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“In life, we shall find many men that are great, and some men that are good, but very few men that are both great and good.”
- Charles Caleb Colton

            Today Michelle and I attended the Memorial service at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for L. Russ Bush III.  Dean Bush played one of the most influential roles in my life and ministry. I shall never forget his friendship and his impact.

            After the passing of Adrian Rogers my president Danny Akin noted in chapel that none of us in attendance that day would have been there had it not been for the courageous stand of this great pastor.  Agreed. I would only add that I personally would not be at Southeastern had it not been for a great scholar and hero, Dean Bush.   It was Dean Bush who wrote me in early 1995 inquiring of my possible interest in coming to SEBTS. At that time I was having a wonderful ministry at Houston Baptist University, loving college students, and had no interest to go anywhere. Had the letter come from a person unknown to me personally I likely would never have replied. But this was Russ Bush. I simply could not get past that letter. I had come to know some of the many sides of Russ Bush.  I would like to share some of those with you.

            Russ Bush the focused lecturer (I dare you to interrupt): I met Russ when he became my professor at Southwestern Seminary.  I took his philosophy course in the MDiv progam my final semester. His reputation had gone before him. I watched him peer over his glasses, lecturing in precise, cogent phrases.  A man on a mission, I pitied the poor student who dared interrupt him with an asinine question. Of course it took only a day or two before some student with an inflated sense of his own intellectual ability interrupted the professor, posing a question obviously aimed at demonstrating said student’s brilliance. Shall I say that Dr. Bush quickly and clearly exposed the student’s ignorance instead. The student never dared raise a question again. I understood Dr. Bush was not attempting to be rude, but felt a strong sense of calling to relay to students the material he loved, the study of philosophy.  There simply was not enough time in the semester.

            Russ Bush the remarkable teacher. While his MDiv survey course allowed for little discussion but provided much information, the Russ Bush I took in the PhD program ranked as one of the greatest teachers I have ever known. I love philosophy. I loved having Russ Bush for the class. I entered into the PhD program, and struggled internally for some time as to whether to seek to study philosophy with Russ Bush or evangelism with Roy Fish.  I finally decided on the latter and have never regretted it. Still, I love philosophy and see the vital role it plays in being effective evangelistically in any age. I could not get enough of my philosophy professor, so I took his year long PhD seminar my first year.  My first paper assignment terrified me: “The World-View Implications of the New Physics.” I had never had a physics course. So, I had to spend much time studying quantum physics before I could even begin the paper!

            I thoroughly enjoyed the seminar. The intimidating lecturer from my MDiv days became the gracious and thoughtful educator in my seminar. Oh, I was still intimidated by him, but I saw a new side of Russ.  He respected us as colleagues and taught us well.

            Russ Bush the colleague and friend. When Dr. Paige Patterson followed up Dean Bush’s letter in 1995 with a call asking me to pray about coming to SEBTS, Michelle and I reluctantly came for a visit. I will never forget dinner that night. Russ and his wife Cindy took us to the 42d Street Oyster Bar.  I regret we never went back together, although we discussed it.  That night we saw a side of Russ Bush I have never forgotten.  We had never met Cindy Bush. That night this outgoing, vivacious redhead had us in stitches. Russ was equally amusing, entertaining, a delight to be sure. I remember poking Michelle under the table as if to say, “How did he get this girl to marry him?”  As I came to know Russ more as a colleague and a friend it became obvious.  Cindy was the perfect match for him.  Never have a couple demonstrated how opposites in personality fit together so marvelously. Michelle immediately came to love Cindy as did I.  We had such an amazing and wonderful time with them that night. In fact, that night had much to do with our decision to come to Southeastern.

            Quick anecdote: sometime after coming to SEBTS I decided to get a nice big python as a pet.  I carried the almost 8 foot long Burmese over to the academic building one day. Cindy stood there and instead of being terrified, she took the snake from me, put it around her neck, and walked down the hall! 

            I had known Russ Bush as a professor and mentor.  I now had the ability to come to know him as a friend.  What a wonderful man!  Many were the times I strolled into his office.  His office is another subject altogether.  Books stacked everywhere. Chairs covered in stacks.  Stacks on top of stacks.  But he always had time to talk.  His wisdom and charm aided me immensely in my early days.  His friendship continued and my admiration for him only grew.

            Russ Bush the lover of children. Those who knew Russ recognize his love for children. I pity those who only know him as a philosopher, as important as that is.  As a little girl our daughter Hannah loved to go to his office where he always spoke to her and gave her candy.  One time he actually accompanied Hannah and me to the annual reptile show in Raleigh. He stood amazed, peering over his glasses, as my then 8 year old walked over and picked up a python she could hardly lift and put it around her shoulders. Must have reminded him of someone he knew!

            Russ Bush the scholar of the conservative resurgence. Those who know anything of the resurgence know his book with Tom Nettles, Baptists and the Bible, became the academic rallying point in the 1980s. I remember wondering in the 80s if I could be a Southern Baptist long term without a change. He helped galvanize the change. His books have played a vital role in understanding philosophy and culture. I am grateful to teach at a school where we will continue to remember Russ through the Center for Faith and Culture named in his honor.

            Russ Bush the hero. We live in a day when the heroes of youth are too often undertalented rock stars, juiced up athletes, and oversexed actors.  Heroes are actually rare to find. Russ Bush is my hero.  He epitomizes a love for culture, for knowledge, and for the gospel I so hope to emulate. He demonstrates how one does not have to compartmentalize life. One can be a thinker and a spiritual person, a lover of the Great Commission and a lover of great ideas, a scholar and a practitioner.  He in many ways reveals the goal of education at Southeastern, in the words of president Akin, to use our head, our heart, and our hands for the glory of God and the sake of the gospel.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 27th, 2008 at 8:58 am and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.