Dr. Howard Hendricks (1924-2013): A Tribute
February 20, 2013
Besides my close friends and family, three men have had the biggest impact on my life--Bill Bright, Dallas Willard and Howard Hendricks.
It was an honor to directly study under Dr. Hendricks during my years at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) from 1975-79. I took several courses from him and was in a small discipleship group with Hendricks my last year at DTS. I was a very young believer, serving my first year on Campus Crusade staff. The model of his leadership could not have come to me at a more integral time. I saw a discipline and dedication in him that was infectious.
What were the values I saw him? Unquestionably, three stand out to me: His radical commitment to Christ, to reading in general and studying scripture in particular, and then the priority of marriage and family. These have all become my values, due in no small measure to Dr. Hendricks.
But I must also say something about his temperament and the manner in which he presented himself. He had a commitment not to bore people while teaching, in general, and when teaching the Bible, in particular, and to exhibit a keen sense of humor. Hendricks gave me an image of someone who could be (and he was!) funny, yet very serious about his commitment to Jesus Christ. I have tried my best to follow him in this.
His love for the Bible was highly impressionable to me. Frankly, he spent more time studying scripture than any single human being I know. Why? Well, for one thing he was actually convinced of its power to change lives, especially when first-hand study was part of the picture.
Dr. Hendricks also taught me a lot about marriage and family. While a student at Dallas Seminary, I majored in "Hendricks," and among the courses I took was Christian Marriage. Wow! What a course! It set the direction of my own values and beliefs about marriage, and I am the better for that.
All in all, Howard Hendricks was a man who had a huge impact for Christ and we will miss him terribly. With his passing, a very large tree in the forest fell.
I met Dr. Hendricks several years ago at a Navigator’s Conference in Kansas City. I had read some of his books and told him how much I appreciated his ministry. As I was the “tech” guy at the conference he asked me to control the PowerPoint presentation as he spoke, After he spoke he told me I had done a good job of knowing when to change slides. I told him that he had made sure I would have to pay attention! We both laughed. What an honor and blessing it was to be able to serve this great man of God.
Dr. Howard Hendricks was amazing! I listened to his messages via tape for years and then got to hear him in person a couple of times at a Men’s Retreat at our church and ask him some questions one on one. Not only was his teaching incredible — it spoke volumes when you noticed that he had a plate on the side of his head due to cancer. But that did not stop him one bit. What a great teacher and example!