I just saw that my old friend and mentor Dick "Moby" Brown passed away. I wrote this blog post a few weeks back, but for my own therapy so to speak I am modifying it slightly and re-posting it.
(I got this picture for his daughter Beth Elswick's facebook page, this is my friend Dick "Moby" Brown working with his grandson on a sermon outline, I love this picture and the message it conveys.)
I believe we all need a mentor. We need someone to come beside us and teach us through example and words how to live. This can happen in a variety of ways both formal and informal. When I went to Bible College I did not know I needed a mentor, but I did. God provided Dick Brown in a very important time of my life. Dick was an adjunct professor of theology and practical ministries and a local preacher.
At the college I went to it was very informal and thus we called professors by their first name. Professor Brown went most often by Moby. As I reflect upon his life I realize more than ever before how much Moby influenced who I am today. Let me just mention four ways in which he has left a positive legacy in my life (these are in no real order).
1. He taught me to love to read. I had never met anyone that had a love for books and learning like Moby.He had a library like no one i had met before. What's more he actually could tell me what the books were about and which were worthwhile. I learned to love to read and learned how to retain what I read due to Moby. I absolutely love to read many types of books. He gave me many books to start my library and suggested great authors to consider. We discussed C. S. Lewis, Lewis Foster, Jack Cottrell, J. R. R. Tolkien, and many more. Today I read and listen to many books. I think I have gone through at least 35 books so far this year. When our house burned down he was there quickly with books in hand. I still have the ones I have not passed on to others. In fact I still have the Bible he gave me. I am not a hoarder, but I will keep that Bible forever I expect.
2. He taught me what it means to be a Christian man. The balance between being in the world, but not of the world is a constant battle for us all. He showed me how to have fun and still seek holiness. We laughed together, sang together, went to a Penn State football game together, went to a few plays together, went to a major league baseball game together, traveled together to conferences, cooked many lunches in the cafeteria for the students together, did church camp together, and ate together real often. We had fun, enjoyed life, and sought to be followers of Christ.I don't know if he realized how much our weekly dinners meant to me. I saw how he loved his Lord, his family, to study, and still did things that he enjoyed doing. While I struggle with balance in life, I did learn much from him.
3. He helped fuel my love for learning. My basic theological training started in his classes and continued in many conversations over a dinner or lunch. He introduced me to the concepts of grace, spiritual warfare, inductive Bible study, and many other key doctrines and concepts. He also greatly influenced my education beyond Bible College. He drove me to Cincinnati and introduced me to professors and the seminary I attended. I don’t think I would have gone to graduate school if he had not pushed me in that direction, much less doctorate work. I would not be teaching today if it were not for him. No doubt we would have stayed in our home area (and there is nothing wrong with that) had he not broadened my horizons. (He even had me eat Skyline Chili to seal the deal, that was wise too.)
4. He showed me the need for true spiritual friendship. A true spiritual friend is one that will help us to become more than we could by ourselves. I have not had many true spiritual friends in my life in which I fully trusted and enjoyed their presence and I believe they did mine. There have been a few like Moby that have come beside me as a spiritual friend and helped me to be more than I could otherwise. Through our trips to conferences, to football and baseball games, to see Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar, and weekly meals at our humble home I grew to love my friend. There are few people in life that I feel comfortable with as to not have to come up with topics to discuss. We could sit in silence as we drove and it was not awkward, that is rare. I recall once taking him for an eye surgery and afterwards while he was in pain and unable to talk or really even look out the window, but there was no need to talk. I could pray for him and honestly just feel honored he allowed me to serve him. (Side note, his loving family would have taken off work to take him, they were always there to help him as he was for them, but it worked out for me to take him and again it was an honor). I long for such friendship, but know they are far and few between.
I do not think I would be where I am today if it were not for Moby. He pushed me to grow spiritually and intellectually. I would not be teaching now, nor would I be the preacher I am today without that encouragement. I thank God for Moby. When I heard he passed away a few minutes ago my heart sank. A great friend, Wade Allen, texted me to see if I was alright. I said I hate I did not get to see him again. Wade in his wisdom replied, "Hey. You'll get to see him again."I needed to hear that.
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. While I will miss being able to discuss theological issues with him, miss his wisdom, and miss his friendship, his legacy will never fad from my memory. Moby is not a perfect man, but he taught me what it means to follow the One who is perfect. I will always be grateful, I really I would have visited him. I am much to busy for my own good... which is only my fault.I look forward more and more to heaven.
The challenge is, will I leave a legacy of faith and discipleship like he has done in my life? I believe I have made an impact on the lives of few, but I have a long way to go to live up to my old mentor. What about you?
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