Just completed a quick trip to the Berkshires to celebrate the ministries of two of my college professors. Drs. Carl Ehle and Oral Collins of New England School of Theology/Berkshire Christian College/Berkshire Institute of Christian Studies taught both my parents and myself Old and New Testament. Both (along with their families) sacrificed much to teach us the bible.
I credit Dr. Ehle for giving me a love for learning, pushing me towards graduate studies at Westminster Seminary. I’m pretty sure he pulled strings to help me get to Israel just as Berkshire was closing down in 1986. He taught OT courses and Greek. He pushed us to learn but with a healthy dose of humor.
The evening festivities were long but a great reminder that many others feel the same way about these two men. They instilled a love for God and a ministry mindset in several generations. A bonus was hearing several stories about how Dr. Ehle and several others embraced a fellow student, Michael Haynes, in the 40s. There weren’t many Christian educational organizations that allowed African Americans in as students. Dr. Haynes went on to a distinguished career as senior pastor of 12 Baptist Church of Roxbury. He was there last night too and full of stories.
Rarely do we take the time to tell people about their impact on our lives. So, I challenge you to think about those who had a significant influence on your maturation process, on your development into the person you are today. Once you have a couple of names in your head, go find them and let them know.
Musings on Faith and Psychology 