God’s power to help us. So be quick to ask ing granted, the sought item being found, and the God boldly. door being opened. In other words, he’s promising that if we humbly come to God with our request, ARES. Third, ask because He cares things will happen. The same idea is repeated in for each of us. My family learned this James 4:2: “You do not have because you do not ask lesson years ago, when our church was God.” One of the reasons we don’t see God working C in the middle of a building campaign in our lives is because we don’t ask Him to work. But and I had privately committed to giving up my sal- if we begin to ask God, He’ll work. ary for six months. We told nobody except our own Here’s what we used to say in Scotland when I family, sensing it was to be our prayerful sacrifice was growing up. I had four brothers and sisters, and for the project. if we were asked to help each other with something, But our kids were realists. “Dad, how are we we’d reply, cheekily, “Well, I would if I could, but I going to pay the bills? Where are we going to get can’t, so I won’t.” money for food?” Some of us think that God works this way, as if My eleven-year-old son reminded me that I had God responds to our prayers with “I would if I could, promised to teach him golf at our local golf club but I can’t, so I won’t.” during the summer. How would we do that without No! Here’s what God says: I can, and I will. But money? And I had also promised him tickets for a I’ll wait until you ask. local amusement park. I didn’t have an answer, but This is the teaching of Scripture. I don’t under- I knew God would provide for us. stand it, but somehow our asking honors Him and As I put him to bed that night, we both asked glorifies Him. And we will get more than we ask boldly: “God, please give us free golf at Fox Creek

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 17 ASK BOLDLY

“Would your son like to come with us? Of course we’ll pay for his ticket.” Matthew 7:11 gives us the promise: “How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Now— will God always answer prayer this dramat- ically? No, but can He do it? Yes! And He still wants us to ask boldly and believingly. So ask God boldly because He cares.

EEPLY. Finally, ask because He cares deeply. This truth is ex- pressed in Romans 8:32: “He who D did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” He cares deeply enough that He died for us. But it doesn’t stop there. Jesus rose and ascended. He now sits at the right hand of the Father, in power, glory, and majesty—yet He cares deeply enough to intercede for our requests! That’s incredibly good “When I take my news! I may not pray often enough; I may not ask for enough; I may not pray boldly enough. But when eyes off myself and I take my eyes off myself and look at Jesus (not just His work from two thousand years ago, but where look at Jesus . . . He is right now), I see Him in Heaven, where He’s I see Him in Heaven, praying, interceding, and talking to the Father on my behalf. In fact, caring deeply for His children is where He’s praying, His ongoing, present-day, real-time, 24/7 concern. He expresses it in intercession, and invites us to join interceding, and Him, so that, along with the Son, the Father can gra- talking to the Father ciously give us all things! Once we have our eyes on the Son, we can ask boldly because He cares deeply. on my behalf.” Let’s talk to Him right now: “Father in Heaven, thank you for loving us. You can answer every single prayer that’s prayed to You today—whether it’s the Golf Club and free tickets to Six Flags.” I’ll have first cry of a seeking soul or the repeated request of to admit that I added my own secret prayer: God, I a seasoned saint. Help us to know again the pow- think You’re asking us to do this, but if not, please er of prayer—of asking, boldly, because You care, don’t punish this kid for my foolishness! deeply. Thank you that you answer our needs with Then came two remarkable answers within a Heaven’s resources. Amen.” n week. The very next day, a new attender stopped by my office at church, telling me that through his Peter Grant ’83 serves on the Moody Alumni Board business, he had access to limitless free games at his and is founder of Prevision Partnership, a worldwide local club. Not even knowing our prayer, he told me, ministry of teaching, evangelism, and leadership “You and your son are welcome to join me for free development. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he earned golf at Fox Creek Golf Club anytime you choose.” a BA from Moody Bible Institute, an MDiv from Trinity Within three days, our worship leader mentioned Evangelical Divinity School, and a DMin from Gordon- that her family was going to the amusement park. Conwell Theological Seminary.

18 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS Left: Winifred (Hillegas) Syring in her dorm room in 1949. Bottom: Winnie’s granddaughter, Lydia Townsend ’19, and daughter, Connie (Syring) Townsend ’79, pause for a photo on Lydia’s 2019 graduation from Moody.

FINDING YOUR ROOTS

few days before her graduation from Fourth-generation Moody, Lydia Townsend ’19 tries to pick out her mom in an old photo alum uncovers of 40 young women on “Cloud 9,” the nickname for the Houghton dorm’s clues about her ninth floor. “Oh, easy!” she says, Apointing to a student with long hair in the second row. alumni relatives “She’s right there in the glasses!” Lydia has long hair and wears glasses too. And pic- BY LINDA PIEPENBRINK tures of her grandma also resemble her. “Exactly,” Lydia says, smiling. “My grandma, my mom, and I look alike.” Besides their similar appearance, all three women are Moody alumnae—three generations, three different

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 19 FINDING YOUR ROOTS

eras. Lydia graduated from Moody Bible Institute in May 2019, exactly 40 years after her mother, Conni Kaye (Syring) Townsend ’79, and 70 years after her grandma, Winifred Louise (Hillegas) Syring ’49. But that’s not all. Lydia’s aunt Deborah (Syring) Olson ’78 met her husband, Kenneth Olson ’77, at Moody. And to add another genera- tion, her grandma’s uncle, Harold Hillegas ’39, enrolled in Moody’s Evening School way back in 1924 and ’25, attended Day School in ’37 and grad- uated in December ’39. Lydia is thrilled to be part of a legacy family of Moody alumni, but she’s missing details. What was their time like at Moody? Like the investigator on a TV genealogy program, she sifts through old year- books in the Alumni office and collects facts from her mom. A google search turns up her great-great-uncle Harold’s obituary. He was born in 1901 and married Above: Harold ’39 and Mrs. Esther (Lyle) Hillegas ’39 in 1922, she discovers. were both prayer leaders at Moody. After Esther died After he graduated from Moody, Harold Hillegas in 1950, Harold remarried in 1953. Left: Conni (Syring) went on to serve as a pastor and director of the Townsend on graduation day in 1979. Below: Winifred Independent Fundamental Churches of America (Hillegas) Syring on her graduation day in 1949. and the Baptist General Conference. In addition, he cofounded Crescent Lake Bible Camp in Rhinelander, Lydia examines a picture of Winnie in a Wisconsin, which he directed dorm room at Moody and recognizes for 40 years. His niece, Winnie the “random plumbing pipes in the (Lydia’s grandma), served at corner.” She surmises her grandma that camp and also served must have lived in Smith Hall, just with him at Rural Bible like her. Crusade for several years In an old yearbook, Lydia dis- until she married. Much later, covers that her grandma was the Lydia got saved through the Student Council secretary at Moody ministry of Rural Bible Crusade and prayed with the Prayer Band. and began volunteering with the As a Missions major, Winnie chose ministry in 2013. A few older church Deuteronomy 31:8 as her senior yearbook folks who had known Winnie said, “You verse: “The Lord himself goes before you look just like your grandma!” and will be with you; he will never Lydia smiles. “Apparently I take after leave you nor forsake you. Do not be my grandma a lot. I look like her, afraid; do not be discouraged.” I’ve done what she did, I went to the In 1963 Winnie left for school she went to. It’s funny. I wish Nigeria with her husband, I could have known her.” William Syring, under SIM. She Grandma Winnie passed away worked as a librarian at Kagoro nine years before her daughter Secondary School while her hus- Conni gave birth to Lydia and her band taught Bible, science, and twin sister, Danielle. Searching for clues, history. Three of their five children,

20 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS including Debbie, Conni, and Bill, attended Kent pianist, and a treasurer. “I still have a lot of my notes Academy, a boarding school near Jos, Nigeria. from Moody that I keep looking at. My husband When Conni completed third grade, they returned always teases me that I still have my college notes.” to the States, and her dad began pastoring a church. She kept her notes for good reason, she says. “I After high school Conni planned to attend a look into them a lot to jog my memory or go back to college in northern Wisconsin, but when her older see just exactly what I was taught in different classes, sister, Debbie, went to Moody, Conni changed her whether it’s Bible Study Methods or Bible classes on mind and chose the same school. Besides, Conni Daniel and Revelation or Historical Geography.” says, “My mom had also gone When it came time for Lydia there, and Moody had a good to consider college, she wasn’t reputation and was known for “I take after sure what to study. “One of my their good biblical teaching.” friends said, ‘Lydia, you love Conni was not disap- my grandma the Bible. Why don’t you go pointed. “I loved it! I would study the Bible?’” Lydia, who’d not have gone anywhere else,” a lot. I look like grown up doing online school- she says. She was in awe of ing, was accepted into Moody’s her professors, such as Dr. her, I’ve done First Year Online Program in Robert Goddard, who taught what she did, 2015. During spring break she Historical Geography and came to campus for a special kept the class in stitches. “We I went to the week of classes. “That was called it Hysterical Coloring,” my first experience being in a she says with a laugh, “because school she went classroom and learning, and I we had to draw all these Bible loved it,” she says. Lydia spent maps and because he made it to. It’s funny. her remaining three years on such a fun class.” campus, with happy memo- After Conni’s graduation I wish I could ries of living with the other from Moody, Alumni News “Peacocks” on Smith 5 and came in the mail and on have known her.” interacting with her brother the cover was a long-haired —Lydia Townsend floor, the Culby 4 “Gentlemen.” woman getting her diploma. Lydia also enjoyed working “That sure looks like me,” she the desk in Public Safety. Her said. It was. favorite PCM was serving for three semesters at After Moody, Conni completed her bachelor’s Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois, as a in Bible from Calvary Bible College in Kansas middle school youth leader. No surprise there, since City, Missouri. Then she went back to Nigeria as a she graduated with a BA in Biblical Studies with an dorm mother for girls at the boarding school she’d emphasis in Youth Ministry. Then Lydia taught VBS attended as a child. She was homesick until she ran with Rural Bible Crusade (for the sixth summer), into the teacher she’d had in first grade and two and in August she began an online master’s degree Moody alumni on staff. “My Moody training in Bible as well as a residency in youth ministry at Appleton and theology was very useful when doing devotions Alliance Church in Appleton, Wisconsin. “The youth and teaching Sunday school classes,” she says. group has on average 500 kids a week!” she says. After three years Conni returned to Wausaukee, “I’m excited to gain experience working in a large Wisconsin, and met her husband, Gerald, at youth group with students from a variety of back- Immanuel Baptist Church, where her dad was the grounds and hope to continue doing ministry in the pastor. future.” Conni and Gerald raised six kids in Wausaukee, Like those alumni in her genealogy who went including four boys and Lydia and her twin sister. before her, Lydia trained at Moody to impact lives for Conni has been involved in church ministry ever Christ. She found her roots at Moody—and rejoices since—as a children’s ministry volunteer, the church that their names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life. n

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 21 BACK TO SCHOOL

Left: Jessica Robins MDiv ’19 never thought her life would include a degree from Moody Theologi- cal Seminary. Top: Jessica decorated her graduation hat. FORMER ATHEIST EARNS

A MASTER OF DIVINITY BY LINDA PIEPENBRINK

essica Robins MDiv ’19 walked up around the edges. She inscribed Jeremiah 29:11 at the aisle with all of the other Master of the top, and then one more word in giant red letters: Divinity graduates from Moody’s Mich- EX-ATHEIST. igan campus—but the crowd’s attention “I’m a black female from Detroit. I wear an J seemed to focus on her, probably because afro. I listen to Christian hip hop, and usually of her souped-up mortarboard hat, which now fea- have my music playing real loud,” says Jessica, a tured a glittery white background and gold chains saxophone-playing music teacher who is using her

22 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS degree to enhance her songwriting career. “I mainly she said. Instead she heard the same words a second do Christian music and gospel,” she explains, “and time, and “I knew it was God talking to me.” this education will help my lyrics be more biblically Then her grades began to slip. “I started failing sound.” all my classes,” says Jessica, who was put on musical Her degree has also given her a “strong desire to probation by MSU’s College of Music. share the gospel with those outside of the church,” To get her Christian friends to stop bothering her, she says. “I’m convinced of the love and power of she decided to do something to make them mad at God to deliver and to save.” her. “I decided I would worship Satan,” she says. Jessica Robins is not your typical MDiv graduate. Satan didn’t have a chance, however, because Most of her classmates at Moody were married men the very same day, two friends came into her room heading for the pastorate. and said, “Jessica, we really feel She smiles. “I never in a mil- the Lord is tugging on you.” They lion years would have taken this “I never shared the gospel with her, and path, but I can say my steps are something immediately softened ordered by the Lord.” in a million in her heart. “I was 19, and that As a very young child Jessica years would was the first time I really heard remembers her grandma taking the gospel,” she says. her to church, “but it was boring have taken “I just felt God’s love for the to me, so I didn’t want to go any- first time,” she explains, “so right more and wasn’t pressed again,” this path ...” then and there I accepted Jesus as she says. my Lord and Savior.” And soon In middle school, a friend after, she joined the gospel choir. needled her to get baptized and Her grades also improved, go to church, which got Jessica and after graduation she began to think about what she really teaching bands and choirs at a believed. “I recognized that I Detroit high school. She played couldn’t prove if there was a her saxophone in church and God and I couldn’t prove if there went to Bible studies. Eventually was no God,” she says. Jessica she wanted to go deeper, so she began to identify as an agnostic, googled seminaries and saw but by the time she graduated Moody Theological Seminary. from high school, she decided When her pastor endorsed it, there was no God. she applied and got in. Her At Michigan State University she majored in workplace allowed her to fit her teaching schedule music education, studying classical saxophone—and around her seminary classes, and Moody scholar- her friends in the dorm happened to be Christians ships also helped. She decided on the MDiv because who sang in the gospel choir. “They were always she wanted to learn the biblical languages. “I didn’t inviting me to Bible study or trying to tell me about think I was going to make it through Hebrew 4, but I the Bible or get me to sit down and read the Bible got through it by God’s grace,” she says with a laugh. with them,” says Jessica, who responded with argu- “Although the professors were tough and would ments and debates. “It got pretty heated at times, grade very strict at times, they were always com- but they kept persisting and loving me and praying passionate and always open to help you when you for me.” needed it,” she adds. “If you needed to stay after She looked for new friends but without success. class or shoot an email at nine p.m., they would be Then, alone one night in her dorm room, she heard a there to help you and root for you.” distinct voice in her head: “Jessica, you’re not going to She felt accepted by her peers and professors be successful in music unless you play for Me.” at Moody. When her friends ask if they would fit Jessica, the atheist, was incredulous. “I don’t even in at Moody, she says, “You’ll fit in. You belong believe in You. Why are You talking to me? Be quiet,” there if the Lord tells you to go there.” n

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 23 “The race is not to the swift . . .” —Eccles. 9:11

Big Shoes to Fill A global missionary talks about finishing well. BY LINDA PIEPENBRINK

24 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS ill Taylor ’61 felt lost when he Bill didn’t get caught (and thanks to Verwer, arrived on Moody’s campus in 1958 aced the test). But God intervened in his third se- at the too-young age of 17. Maybe mester by sending a chapel speaker who spoke on intimidated, just a little, to enroll “The Danger of Unconfessed Sin.” Discerning the in the same school his parents Holy Spirit at work, Moody’s president, Dr. William B attended. It seemed like everyone Culbertson, dismissed classes for the day so that on campus knew Dr. William and Stella (Britt) students and faculty could do business with God. Taylor ’37, famous missionaries (if we can use that That night Bill broke as he confessed his sin to word), and his dad would soon become president of the dean of men, Franklin Broman, who offered CAM International. Big shoes to fill? There’s more. unconditional grace and then advocated for Bill One of Bill’s ancestors is even listed in Foxe’s Book before the academic committee. As a consequence, of Martyrs, burned at the Bill had to repeat the stake by Queen Mary in the courses in Evening School year 1555. and (hardest of all), had Looking back, Bill ad- to confess to his parents, mits that he wasn’t quite who were making a special ready to inherit that man- trip from Latin America to tle. He didn’t even feel attend the Moody Missions ready for college, having Conference that year. lived the life of a mission- Bill’s not embarrassed ary kid who bounced back to tell this story—he can and forth between Latin be remarkably transpar- America and the United ent when he has a point States for his education. to make. Many years lat- “My first year found me er, when he was the fea- majoring in ping pong, tured speaker at the 1990 emotionally sleepwalking, Missions Conference, Bill disoriented,” he says, hav- spoke honestly about those ing fun but also describing days of confusion and sin, his “slow and uneven” per- followed by the grace and sonal development. hope he found at Moody. Moody would become Once again, the Spirit was one of God’s tools to build discipline into his life and Father and son in present. Ongoing gener- help him grow up. Bill had no idea then that he would 1966 at Seminario ations of Moody students spend 55 years as a leader in global missions, 17 of TeolÓgico have their own sins to con- those years in Latin America and eventually serving Centroamericano fess, and Bill wanted to as executive director of the Mission Commission of in Guatemala, nudge them along. the World Evangelical Alliance. Last September Bill where Bill taught By the time he received was given the Lifetime of Service Award by Missio for 17 years. his missions diploma, Bill Nexus, given to a leader for finishing well a life of said he started “waking up.” service to the cause of global mission. Unexpected, Later in university he became part of the InterVarsity he says, but not bad for someone who got off to a Christian Fellowship, and much later joined its staff. rocky start at Moody. Although Bill says he’s not a fan of more schooling How rocky? Here’s where the story gets a little (he flunked second grade), his dad encouraged him funny. During his first year Bill says he cheated in to pursue a ThM degree from Dallas Theological three courses, including Personal Evangelism. He Seminary. Later, after years on the mission field, Bill copied off the paper of the person sitting next to would also earn a PhD in Latin American Studies him, none other than his still-good friend, George from the University of Texas, Austin. Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilization. While serving as a camp counselor during his

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 25 BIG SHOES TO FILL

summers in grad school, Bill met his future wife, Yvonne De Acutis ’65, one of the 16-year-old campers. Six years later, in 1967, he married her. Saved at age seven through a neighborhood Child Evangelism Fellowship Bible club, she enrolled at Moody with a double major in music and Christian education. She loved her professors—legends like Virgil Smith for piano (“I came out with a whole oth- er level of piano technique and interpretation”) and Rosemary Turner for missions (“She had spent twenty years in India—just the stories she had to tell!”). Because of Yvonne’s rigorous schedule, she would get up at 5:30 a.m. and sit in the stair- well of the girls’ dorm, reading Scripture and praying. That’s when the Holy Spirit began training her in intercessory prayer, a habit that Finishing well, he was dis- Above: Bill later sustained her through the challenges of mis- covering, does not start at and Yvonne with sionary life in Latin America. the end of life. Instead, family in Arkansas, he says, “it informs every late 1980s. GROWING PAINS IN GUATEMALA stage and season of life.” Below: Bill today. A crisis hit during their first year as missionaries to Yvonne found unique Guatemala. Bill plunged right into ministry, having ways to use her music training in Guatemala. learned Spanish while growing up in Latin Ameri- “I think I ended up using it far more on the mission ca. He had an easy time with their year of language field than I ever would have here,” she says, now liv- study, and figured Yvonne would follow suit. He rel- ing in Texas. Latin Americans innately love music, ished being a seminary professor, with its teaching, she says, but because of the poverty-based culture, mentoring, and frequent opportunities to speak (in there was little opportunity for music classes, band, impeccable Spanish). Besides, the evangelical sub- or orchestra. So Yvonne developed pre-evangelism culture had taught him that “the more you did, the music appreciation recitals that she performed in more spiritual you were” and “the harder homes and in public. She’d teach about com- you worked, the more God blessed you.” posers like J. S. Bach, and “use it as a Meanwhile Yvonne, Texas born, jumping off point to give the gospel,” struggled to learn the Latin Amer- she says. Out of those concerts, ican culture and language, not to relationships were formed, which mention trying to build cross-cul- led to evangelistic Bible studies. tural relationships and take care A conflict developed between of their first child. One night she Bill and another missionary lead- said, “We need to talk.” Bill was in er in Guatemala, reaching a crisis a hurry to get to yet another speak- in 1972 with no apparent resolu- ing engagement, but she insisted, tion possible. Deep in sorrow, Bill very firmly, that he needed to stop and thought about quitting, but then an un- have a serious conversation. Otherwise expected visitor intervened. Late at night, she would be taking a break with the baby back after the martial law curfew, Bill’s dad knocked home in Texas. on the door, a complete surprise; he lived in Dallas. Suddenly his speaking engagement lost its im- What was he doing in Guatemala? portance. Bill stopped and they talked—a lot—and “I have come,” his father said, uttering one of he learned to cut back his over-committed schedule. his famously short, pithy, unexplained phrases. But

26 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS now Dr. William H. Taylor, the visionary mission- The watershed moment came in 1991 when a ary executive, was stopping by for a visit to his own Christian counselor, himself a third-culture person, son, and staying long enough to ask the important advised Bill to thank God for bringing him to the question: “Well, how are you doing?” US. Otherwise, “He will not be able to release you Bill dissolved into tears and shared the painful into the fullness of your future.” story. His father listened, spoke words of healing Bill took it to heart, and within six months of and hope, and prayed. And because of that unan- their move to Arkansas, he began serving part-time, nounced visit, Bill persisted until it was time for his then full-time, with his lifetime mentor, Dr. David US home-leave, five months later. Howard, at the World Evangelical Alliance’s Mission To this day Bill is amazed that his father made the Commission. He would serve with WEA for 30 years. trip to Guatemala. “He had no idea of my brokenness As Bill began traveling in his new role, he made an in 1972,” he says. “Had the Spirit spoken to him in a odd request to his father, the old-school road warrior dream? Perhaps so.” who was retiring from missionary service. Shoes. Bill wanted a pair of his father’s beat-up ANOTHER ROUND OF CULTURE SHOCK shoes—a personal reminder to finish well, just as his After earning his PhD, Bill received repeated of- father had. For the next 30 years Bill packed the old fers to teach missions in the US. After 17 years in shoes in his suitcase. Though he never wore them, he Latin America, he moved with used them as an object lesson his wife and three children when teaching and preaching. from their beloved Guatemala Today, Bill and Yvonne live to Illinois in 1985. Bill loved “Finishing well in Austin, Texas, where they his new job teaching on the founded TaylorGlobalConsult, faculty at Trinity Evangelical means coming a ministry non-profit. Bill in- Divinity School, but his kids vests most of his time men- experienced the same culture to the end of the toring key leaders (in Latin shock Bill had felt years earli- America and the US) and writ- er. Bill was heartbroken, but life race, perhaps ing, teaching, and consulting. says, “I had determined years off-camera, Yvonne assists him and spends ago that never would I sacrifice time with their eight grand- my family on the altar of my quietly, with children and in intercessory ministry.” So after only a year, prayer as a “watchman on the he resigned his position and authentic faith walls.” they moved to a small town “Finding ourselves in a later in Arkansas “in the middle of and personal stage of life, we desire to serve nowhere.” and strengthen Christ’s global Why there? Bill answers integrity.” Church, locally and globally, with typical transparency: “I and to finish our own race with just felt like the Lord was say- faithfulness and integrity,” Bill ing hide, disappear. I’d had eleven or twelve invi- says. Mindful of how few leaders actually do this, tations to teach, to head missions agencies, or to Bill recently helped edit an anthology on the subject, pastor a church in the states. But when TEDS didn’t Spirituality in Mission: Embracing the Lifelong turn out, for my family’s sake, we went to this town Journey (William Carey Publishers, 2018). where we had some friends and the kids made the “Finishing well may mean completing life with transition to the US.” He served as a part-time pas- broken dreams, unanswered prayers, and unful- tor at a small church for four years until 1990. But filled desires . . . It may mean few publicly recog- the transition of adjusting to a new culture, new nized evidences of high productivity or tangible church, new friends, new job, new everything, was value,” he writes. But, “it means coming to the end still brutal. The wrenching losses created a “para- of the life race, perhaps off-camera, quietly, with lyzing desert” for Bill that also affected his family. authentic faith and personal integrity.” n

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 27 LIFE & MINISTRY

Mystery Woman Found in Minneapolis After we published an archi- val photo of a Mystery Woman in front of Dryer Hall (Spring 2019), she sent us a kind note and said, “That’s me!” Gary Chapman Honored Linda (Quade ’74) McCormick has worked as estselling author and counselor Dr. Gary Chapman ’58 was award- a legal administrative assis- B ed the Pinnacle Award for the outstanding contribution of The 5 tant in Minneapolis for the Love Languages series. The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association past 30 years. At the time of presented the award at the ECPA Leadership Summit in Chicago on April the photo, she was working 30, 2019. Dr. Chapman was the keynote speaker. in the controller’s office at The collection of 10 books, published by Moody Publishers, has Moody. Her husband, Fred appeared on the New York Times bestseller list continuously since 2007 McCormick ’72, passed away and has achieved more than 17 million in sales. in 2017 after a 42-year minis- “Rarely does an author like Gary Chapman come along, one whose try career. He served on the books impact marriages and families on a global scale,” said Stan Jantz, staffs of The Moody Church, ECPA president. “It was an honor to recognize the enormous influence of Park Street Church in Boston, Dr. Chapman’s writing, coupled with the skill of Moody to publish the most and Wooddale Church in bestselling books of their kind in the world.” Eden Prarie, Minnesota. After receiving the award, Dr. Chapman explained the continued suc- “Life is full, and very dif- cess of the series. “The short answer is God! And the long answer is God! ferent now,” Linda says, “and We plant the seeds, but God gives the increase. To God be the glory.” n God and His people have been so good to me!”

WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU? Email submissions to [email protected]. For more information see page 37. . 28 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 2010 Blake Fewell ’14 serves as an in- BIRTHS structor and special events coordi- nator at the Salvation Army College Reichert ’15 and for Officerraining T in Chicago. The Hannah (Hansen ’17) college serves as a seminary-like Zalameda welcomed training program for Salvation Army Judah on Nov. 30, 2018. pastors. He previously served as officer pastor of the They serve at a church Salvation Army of Marion, Indiana. plant in Chicago’s south suburbs; Reichert works Tamar Karni ’12 served as a Moody admissions in Scotland, Poland, and the counselor. United States before moving to Israel in 2017 where she Jeff ’87 and Bonnie works remotely for Market- (Sheitlin ’87) Lauby place & Development Enter- welcomed a grand- prises. Tamar is involved in the young adult leadership daughter, Annelise team, women’s prayer ministry, and serves as the part- Lauby, on June 28, 2018. time secretary for her congregation in Haifa. She is cur- The Laubys moved to rently working on prerequisites towards earning an MA Kentucky to be near her. in Hebrew Language. Tamar recently met up with alumni friends (from left) Ian and Morag Leitch ’69 and (on right) Kujtim ’13 and Lauren Louise and Robert Bell ’10, while on vacation in Scotland. (O’Gieblyn ’12) Rushiti welcomed Levi Hazen ’11 was installed as executive director of Life Kathryn Cornelia on Jan. in Messiah International, which ministers to Jewish peo- 17, 2019. Kujtim and ple in the US and other countries, on August 1, 2019. He Lauren are planting a and his wife, Stephanie (Jones ’11), host ministry teams church in Durës, Albania, internationally and have served as mobilization coordi- with their four children. nators and field ministry directors with Life in Messiah since 2011. Levi has also been an adjunct professor at Moody, where he taught courses on God’s global purpose for Perspectives USA. Former Life executive 1990 director Wesley Taber ’79, who led the ministry since Nancy (Metzler) Rowe ’94 is earning an Associate of 1990, will continue to serve as its global ambassador. Science degree in Surgical Technology, preparing for a new career in health care. Nancy previously worked in sports brand marketing for companies like Nike and 2000 Puma, where she traveled all over the world and worked Travis Williamson ’02 is the with incredible athletes. Nancy enjoys running marathons new program head of and ultra runs. Moody’s Applied Linguistics program, taking the place of Michael ’93 and Jennifer (Roskam ’93) Thomas live in retiring professor, Steve Costa Rica with their four children, Silas, Victoria, Arianna, Clark. Travis and his wife, and Simeon. They partner with Equipos Internacionales Andrea (Rockey ’03) Wil- and Son Life Latinoaméricana to equip Latinos to make liamson, served as mission- disciples. The Thomases previously served with Habitat aries to Ethiopia for 10 years, where Travis was a linguist for Humanity International in Indonesia (in tsunami and Bible translation adviser with Wycliffe Bible ransT - rehabilitation) and with Habitat for Humanity in Vietnam, lators. The Williamsons have three children. as well as teaching Bible classes in churches.

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 29 LIFE & MINISTRY

John and Regina (Damm ’90) 1970 Apel and their two sons, Julie (Kiemle ’79) Anderson is working with a team Frederik and Philip, have re- developing a teen enrichment center in Chicago. She is tired from the mission field also an after-school tutor, volunteering with By the Hand and now serve in a church in Club. President of Julie Anderson Media, her career has Holton, Kansas. John is the been in communications as a filmmaker, network tele- English Language Learner vision producer, writer, and consultant. She has also coordinator for the school served on the boards of organizations working with at- district. Prior to their missionary service, Regina gradu- risk children: The Fishing School in Washington D.C., ated with an MA in Intercultural Studies from Columbia the Hold On to Your Music Foundation in Los Angeles, International University. and Andean Aid in Venezuela and Colombia. She has three adult children. Robert L. Ziebarth ’94 serves as pastor for Faith Bible Church in White Cloud, Michigan. Stephanie (Diehl ’79) Duggins serves as the women’s ministry prayer team leader at her local church in White Jeff ’92 and Christy Settlement, Texas, where her husband, Wesley, serves (Van Valkenburg ’92) as an elder. They have five sons and one daughter, and Carlson live in Colum- are expecting their first grandchild. bia, South Carolina, where Jeff has taught Dave Rodriguez ’78 celebrates English for 13 years at 42 years serving as a pastor. He the University of South and his wife, Penny (Porch Carolina. They have 10 ’79), founded Grace Church in children and one Noblesville, Indiana, and have grandchild. This year their 24-year-old son-in-law sur- served there for 28 years. Dave vived a cardiac arrest and their 25-year-old son surren- recently published his first book, dered his life to Christ. A Why to Live For: Where Your Destiny Meets the Broken Places of the World. 1980 Wayne MacRae ’80 and his 1960 wife, Jan, met up with Robert Steve Platt ’69 retired after serving 20 years in Calvin ’02 and Holly (Bradford ’02) University’s Physics and Astronomy department. Steve McGee in Bonn, Germany, and his wife, El, married in Zimbabwe after he graduated after attending a military chap- from Moody. They served in Switzerland, Bonaire, and lain’s conference. Capt. Wayne five years with Africa Evangelical Fellowship (Evangelical is working at America’s Navy Seminar of Southern Africa), before Steve attended Chaplains; Rob and Holly serve with an international Michigan State University to study physics. church in Bonn. Photo (l to r): Wayne poses with Holly and Robert McGee. Keith ’68 and Patricia (Voss ’69) Miller retired from Calvary Uni- Marvin Rolle ’85 retired after serving at the Bahamas versity in Missouri. Keith was Ministry of Education for more than 30 years. He con- chair of Pastoral Studies and of tinues to serve with Young Life Bahamas and with the Bible and Theology; Patricia was youth ministry at Freeport Bible Church, where he has dean of women and later chair of attended since 1987. Calvary’s Biblical Counseling

30 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS department. They have published five books, four MARRIAGES focusing on biblical counseling. The Millers have four children and 11 grandchildren. Jonathan ’18 and Emelissa Mejia (Aguilar ’17) O’Brien were Richard ’69 and Sue (Brown married on Jan. 26, 2019. Friends ’69) Penner have been serv- and family flew to Westchester, ing local churches in different New York, from all around the states as well as in Canada in world, including Honduras, pastoral and denominational Mexico, and the United Kingdom. ministries. Richard currently serves as an executive pastor Aaron ’18 and Rebecca at Redding Christian Fellowship in Redding, Califor- (Jepsen ’19) Gann married on nia. They have four adult children who, along with March 30, 2019. Aaron studies at their families, are all serving the Lord. Shepherds Theological Seminary in Cary, North Carolina, and Lucy (Flinkstrom ’69) Clark serves as a substitute school runs a tax preparation busi- teacher. Rebecca works full-time ness after working 30 years in as a nanny for a child with tax law. Lucy married Blake disabilities. Clark in 1967; they have two sons and two grandchildren. Calvin ’17 and Mala (Ealy ’18) In her spare time Lucy enjoys Carter married in August 2018. swimming, working on her garden, and any outdoor They travel coast to coast serv- activity. The Clarks attend Jaffrey Bible Church in ing with Camfel Productions, a Jaffrey, New Hampshire. character-building program for students. In six months they have Glenn ’63 and Shirley (Tuit presented assemblies to 39,897 ’63) Felty retired after 51 students in 18 different states. years of ministry. They served at a missionary school in Kenichi and Ayano (Iizumi ’10) Venezuela, as well as church- Shiba married in July 2018 in es in Clifton, New Jersey, and Hawaii. The Shibas are prepar- Allentown, Pennsylvania. ing to plant a bilingual church in Glenn also served for 13 years as church relations Fujisawa, Japan. After graduating director for TEAM. While he was busy preaching and from Moody, Ayano moved back teaching, Shirley served as music director, organist, to Japan, her home country, and pianist, and piano teacher. worked in education for seven years.

1950 Ed ’73 and Catherine Harold Street Jr. ’53 published That None Should (Cionca ’72) Lowe celebrated Perish: Ethiopia 1933–1937, a tribute to his parents, their 45th wedding anniversary who served as pioneering SIM missionaries. Harold on April 20, 2019, in Florida with served in the US Army before attending Moody, and their three grandchildren. Ed and later earned a PhD from Michigan State University. Catherine met at Moody in 1970 Harold continues to minister while retired in Hot and recently completed 40 years Spring Village, Arkansas. of ministry service.

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 31 hosted the Songs in the Night broadcast, frequently spoke at Moody conferences—and most notably, continued writing, including the immensely popular BE series of exegetical commentaries. Several of Wiersbe’s extended family are Moody alums, including a son, David Wiersbe ’76; grandson Dan Jacobsen ’09 and his wife, Kristin (Shirk Jacobsen ’09.

1990s Lynn Annette Plett ’91 age 50, Feb. 14, 2019, Slovakia Lynn was born in Columbia City, PRESENT Indiana, and raised in Winona Lake. Her love for music led her to Moody, where WITH THE she studied piano performance. Lynn LORD taught and played while a student as well as serving as the music director at Chinese Christian Union Church in Chicago. Lynn then served in Lyon, France, where she met Daniel, serving with TWR in Monaco. They married in 1998, and served together with TWR in Slovakia. The Pletts had three children and Warren Wiersbe poured their heart into the Slovakian community, learning (1929–2019) their language and going beyond what was required of them to reach their community. arren Wiersbe once described Heaven as “not W only a destination, but also a motivation. When John David Peterson ’98 you and I are truly motivated by the promise of eternity age 70, Nov. 25, 2018, Chicago with God in Heaven, it makes a difference in our lives.” This became the inspiration for his long ministry as a John was involved in several Chicago churches during pastor, author, and radio speaker. Beloved for his his life, including Northside Gospel Center, Des Plaines biblical insight and practical teaching, he was called Bible Church, King James Bible Church, and The Moody “one of the greatest Bible expositors of our generation” Church. He also preached at Pacific Garden Mission, by the late Billy Graham. volunteered at the Women’s Home League, and was Warren W. Wiersbe died on May 2, 2019, in Lincoln, involved in door-to-door evangelism with King James Nebraska, just a few weeks shy of his 90th birthday. Bible Church. John loved baseball and fishing. He grew up in East Chicago, Indiana, was saved at a Billy Graham Youth for Christ rally, and started writing for Moody Monthly magazine fresh out of seminary. 1970s Early in his career he served as a pastor and published books with Moody Publishers. So when he became Janet Elizabeth (Marshall) Covert ’79 pastor of The Moody Church in 1971, he was coming age 62, Aug. 6, 2018, New Castle, Pennsylvania home, of sorts. He succeeded George Sweeting ‘45, Janet was born and raised in New Castle, Pennsylva- who had just become Moody’s president. Wiersbe also nia. She graduated from Union High School and Moody Bible institute. She was a lifelong member of First Bap- tist Church of New Castle, where she served as a singer SUBMISSIONS: [email protected] in the church’s praise team, in choirs, and in several

32 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS musicals. She is survived by her husband, Thomas; income tax service for 45 years, serving 200 clients. Guy sons Philip ’02 (Sarah), Josh (Kira), and Tim; and many is survived by his wife, one son, and grandchildren. grandchildren. Shoko (Hirata) Thomson ’63 Mark Wayne Staley ’76 age 87, May 28, 2018 age 63, Feb. 5, 2019, Pontiac, Illinois Shoko was born into a Buddhist family in Maebashi, Mark served as pastor of Calvary Japan. At the age of 16 she became a follower of Jesus Baptist Church, Pontiac, Illinois, and through the friendship of an English missionary, Dorothy president of COME International Bap- Parr. In 1959 she left Tokyo, Japan, to study at Moody. tist Ministries. He married Nancy She also studied at London Bible College with the goal (Marschner ’78) after his graduation, of teaching at Japan Bible Seminary. On one of her trips then served in foreign missions, the back to Japan, Shoko met an English missionary, Robin pastorate, and itinerate evangelism. Throughout his Thomson, traveling to India to teach at Hindustan Bible years of serving internationally, he led many youth wil- Institute in Madras. They were married in 1969 and spent derness trips and started a child sponsorship program the next 20 years serving in India. In 2012 Shoko was for needy children overseas. He is survived by his wife diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Though her mental of 42 years, Nancy; three children, 11 grandchildren; and ability steadily diminished, her capacity for love seemed a sister, Dawn (Staley ’82) Polsdorfer. to grow even greater.

Carol Lynn Wever ’65 1960s age 77, Feb. 13, 2019, Lancaster, Pennsylvania Darwin V. Adams ’64 Carol graduated from Presbyterian age 84, January 18, 2019, Streamwood, Illinois Hospital in Philadelphia as an RN, then After Darwin met Annette (Medendorp) from Moody Bible Institute. While at ’61 at Moody, they married July 6, 1957. Moody she took a missions trip to Darwin worked as a juvenile detective Alaska, where she met Wayne Wever. with the Streamwood Police Depart- After their marriage, Carol served as a ment in Streamwood, Illinois, from 1963 nurse at Baylor Hospital while Wayne attended Dallas until 1998. He served on the Stream- Theological Seminary. After graduation, Wayne and Carol wood Library Board and the Mental Health Board. He also joined Princeton Evangelical Fellowship to disciple col- founded the Children’s Advocacy Center of North and lege students. During 27 years of service with PEF, Carol Northwest Cook County in 1988 and served on its board. orchestrated countless social events while teaching the He was an active member and board member of Village Bible to hundreds of women. She firmly believed that Church in Barrington, Illinois. He also served with Youth for food was the gateway to the heart, hosting semi-weekly Christ. He is survived by his wife, Annette; daughters, Cyn- dinners for students as well as for newcomers at church. thia ’79 (Philip) Fisk and Charity (Randy) McCafferty; and grandchildren and great grandchildren. 1950s Guy R. Matthews ’69 Everett Gray ’55 age 69, July 18, 2018, Prairie Grove, Arkansas age 90, May 9, 2018 Guy married Erma (Morrison) Matthews ’67 in 1966, and Born in Mississippi, Everett moved to after graduating from Moody Bible Institute, he served as Chicago at age 17. He married Marion song leader in the Howe Savory Bible Church. He also London, and they raised six children. sang in other churches and for Gideon banquets. Erma Everett operated his own cleaners and served the youth through Sunday school and VBS. The tailor shop until—like his five brothers Matthews owned a café and a motel. Guy also had an who became ministers—he sensed

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 33 PRESENT WITH THE LORD

God calling him to preach. After attending Moody, he was from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1961 and ordained as pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Rob- received a Master of Divinity from Creighton University in bins, Illinois. He went on to found St. Mary Baptist Church 1978. He pastored American Baptist churches in New in Chicago. He got his Bachelor of Theology degree at York, New Jersey, and Nebraska, and served on Central Indiana Christian University in 1969, then pastored St. Paul Baptist Seminary’s board. He and Patti helped establish Missionary Baptist Church in Gary, Indiana, for nearly 37 North Platte Kidz Academy, and on August 21, 2018, they years, retiring in 2005. He was president of the Northern celebrated 63 years of marriage. Indiana Missionary Baptist Educational District Associa- tion, receiving several honorary doctorates. After his wife died in 1982, he married JoAnn Franklin Johnson, and Stanley Eugene Gudeman ’54 they had one son. Everett’s daughter Carolyn Taylor says age 92, Nov. 30, 2017, Phoenix, Arizona he was grateful for Moody. “Any young man who had a Originally from Francesville, Indiana, call from God and was considering studying, he directed Stan was a veteran of WWII who served them to Moody.” in General Douglas MacArthur’s head- quarters in Manila and Tokyo. In 1949 he graduated from Indiana University Francis “Boyd” Latchaw Jr. ’55 and then attended Moody. After his first age 92, June 8, 2018, Oskaloosa, Iowa missionary term in Venezuela, he married his wife, Jean; Born in Pennsylvania, Boyd enrolled at Moody in 1951, they returned to serve in Venezuela for six and a half more and met Janette Fry ’55. After Boyd completed addi- years. In 1967 they moved to Arizona, where Stan worked tional studies and was ordained, the Latchaws, with their as business manager for a medical group. two sons, went to Kagoro, Nigeria, with SIM. Boyd was a teacher and principal at Hillcrest in Jos, Kent Academy in Miango, and other schools. In 1965 they returned to the Ida Deloris (Buckley) Ottaviano ’53 US. Boyd earned an MA from Northern Illinois University age 89, Jan. 4, 2019 while serving as a teacher and counselor, and later as Born and raised in Muscatine, Iowa, Ida earned a teaching chaplain at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch near Amarillo. Texas. certificate before attending Moody, where she metJohn In 1977 Boyd became a Moody stewardship representa- Ottaviano ’53. They served as missionaries with Wycliffe tive in Indiana. He also served with Back to the Bible and Bible Translators in Bolivia, translating the New Testament Child Evangelism Fellowship. In 2002 he and Jan moved into the Tacana language. After working in Bolivia. John to Iowa, remaining active in church ministry. Boyd was and Ida also served as missionaries in Mexico and Texas, preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, and is survived training younger missionaries in preparation for overseas by his two sons, Allan and Bryan ’80 (Betty Ann), four missions work. Ida is survived by three sons, including grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Steven Ottaviano ’77.

Verle E. Holsteen ’50 age 91, Jan. 7, 2019, Hudson, Wisconsin 1940s Born in Burlington, Iowa, Verle attend- Donald L. Wise ’44 ed Moody, where he was in a music age 96, April 21, 2019 quartet, The Four Bobs. After complet- ing the Pastors’ Course, he got a BA in Margaret (Andersen) Wise ’44 History from Wheaton College. Verle age 96, May 18, 2019, Ludington, Michigan taught history in Rabun Gap, Georgia, Don and Margaret celebrated their 74th wedding anni- before being drafted into the Army, serving in Korea and versary on December 22, 2018. They passed away one Japan. He married Patti Camp in 1955. Verle taught junior month apart. high school in New York and youth pastored in Baltimore, Don was born April 16, 1923, in Zion, Ilinois, and Maryland, then pursued his pastoral calling. He graduated graduated from Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton

34 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS College. He also attended Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, University of Chicago, and received a doctorate from The Master’s Seminary. He pastored the Union Grove Baptist Church in Wisconsin, then began a 32-year career as professor of Bible and New Testament Greek at Moody. Don preached at 120 different churches and conferences and served as an interim pastor at 21 churches. His published writings included an undergraduate New Testament Greek grammar course and a revised edition of The Practical Use of the Greek New Testament. He was a contribut- ing editor to the Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia. Margaret was born June 17, 1922, in Clair Hess Racine, Wisconsin. She worked with Child Evangelism Fellowship in Zion, Illinois, taught lair Hess ’46 served as Sunday school and Bible study classes, and C senior editor of Our Daily volunteered with Student Wives’ Fellowship Bread, guiding it for more than at Moody. She authored cookbooks and ban- 50 years and turning it into one quet-planning handbooks, and did oil painting. of the most widely read Don and Margaret are survived by their devotional magazines. He was children, Tim ’70 (Jean) of Grayslake, Ill., Larry a noted tenor vocalist and the ’72 (Becky Dodge ’72) of St. Louis, Missouri, last surviving member of the and Ruth ’76 (Darrell ’76) Storvik of Luding- Melody Four quartet. Clair Hess ton; five grandchildren, includingTim II ’97 passed away at age 95 on March 20, 2019. (Melisa) and Nate Storvik ’11; as well as seven He grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and at- great-grandchildren. tended Moody during WWII. After graduation he served at Their life story, “A Streetcar Romance,” WMBI as a vocalist, scriptwriter, and voice actor. Singing first appeared in the spring 2016 Alumni News tenor, Clair soon formed a studio quartet with lead singer magazine. Glenn Jorian, Ray Felton (baritone) and Bill Pearce ’48–49 (bass). The Melody Four sang together for the next 52 years, CORRECTION crafting an elegant commercial sound based on the smooth We published a tribute to jazz voicings of the Four Freshmen, a groundbreaking con- the late Phyllis (Zylstra ’48) trast to southern gospel quartets of the era. Their style was VanGerpen in the maga- shaped by arrangers Dick Anthony and Larry Mayfield ’64. A zine’s spring 2019 issue— year after Dr. M. R. DeHaan started Our Daily Bread in 1956, but we included the wrong he hired Hess as a double talent who could sing on the radio photo. Here is the correct broadcast and edit the magazine. Hess gave the magazine its photo of Mrs. VanGerpen. And we apologize distinctive look and tone, always passionate about connect- to Mrs. Erma Matthews, whose photo we pub- ing Bible truths to real-life testimonies of God at work. He is lished incorrectly. Mrs. Matthews is very much survived by his wife, Frances; his three daughters, Rebecca alive and sent her greetings when she saw Hess, Kathy Kunkle ’71, and Cindy Kasper; and six grandchil- herself in the obituaries. n dren, including Heidi ’99 and Jeff Frazee ’99. n

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 35 WHY I GIVE TO MOODY

Don and Betty Quass at Shelby Interiors, their family-owned business.

‘It’s All about the Lord. Period.’

oody Bible Institute first caught Don and They also gifted the goods and services for special M Betty Quass’s attention in the late 1950s projects. when their pastor invited Moody profes- “You know what?” says Don, now 82. “It’s all sors to preach special services. Don and Betty heard about the Lord. Period. It’s not about Don Quass, that the students didn’t pay tuition. “It was incom- It’s not about Shelby Interiors. It’s totally about the prehensible for me to understand that Moody was Lord. The Lord has entrusted us with this firm, and tuition free,” says Don, owner of Shelby Interiors, an I just want to be a good steward of it.” upholstery and furniture company in Indianapolis. Don’s father started Shelby Interiors in 1931. Over “We learned that if you support Moody, you support the years the Lord has blessed the family-owned busi- the students who do not have the funds for Bible ness tremendously. Don says, “Here’s the way I feel college and don’t want to get into debt.” about this: The more business and the more money That began a special relationship that included the Lord entrusts me with, the more I can give.” giving financially to Moody Bible Institute and Thanks to good Bible teaching, Don and Betty’s Moody Radio, attending Founder’s Week, and hav- faith grew so much that in 1967 Don founded a ing two of their three children and two grandchil- church in his hometown of Indianapolis that grew to dren eventually pursue Bible training at Moody. more than 400 people. A decade later he took time

36 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS off to travel as a full-time evangelist, crisscross- ing the United States and Canada. Every year he would select one Bible conference to attend— Fall 2019 (Vol. 69, No. 2) and it always was Founder’s Week. “We’ve heard some fantastic preaching,” says Nancy (Andersen ’80) Hastings; Don, who has attended for more than 50 years. Executive Director “The spiritual growth that Betty and I and our Managing Editor Linda Piepenbrink family receive from going to Founder’s Week is just astounding.” Designer Doug Fleener When Don and Betty returned full-time to Alumni Notes Editors Ricardo Sanchez, their upholstery business, their love for Moody Loren Joseph ’18 continued. After urging then president Joe Stowell to start a Moody Radio station in their Alumni Board of Directors Cherie (Bruchan ’75) Balog, Erika (Sweeting ’01) area, they joined the advisory board and were Dawson, Chris Drombetta ’14, Steve Dutton ’86, quick to give to help fund the station’s new Peter Grant ’83, Marcus Hayes ’07, building in 2004. They support WGNR and Rusty Ingraham ’75, David Lee ’08, listen every day. “We wouldn’t miss Lutzer, Tracy (McPhail ’14) Reed; Julie (Carlen ’80) Ross. Jeremiah, Swindoll, Evans, MacArthur, Begg, Moody Alumni & Friends is published spring, fall, and now Jobe,” Don says. “We hear all of them.” and winter by the Moody Bible Institute Alumni Sometimes members of his crew hear Moody Association at 820 N. LaSalle Boulevard, Radio too. Two of Don’s 10 employees were rid- Chicago, IL 60610-3284. ing in his car recently when one piped up: “That The magazine is distributed to Moody alumni free sounds like that station you listen to all of the of charge. Visit the alumni website at moody.edu/ time, Don.” alumni to view Moody Alumni & Friends online. He replied, “Yes! That’s Moody Bible To help equip the next generation of ministry Institute’s radio station, WGNR, 97.9 FM.” leaders studying at Moody, please visit The Quasses are thrilled that their children moody.edu/give-back. received training from Moody. Their daughter, Michelle (Quass) Smith, was there for a semes- Life & Ministry Notes submissions Send the details of your recent transitions, ter, and her daughter, Tyler, is now a junior at ministry updates and accomplishments, family Moody. Don and Betty’s youngest son, Rod announcements—and, if possible, a good quality Quass ’93, met his wife, Ami (Walker ’93), photo—by email to [email protected] or by at Moody, and this fall Rod and Ami’s daughter, mail to Moody Alumni Association, 820 N. LaSalle Rilee, began her studies at Moody. Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610-3284. Questions? Call the With all of that Moody involvement, Don and Alumni Association Office at (312) 329-4412. Betty have become adept at identifying Moody Present with the Lord submissions alumni. When Betty attended a Bible study at To submit an alumni death notice, please send the another church recently, she heard a new pastor obituary to [email protected]. Include the present the lesson. Impressed, she turned to a deceased person’s full name, maiden name if friend and said, “He has to be a Moody grad.” appropriate, class year/years attended, age, date of death, location of death (city and state), Her friend said, “Oh, he is!” relatives or related alumni, ministry focus in life, Don laughs. “It’s unbelievable that when you and other pertinent information. We may edit your are around people—pastors, leaders, laymen— submission for accuracy and length if needed. you can almost invariably tell that they’ve been Questions? Call the Alumni Association Office at to Moody or are an associate of Moody. They’re (312) 329-4412. different, peculiar, outstanding people. In their The Alumni Association appreciates the variety of mannerisms and their spirit, you can tell that news it receives from alumni. Due to space and other they’ve been exposed to Moody Bible Institute.” restrictions, it may not be possible to publish all of the —by Linda Piepenbrink announcements we receive.

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 37 BOLD STEPS BY MARK JOBE

BOLD STEPS BY MARK JOBE

Double Impact

s I reflect on the past nine months since years as a pastor in the Chicagoland area, I have A coming on as Moody’s tenth president, asked those around me to take bold steps for King my heart echoes King David’s testimony Jesus. At Moody, we are trusting that the Lord in Psalm 16:6: “The lines have fallen for me in will continue to provide as He has done since our pleasant places.” To serve at Moody during such a founding by D. L. Moody and Emma Dryer. We are time as this is a unique joy and honor. taking a bold step to reimagine what a gospel-cen- These are exciting days at Moody, and I strongly tered urban campus could look like in the future. believe that we are stepping into one of our most In reimagining our Chicago campus for the important periods in our 133-year history. Our future, Moody’s senior leadership is committed to leadership team and task what Jesus teaches in Mat- forces have been hard at thew 25—to prayerfully stew- work the last several months, ard the resources entrusted engaged with strategic plan- We are taking to us for kingdom growth. ning to ensure that we are a bold step to We have therefore prayer- creating a stronger, more fully begun a process to sell impactful Moody. In fact, reimagine what a ten acres of our Chicago cam- we are seeking to double the gospel-centered pus real estate portfolio, and depth and size of our impact the proceeds will help us pro- by the year 2030. urban campus vide the financial resources Imagine with me a day in needed to achieve our goals which Moody Radio is reach- could look like for 2030. You can learn more ing three million listeners in the future. about this at moodybible. per week, Moody Publisher’s org/campus-redevelopment, biblically based resources are and in the August e-newslet- used by more than 10 million people, and Moody ter’s leadership column. In the months to come Bible Institute and Moody Theological Seminary we will be sharing more about our strategic plan- are training up a combined 6,000 Christian lead- ning efforts. In the meantime, please continue to ers each year. That’s our goal. pray for us as we take these bold steps aimed at Becoming the premier Christian leadership strengthening Moody and seizing the opportuni- pipeline to the world, and among the most influ- ties before us. ential Christian media ministries in the world, is My prayer for you, fellow alumni, is that as you the burden that has been laid on my heart through will sense the Lord’s sustaining grace and that you prayer and seeking God. I am committed to pur- will be willing to take bold steps of obedience in sue this vision with the rest of the Moody family, this season of your life. including you, our valued alumni, for the glory of Dee and I look forward to seeing you at Candlelight King Jesus alone, not our own. Carols and celebrating the birth of King Jesus! Doubling our impact by 2030 will not be an easy task. I’m reminded of the bold spirit of D. L. Moody Mark Jobe ’84 MA ’98 is president of who is quoted as saying, “If God is your partner, Moody Bible Institute and host of Moody make your plans large.” Throughout my nearly 30 Radio’s Bold Steps.

38 MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS FLASH BACK

Sing it Prayerfully

oon after WMBI’s first broadcast in 1927, the sign was a fixture, with subsequent gen- S someone tacked a hand-lettered sign erations of Christian musicians posing next to to the wall: “The Holy Spirit may use your it for photos. More than a sign, it was the big message to save a soul. Deliver it prayer- idea that described the best of gospel music. fully.” As Moody Radio expanded, the sign And 80 years later, when Moody Radio moved kept popping up, like this variation in the to the new studios in the Chapman Center, music studios: “Your Song May Be Used to someone carried the sign across the street Save A Soul. Sing It Prayerfully.” By the time and tacked it to the wall. The message hasn’t the famed Studio A and B opened in 1939, changed. n

MOODY ALUMNI & FRIENDS 39 NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID 820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610 MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE

Adverstising

Join Your Alumni Community Help build a strong network of Moody alumni by joining a Facebook group for your region. Share life together, plan events, and network for career and ministry. Make new friends and rediscover lost classmates. Join Your Group Today! moody.edu/alumni/connect/communities