The short form:  I grew up in St Louis, Missouri; came to Michigan State University as a freshman in 1969; met Tom Stark, the first pastor of University Reformed Church; met the Lord; met my wife; and stayed.

 

The longer form begins back in Webster Groves, Missouri, where my siblings and I became Presbyterians after our Mom broke her ankle.  We had been attending the Baptist church, but it was too far away; we could walk to the South Webster Presbyterian Church.  I felt like I knew all the Bible stories but never heard about the possibility of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  On the plus side, South Webster did have a very active Boy Scout troop and a strong men’s fast pitch softball team.

I felt on top of the world in the summer before college – I was going to run on the MSU  track team; I was going to be a Math Professor; and I had a girlfriend.  All these fell apart by the end of October.  My girlfriend announced she had been dating another guy for the whole time we had been dating, and she had made a decision that the other dude would be better for her. Heart break!  I tore a hamstring while hurdling.  Body Break!  I took too many courses, did not have time to master them, and got less than stellar grades. Mind Break!

I found a church to attend through Dave Cushman, a fellow on my floor in Hubbard Hall.  Dave left a lasting impression one night while he was brushing his teeth before dinner.  Not sure why he brushed before dinner, but he asked me, “Do you think man is basically good or basically evil?” just before he applied the paste. I pondered this question that made no sense to me – I was thinking, what does good and evil have to do with math and sports? – And I chose “Good”.  Dave bolted from the bathroom, mouth all a-lather, and let me know I was wrong, and if you just look around you, you can see it!

Dave introduced me to Tom Stark, who kept inviting me to Bible studies and special activities.  I did not know a soul when I arrived on campus and was very glad for a kind group to hang out with.  I learned some of the basics of Christianity and read a couple of books.

Sometime during Spring term 1970, which ran from April to mid-June, I was reading our group book entitled Runaway World, by Michael Green.  The book was an earlier version of The Case For Christ, addressing common questions about and hindrances to believing in Jesus.  The topic that caught my attention that day was “Christians are Wimps.”  I realized that was an obstacle for me – how could a tough guy who loved Clint Eastwood movies and playing hard-nosed defensive basketball become a Christian?

The book described the first disciples, who were rugged, impulsive, and courageous.  Almost all of them ended up dying for what they believed. I realized Christians did not have to be wimps, got down on my knees in my dorm room, and asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior.

My future wife was living in the same dorm.  She recalls meeting me during that freshman year, but my memory starts as a sophomore.   We started dating and attending the church college group, and were married at the beginning of our senior year at MSU.  We tried to move away at least once but the Lord brought us back, and we have lived in the Lansing area and been members of URC ever since college days.