"GR"
I first met Gordon Stirling when I was about 12 or 13 years old. He came through NZ preaching at various Churches of Christ and encouraging particularly Christian men. My dad (a plumber) was in active leadership in our churches and so Gordon visited our house and I was taken to hear him speak. Even as a boy I was impressed with this guy. He spoke in down to earth language and seemed a genuine sort of guy, not just a show man. My parents knew him in their youth when he was a Youth Director in NZ Churches of Christ. I never knew then that he would feature a lot more in my life.
Gordon came originally from Western Australia I think, and for a time worked as a drover on Horse back. He trained for church ministry and in the process did a BA majoring in Psychology. He had a ministry as Youth Director in NZ, another ministry in Palmerston North in NZ, and then returned to Australia. He had a very significant ministry in the Church of Christ in Canberra. While there he was asked to go and see visiting USA president Lyndon Johnson who was in town and wanting to talk with a minister of his denomination. He had a signed photograph of the president for his trouble. He became Vice-Principle of "The Federal College of the Bible of Churches of Christ in Australia" where I did the bulk of my ministry training. This required him to do a lot of the administrative work. His initials were G R Stirling so we just called him "GR", and sometimes because of his busyness, "General Rabbit". He met my wife and I when we hit Melbourne and had secured a bed, a cot for the baby and took us shopping, helping us to settle into college life. In my last year we lived out near Boronia on the outskirts of Melbourne (well it sort of was then) and he lived about half a mile away. I was student minister at the Boronia Church which he attended when he was not preaching else where. (My brother is minister of that Church now) He and I would often share transport into College (16 miles away) and had some great conversations in the process.
He took us for "Homiletics" (how to preach, lead services etc) and "Practical Church Work" (Which covered subjects like counselling, pastoral care, administration, planning, etc. etc.) He was an excellent minister himself and passed on his knowledge well. He encouraged down to earth preaching that "informed the mind, stirred the emotions and empowered the will" or something like that. He encouraged the use of illustrations, enabling people to identify with each point in different ways and passion in preaching. Theologically he was ahead of his times in some ways, though he never went out to offend people. He would word things in such a way that a wide variety of people could identify with what he was saying. In conversation he was in fact quite liberal for his time. A few years ago they were instigating the G R Stirling Lecture associated with the South Australian Conference of our Churches. Because of his wife's health he was unable to deliver the first lecture so for unknown reasons I was asked. (My friend was president of the conference at the time) I visited Gordon in Melbourne on my way to the conference. Just a couple of years ago I attended the centenary of the Palmerston North Church of Christ and presided at the Church service. I had been minister there in the 70's for 6 years. Gordon had been minister many years before that and in his nineties he was guest preacher. He could still preach well.
Two incidents stand out. We were to read a couple of chapters in a book to be ready to discuss it in one of Gordon's classes. Gordon was always a very gentle lecturer, benign and caring toward his students. We tended when under pressure to take it easy in his classes because we knew other lecturers would be tougher on us. This day we fronted up and he opened up the topic for discussion. It became obvious that few had read the chapters in question. He guessed that and asked point blank who had done the reading. About one of us put up our hand. GR was silent for a long pause. Then he packed up his books and his notes and said, "I am leaving. When you are ready to learn, I'll be ready to teach you. Good day!" With out fuss he just left the classroom with us looking and feeling sheepish. The second incident has often come to mind. We had student ministries in churches on weekends. It was a very busy lifestyle. One time there was a group of us talking with GR about our ministry experiences. We were sounding off about elders and staid old folks who refused to change. (I still do that) We griped away to GR and with care and concern he listened. Then he quietly said, "I know it is frustrating, but... " and he paused while we waited eagerly for his words of wisdom, "but... remember... Jesus died for them too. God loves them and your job is to love them too." He brought, and still brings wise perspective when ministry gets tough.
He died in Melbourne, I think on Wednesday. Somewhere I have notes of a statement he gave on his 90th birthday. I may share it with you it is a very good statement. "GR" with love and gratitude I salute you. "Well done good and faithful servant." You have impacted my life far more than you ever knew.
Photos;
* Nearly finished setting up for Christmas Day Community Dinner.
* Gordon is the older guy seated on the right. The 3 in the funny outfits were good mates at college. Ian (on the left ) has died, while Jeff (on the right) is visiting me for Christmas.
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