Dr. Ted W. Engstrom, evangelical giant.

Donald L. Hughes, editor of JesusJournal.com, recalled several encounters he had over the years with Engstrom, and the impact Engstrom had on his life.

“Of course, he was a giant in the evangelical world, and reached the lives of untold numbers of people, but he had the power to reach to touch individual lives in powerful ways,” Hughes said.

Dean Hirsch, current president and chief executive officer of World Vision International, said, “He valued everyone and made everyone feel valued, and his ability to integrate the Gospel with everyday life was absolutely inspiring. Dr. Ted made work and faith walk together.”

“The first time I met him was when I was a student at Azusa Pacific University,” Hughes said. “We went on an after-hours field trip to the facility when headquarters were located in Monrovia, California, and “Dr. Ted,” as he was known, was working late.

“He came out of his office and greeted each off us individually, and shared the latest challenges World Vision was then facing in Africa. He emphasized the need for interns to work in the shipping department there at headquarters, and in his friendly way sought to recruit a few of us on the spot.”

Dr. Engstrom was known for being organized, affirming, and decisive.

“In later years, I was invited to attend a Christian leadership seminar conducted by Engstrom,” Hughes said. “He spoke about practical management skills, emphasizing the importance of “Goals, priorities, planning.”

“I had never heard of that concept before, but it proved to lodestar for my ministry then, as a Christian college administrator and instructor, and later in my Christian journalism career.  Dr. Ted motivated many of us to use sound management principles in our ministry work. Because of Dr. Ted’s influence, I got a management certificate from the continuing education program at Arizona State University between my graduate school and seminary training.”

His considerable organizational skills allowed Dr. Engstrom to crowd an incredible amount of activity into a day. He was a writer, a public speaker, a church official, Bible teacher, business executive, a sports enthusiast and a devoted husband and father to three children. He chaired or was a member of numerous church, educational and philanthropic boards.

Dr. Engstrom has left a powerful legacy to the evangelical community. He is recognized for making two fundamental contributions to American evangelical culture in the 20th century.

First, he introduced standard business practices and management principles to churches and other faith-based institutions, which often went awry because they paid too little attention to the bottom line.

Second, and more importantly, he combined social outreach with evangelism, contending that service to mankind was as important as preaching salvation in Christ. This concept was part of the long-standing evangelical heritage in America, but it had been lost with the rise of Fundamentalism. Engstrom helped restore the balance between personal pietism and social action.

Even as he celebrated his 90th birthday in 2006, Dr. Ted continued to come into his office at World Vision. He no longer drove and his hearing and vision were fading but his mind was sharp and his spirit strong.

“Whenever the Lord calls, I’m ready,” he told friends and World Vision staff who gathered to celebrate his birthday. “I’m not only ready, I’m eager. I’ll have all eternity to celebrate God’s goodness and grace.”