Shared at Glen Riddle’s funeral on Saturday, April 11, 2015: Albuquerque New Mexico

I. INTRODUCTION

In Sunday school, Glen would often give presentations about his most recent mission trip abroad. He would always lament about how little time 50 minutes was. He could not possibly communicate all that God had done on the trip in that amount of time, especially considering the Texan in him. Glen would usually go over time.

Today, I have 10-15 minutes to comment on Glen’s most recent ministry work. Like Glen, I promise you that is not enough time and I might go over. After all, can a student be different from his teacher?

It is not enough time to give details of all God did through Glen. Much will be left out. Nevertheless, I will strive to present the big picture of Glen’s recent ministry, including his main focus and motivation.

II. CHAFER SEMINARY

The first time I heard of Glen, my wife and I were in the process of moving to Albuquerque so I could study at Chafer seminary. Over the phone a teacher told me, “Glen has the largest library of Greek grammars west of the Mississippi.” That got my attention.

The first time I met Glen was just down the hall in Reid’s Sunday school class. Glen gave a wonderful presentation about his most recent trip to China. Afterwards, I approached him and introduced myself as the newest Chafer student. Even though he was headed back to China the next day, he invited me over to his house. Glen was always so hospitable. At his house, Glen gave me a stack of Greek grammars, about this big, and told me to read them before he got
back. That really got my attention. I was wondering if it was for a class or just for fun. I didn't ask. At any rate, I learned early how much Glen loved the biblical languages as a means to understand the word of God better.

That was November of 2007. From then until he left for Thailand and even a little after he left, whenever Glen was in Albuquerque, he would teach classes for Chafer. The classes weren’t large in number, but Glen didn’t care. Even if there was only one student, Glen would pour himself into that person. He was completely dedicated and motivated. For many of us, much of what we know about the biblical languages and using them in our study of the Bible came from Glen.

III. BEE TRAINING

Without diminishing Glen’s recent work in Albuquerque (I haven’t even mentioned past work at Albuquerque Bible College, jail ministry, writing, or the editing he did for Zondervan and other projects but this is a summary of more recent ministry. Without diminishing Glen’s recent work in Albuquerque), we all know that his primary focus in recent ministry was well beyond our boarders, in the Far East.

As a missionary of Biblical Education by Extension (BEE for short), Glen traveled to distant lands including Vietnam, Myanmar, Nepal, and China. He taught numerous groups BEE courses such as “How to Study the Bible,” “Romans and Galatians,” and “Christian Life.” He even introduced some groups to beginning Greek.

The groups consisted of pastors, leaders, and other believers. Many of them lived in extremely difficult circumstances, ranging from poverty to persecution. Others went to great effort to attend Glen’s classes. In one letter, Glen reported that two students walked along trails two hours in the morning and two hours at night to be at his class. Despite those kinds of challenges, his students came. They came joyful and thankful, showing their thanks by sharing with Glen the little that they had. More than that, they came hungry to learn the Word of God. That, in part, is why Glen felt so humbled and incredibly privileged to serve those believers. It truly was a joy and honor for him to teach those who had such limited access to biblical training and resources.

IV. TRAINING CHINESE BIBLICAL SCHOLARS

Although Glen invested a lot of himself into equipping groups of believers around the Far East, his recent ministry involved an even greater focus: the training of Chinese biblical scholars.

Glen actively sought to train a small group of the most gifted and willing Chinese believers that he could. He taught them the Scriptures and theology in general and the biblical languages of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic in particular. Glen dreamed that this group, this cream of the crop, could produce biblical tools for the blossoming Chinese church. Tools written by Chinese believers in the Chinese language for the Chinese church. Tools such as Greek-Chinese lexicons, Greek grammars, Hebrew grammars, exegetical commentaries, translations. He dreamed that one day they would, as representative of the Chinese church, present technical research papers at international Bible conferences such as ETS.


For a couple of weeks in 2011, I had the enormous privilege of working with Glen and several of his select students. I knew their names well prior to arrival because Glen spoke of them often, as if they were his own dear children. He would praise them for their God-given abilities and remarkable dedication, their work ethic. Once I arrived, I found out that Glen was not exaggerating. They woke up early and studied. They studied all day. They studied into the night. We would stop to eat. And, although the food was great, I do understand why Glen would come to the states craving a thick, juicy, greasy burger from Fudruckers, some huevos rancheros from Frontier Restaurant, some Blue Bell Moolishish Millennium ice cream, or some of that Texas wine, that is, original recipe Dr. Pepper with real cane sugar smuggled straight from the promise land itself.

Where was I? Oh yeah, the Chinese would study. For the Chinese to study all the time, Glen had to be teaching most of the time. He taught with passion and dedication. He loved it. He thought his job was a full-time vacation, like a little kid building a sand castle on the beach in July. Once a day Glen would go on a run. He had to stay in shape for marathons, after all. After two weeks, I left and Glen, the Laoshur – Chinese for “teacher” his students would call him – kept teaching and his students kept on studying. Weeks and sometimes months of intense study of the languages and God’s word.

Many of you know the names of those students: John, Vera, Gloria, Peter, Lionel, Stephen, Deborah, Pablo Beta, Jenny, and Linda. Those are obviously their American names. Each one has his or her own story, and Glen is a part of that. Each own has, as God wills, his or her own future.

Of those students, Linda is with us today. Her presence is a testimony to God’s faithfulness and goodness. It is also a testimony to Glen’s dream being realized. Many of you know that because you have followed the story through the years. How Glen and Linda met. How Glen trained her and how God provided for her to go to university. How she finished university. How her first visa application to come to the U.S. to study at seminary was rejected. How the second (and final) opportunity was approved. How God has provided for her to attend Dallas Theological Seminary. And how, this May 9th, Linda will graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary with a Master’s of Theology. Glen would be – is so excited. And not only that but he was eagerly awaiting the results from Linda’s exams for entrance into the doctoral program. A few days after Glen’s passing – in a no doubt bitter and sweet moment - Linda found out that she had passed the test. I imagine Glen knew before Linda did. I am sure he was grinning ear to ear.

On August 24, 2014, Glen wrote me an email that beautifully encapsulates how Glen viewed the Chinese church and his dream. He said,

“We are just at the first glimmering of daylight in the academic day of the Chinese church. There is a hunger for knowing God's Word in greater depth; there is a growing desire to know the biblical languages; there is an awareness of the need for Chinese authors to contribute to the scholarly world of biblical research and writing.”


Glen worked tirelessly to bring about that dawn. Lord willing, he longed to continue working to bring about that dawn. Glen’s teaching and passion, his love for the word of God and biblical languages, lives on in those whom he taught. Now it is left to his students to continue the work in their own way and as God leads.

V. THAILAND

Carrying out the ministry work Glen did was not without sacrifice. Among those sacrifices, Glen was away from Joy for weeks and months at a time. When Joy opted to move to Thailand, Glen was thrilled. It was a win-win. Glen and Joy would have more time together. Douglas could be with his wife, Sima. And Glen could be closer to his principle sphere of ministry.

After some time, Glen and Joy were settling into their new home. They were acclimating to the culture. Learning Thai. Sharing their faith among the Buddhists. Glen had big plans that included a biblical language school. He also wanted to spend time on some writing projects with dear friends. He was going to be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Chafer conference. How I wish those would have come to fruition. There was so much wonderful ministry set before him. Why would God remove him now?

I imagine that is something many of you have wondered. Discussing the various related topics and information available to us in Scripture would make for a good theotreat. But that retreat will have to wait. If Glen were here, he might quip that he is surprised he lived as long as he did. He was thankful for every day the Lord gave him. On Glen’s Facebook, John Boyd recently posted a similar comment so I am not the only one Glen vocalized that to. On the basis of two or three witnesses, the testimony is confirmed.

There isn’t time to ponder all the possibilities today. Ultimately, I think
the discussion would focus on God and Scriptures about Him. Scriptures such as Psalm 145:17, Job 1:21, Isaiah 55:9, and Psalm 116:15. Psalm 145:17 – a verse George Meisinger mentioned the other day as we spoke about this very question – says “The Lord is righteous in all His ways.” “The Lord is righteous in all His ways.” In the midst of his immense grief, Job says, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Isaiah 55:9 says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Lastly, Psalm 116:15 relates, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” In times like these, we might not understand, but we can, we must trust and worship our great God.

VI. GLEN’S THANKS AND MOTIVATION

Lest I give the impression that Glen did all that he did on his own, that is not the case. I know Glen would want me to acknowledge that those who are present and many who are not present were copartners with Glen in that work. You were praying for him. You shared financially with him. For that, Glen was extremely thankful. He said as much in every letter. In the letter from July 2010, for example, he said:

“Through all the many miles of travel you’ve had a huge part in my safety; security in sensitive places; health in unhealthy places; fruitful ministry in needy places; provision to provide biblical education and provide financial support to those in need.”

Maybe you are wondering, what motivated Glen in all that work? Why did Glen love God so much? No doubt many already know the answer to that. It is along the lines of 1 John 4:10: “ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Glen was motivated by the incredible grace of God. Glen was motivated by the fact that God sent His Son to die for his sins. If Glen were here, he would freely admit that early in life he was a very lost soul. He had rebelled against his Maker. He had committed wrongdoings. He had offended God. Glen was in desperate need of God. Moreover, he would freely admit that, although he was a changed man, his failings weren’t limited to early in life but also occurred in the middle of his life and even until his passing. Those are the kind of things we don’t talk about at funerals.

Anyway, like all of us, he sinned and fell short of the glory of God. Glen knew that. And he was so thankful that, despite all his flaws, he was the recipient of God’s unmerited favor. He was so thankful that through faith alone in Jesus, apart from works, he had a right standing with God, he had eternal life, he had the forgiveness of sin, he had the promise that, upon death, he would be forever with His Maker and Savior and King. God’s grace was Glen’s great motivator.

VII. CONCLUSION

To close,this summary paints Glen’s most recent memory with a broad brush. It omits so many details, so many stories. Things like sneaking through customs with loads of Bibles, unexpected evangelism excursions of top tax officials in an unnamed country, riding in and on speeding chicken buses, and searching for the graves of WWII vets in Myanmar. I could say so much more about how God transformed and used Glen. I know that many of you could add much to that discussion. What he did. Who is was. All the accomplishments and qualities we admire so much in Glen go back to God, the grace of God. We praise God for Glen Riddle’s life. We praise God that, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we who have placed our faith in Him will see Glen again.

I leave you with a portion of Scripture, John 11:25, read from the Greek text that Glen deeply treasured.

25 εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή· ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ κἂν ἀποθάνῃ ζήσεται, 26 καὶ πᾶς ὁ ζῶν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· πιστεύεις τοῦτο;

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”