Yet again, I found myself flirting with a possible doctoral program, this past week. Happening upon one prospect, Beeson Divinity School, I was saddened to learn that my favorite Christian author, Calvin Miller, has died. At the time of his passing on August 19, 2012, he was 75 years of age.
Pastoring churches in Nebraska for quite a few years, Calvin was born in Enid, Oklahoma on Aug. 28, 1936. He graduated from Enid High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree at OBU in 1958. He attended Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri graduating with a master’s degree in 1961 and a doctorate in 1975. In 1959, he married Barbara Joyce Harman. They had a son and a daughter.
I would have to agree with Oklahoma Baptist’s David Whitlock who said a few days ago, “His writing and many books are a gift to Christendom. His teaching has multiplied by the thousands his ministry of outstanding creative preaching.”
Calvin Miller is one author who, out of them all, I would often look to see each week if he had a new publication on the shelves. There are a myriad of persons whom I’ve never met personally who’ve touched my life in ways too powerful for words. Calvin Miller tops that list! All of his books are on my shelf, including the ones that are now out of print and reside in virtual book obscurity for many.
His sermons, writings and quotes have touched me and blessed me throughout the years of my life and ministry. The writings of Calvin have always made my mind, heart and soul leap in ways too deep to explain in words. I remember at the age of 16, picking up a book in Corpus Christi at the local bookstore entitled, ‘If I Had Only One Sermon To Preach.’ Admittedly, I picked up the book after being intrigued by the sheer title itself. After purchasing this volume of work, one sermon touched me more than all. Interestingly, it was Calvin Miller, who had already become one of my favorites. How pleased I was to learn that Calvin Miller was apart of this unique publication of sermonic work. He didn’t disappoint! It was there I read his sermon, ‘Seeing Life’s Reversals as Glory’, out of Philippians 1:12-16.
Of my favorite books (though I love them all), I would have to select Into the Depths with God (c2000), That Elusive Thing called Joy (c1975) and The Art of Narrative Preaching.
I would often hope and wish I had the opportunity to go and meet him, visit with him and spend time with him. However, that will not happen on this side. Be that as it may, his legacy will continue through his many writings, his pupils at Southwestern Seminary and Beeson; and the countless others we may never know.
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