Where are they?

Roy Osborne was one of the most popular speakers at the seminars. He spellbound us all with his insights and teaching. Roy was minister of the Sunset Ridge Church of Christ in San Antonio for many years.

He recently wrote me the following:

"I think I was a bit player in the movement you and Jim were promoting in the 60s.

I am now 84 and retired in 1991 but still teach a class each week and write all my own material. People have requested copies and I now e-mail 225 people in 29 states each week with a copy of my current essay.

I am still going to the Church of Christ but have been able to teach the Sunset Ridge congregation that Christianity is all about the grace of God and not at all about legal rules and regulations.  You see, I am still preaching the same things I did in Dallas in 1968."

At my invitation he added the following:

"I would like to add that I feel the Campus Evangelism did more to loosen the iron grip of legalism in which the church was enslaved than any other one thing.  I believe the young people went home from Dallas with a view that Christianity was about their relationship to Christ, not their relationship to the church.  As these young people matured they became the leaders of today and that is why many of our advances in Biblical understanding and practice have been able to thrive.

I was hung on many a cross as a liberal for preaching the grace of God instead of the rigid rules of the church, but I survived and I would do it again."

To which I say, "Right on, Roy!"

Comments

[Wes Woodell]

Funny you mention Mr. Osborne. I've heard good things about the man.

Do you know if Roy's association with CE had anything to do with the ordeal he went through with the Lake Merced Church of Christ in San Francisco years ago?

I don't know the exact details, but it is my understanding that a few smaller, more conservative congregations banded together, labled Roy and the Lake Merced members heretics, and then all placed membership one Sunday morning at Lake Merced with the intention of siezing the property. It ended in a long, drawn out court battle that the Lake Merced members eventually won, but it ultimately killed the spirit of that church and made them all look foolish to the community.

Just curious if there's any connection.

[Cary McCall]

Jim, thanks for your response. I have only imagined what was happening in your hearts after Wes gave his speech. I am attempting to find an audio recording of the speech, which I believe exists somewhere in the bowels of ACU.

In response to your question, let me give you my perspective as a 26 year old campus ministry idealist who 1) believes strongly in the mission of campus ministry, 2) recognizes the current state of campus ministry in this country, 3) believes that something can happen to revive the spirit and effectiveness of this mission so that it is living towards its potential, and 4) has discovered the story of a movement that sought to achieve that very thing.

First, I don’t know the best way for the story of Campus Evangelism to be told. Perhaps it is with a book. There certainly was enough drama to tell a compelling story full of amazing triumphs and bitter lows. I’ve seen the glory that was experienced by so many through the Daytona Advance and listened to the audio of the inquisition by Guy Woods. Jim, I felt the hurt that was still there when you made your remarks at NCMS. A book would certainly package the story in a way that could reach a lot of people easily.

But whether it is a book, or a reunion with younger campus ministry folks, or a blog, or a major Hollywood motion picture, the fact remains that there are a lot of people, even workers in campus ministry, who don’t understand the scope of the mission in front of them. Two components of why they don’t understand the scope is because they don’t know the history or the current big picture. The story of Campus Evangelism forces people to consider both.

Another thing that it does is make people think about the identity of campus ministry and the church. First, what is campus ministry doing? Why does it is exist? This leads into larger questions about the church. Campus ministry in Churches of Christ was doing quite well in the 60s in its own right. The Campus Journal of the time is overflowing with news of new Bible Chairs and student centers and new academic programs, etc. But then Campus Evangelism came along and started asking all new questions and presenting all new ways of thinking about the presence and work of Christianity on the college campus. I know this created some level of tension with you guys and the Bible Chair directors. You guys were pushing the very uncomfortable. You called people out of the bunker mentality of campus ministry (the “mission to Christians”) and made a huge call to engage faith. This is the kind of thing that campus leaders and students today need to know has happened in their history. They need to see how it happened. In my case, simply seeing that it happened was very influential.

But here is the most important reason your story needs to be known: You need to help guide the future of campus ministry in America. There are seeds of revival floating around in campus ministry right now. I fully expect that we will see some amazing fruit come of this, but it needs to be guided by the gentle yet strong hand of wisdom and experience. Campus Evangelism, as an organization, was short lived. But from Wes Reagan’s speech in ’65 to the close of shop in ’70, you all gained a lifetime of experience through a tremendous amount of successes and failures. Leaders today need to know what bred success and the pitfalls and mistakes that led to failure. If you still believe in the mission you set out to accomplish that fateful day in the Spring of 1965, you will believe that your story must be known to a new generation that is carrying your legacy.

[Jim Bevis]

I would like to post another question for discussion. Of what value would it be to write a book on Campus Evangelism forty plus years after the ministry closed?

[Jim Bevis]

In response to Wes' most recent contact, I would have to say that "the Lord spoke to my heart" through Wes Reagan's message in a way I had never experienced the Holy Spirit's direct operation. By this time in my spiritual journey, I had, in a sense, reached the pinnacle of my career in the Churches of Christ, and having arrived at "Broadway" I knew there had to be "something more." I ultimately found that "something more" as I pursued the challenge of the college campus.

Wes Reagan spoke with a relevant, Spirit-empowered word that had "the ring of truth." We were already experiencing some success with our efforts in the College class at Texas Tech. It was obvious that we had not even touched the "hem of the garment." Wes put the challenge before us and the Lord put it in our hearts to go to the campus with Jesus Christ in all of His fullness, without the sectarian bend which characterized the Churches of Christ in the 60s. Our mission field was two fold: First, the lost and I mean those truly lost and secondly, the multitudes of students on the campus from Churches of Christ who did not have a personal, vital relationship with Jesus Christ. I would say that the message presented by Wes Reagan at ACC and that which followed, was a divine call to the campus.

[Cary McCall]

Jim and Rex,

One thing that I want to hear about is what happened in your minds and hearts when Wes Reagan gave his speech at the '65 Abilene lectureship. You both were in what I imagine were fairly comfortable and secure ministry positions and were doing well with what you already had going. From what I can tell neither of you had particularly extensive experience with campus ministry. Why did that particular challenge strike you and what pushed you to go for something so big?