FAITHFULNESS!

We call him Prof.” That’s Professor Howard G. Hendricks. Prof is retiring. After 60 years (yes, SIXTY!) of teaching at Dallas Seminary, and in the process directly touching the lives of thousands of students, and indirectly, perhaps millions of Christians all over the world. One of his protégés said, “Prof is like a pebble thrown in a lake—the ripples just keep going outward.” This is a man whose fifth-grade teacher predicted he’d end up in prison! He didn’t.

The LORD preserves the faithful.
Psalm 31:23

For six decades, he has modeled integrity and probity to several generations of students. Faithfully.

“Only eternity will reveal all he’s done for the cause of Christ worldwide,” says Dr. Tony Evans. “I'm just honored to be one of the protégés.”

… it is required of stewards
that one be found faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2

A good steward, indeed! Dallas Seminary Chancellor, Chuck Swindoll says of Prof, “He is the one man who has had the greatest impact on my entire life. And there is no doubt in my mind that since the late 1950s to the present day, no other teacher at DTS has been more influential to more of our graduates, or more magnetic to more potential students than Dr. Hendricks.”

Faithful. About 25 years ago, Dallas Seminary’s Center for Christian Leadership was founded—it was appropriately named after Howard G. Hendricks, the man with a passion for mentoring future Christian leaders.
Faithfully passing on the baton.

The things which you have
heard from me
in the presence of many witnesses,
entrust these to faithful men
who will be able
to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:2

Fourteen years ago, an invasive cancer destroyed his eye and threatened more damage. Yet, Prof. continued to be a paragon of faithfulness. He declared: “Either God is sovereign or He is not. And, if He’s not, we’re in deep trouble. But I’m coming down on the side that He is.”

Faithful to his God.

Let us hold fast
the confession of our hope
without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23

His fan mail during those dire days piled up over six feet in height—cards from all over the world, from people whose lives he had shaped.

Faithful. Like his Lord.

Therefore, He [Jesus]
had to be made like His brethren
… so that He might become
a merciful and faithful high priest
… to make atonement
for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 2:17

Last Saturday, at the Seminary’s Commencement Exercises, a special tribute was paid to this faithful man: he was awarded the Seminary’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Faithful and blessed.

A faithful man
will abound with blessings.
Proverbs 28:20

A greater award awaits all those who are faithful—one from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

“His master said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful slave.
… I will put you
in charge of many things;
enter into the joy of your master.’”
Matthew 25:21

In his note of thanks, last week, to the Seminary Faculty who had voted unanimously for Prof’s Award, he said, “One thing cheers me—that each of you will be doing the job which in our generation is critically significant. My prayers will be with you.”

May we be faithful, by His grace.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord,
who has strengthened me,
because He considered me faithful,
putting me into service,
1 Timothy 1:12

May we be faithful—till the end.

Be faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
Revelation 2:10

Prof, thank you!