You rocked my world, Wilbert Shenk!

In January of 1998, I signed up for a course on Mission in Modernity/Postmodernity to be offered by Dr. Wilbert R. Shenk, mission historian and world-renowned scholar in "Missiology to the West" as well. As one who had been part of numerous church plants and ministries, I expected the class to be a good review of Christian evangelism in America and the West. I couldn't be more wrong.

Wilbert Shenk, himself a devoted student of Lesslie Newbigin, went about deconstructing my notions of mission, Christendom, church, evangelism, and the list went on. He demonstrated how my understanding of Christian life was derived more from a culture called modernity than it was from the biblical narratives. My whole world was shaken by the end of the course.

I started a quest at that time for a faith that was not held captive by a particular culture, namely Western culture of the years 1600-1950. That journey has not ended, as each day I realize how unbiblical my view of reality truly is.

My passion to understand our current predicament led to my pursuit of a Ph.D. As I looked at the various programs in the US and UK, I could not find the level of conversation on "Mission to the West" that I enjoyed here with Dr. Wilbert Shenk, Eddie Gibbs, fellow student Barry Taylor, not to mention the contribution of Nancey Murphy, Jim McClendon, Glen Stassen, and others, and so I stayed.

Wilbert Shenk served as my mentor, and for the next few years I was his Teaching Assistant and occasional co-instructor. He always surprised me with his vast understanding of missiology and Western culture. I never tired of hearing him speak, because what he said continued to stay fresh and cutting edge.

Wilbert Shenk announced his retirement after ten years here at Fuller. It is with great sadness that I say good-bye to him. Professor, mentor, later colleaque and friend, he serves as a role model for me.

As I begin to teach classes in 'Missiology to the West' and start moving my boxes into Wilbert's old office, I realize that this quiet Mennonite scholar from Indiana turned my life upside down.  As I ponder my own teaching vocation, I hope to create contexts for radical transformation in my students' worlds. I've sat too long at Wilbert Shenk's feet to try for anything less.

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Comments

[the guy in the back of the class...now in Indiana]

Ryan,

Thanks for sharing your accolades for one of your mentors and the influence he has had on you. It's amazing to me to see God matches sometimes the most unlikely pairs in a mentor/mentoree relationship. BTW, since I've been back to much church in Indiana, I've talked about your research and look forward to reading your book!

Blessings,

Ron -- A.k.a. The guy in the back of the class from the I-61 cohort

P.S. I'm gettin' into this blogging thing. Check mine out. At this point its more of a personal journal. We'll see where it goes from here.

[Ryan Bolger]

Ron, the link failed when I tried your blog -- Cool that you are getting into the blogging thing...

(the guy in the front of the class)

[Bill Ekhardt]

Thanks for sharing this influence with us, Ryan. It is very helpful to hear the stories that led to the transformation of people who go on to affect us.

[The guy in the back of the class...now in Indiana]

Ryan,

Try this. I realized I sent the wrong info after I posted.

Blessings!

Ron

[Wess Daniels]

Ryan,
I'm with you, just a few years too late, or I would have follow Wilbert the way you did...carry his legacy forward into this new age.

[Julie]

How long did Wilbert Shenk teach at Fuller?

[christian louboutin]

You're a braver woman than I it was weeks before I could even begin to think about looking at the incisions from my lap. Even now I don't like to touch them.

They're...squishy.