A Tribute to Dr. John Willis

In 1955 a young man by the name of John graduated from Abilene Christian College (ACC); earning his Master’s degree a year later. Then he (and Evelyn) packed up and moved to Nashville where he began teaching Old Testament at David Lipscomb College. Tomorrow, on May 5, 2017, after sixty-one years in the classroom (at the age of 83), he will teach his last class and bring to a close one of the most (if not the most) influential tenures of any professor at Abilene Christian University.

During his fifteen years in Nashville and Lipscomb College he enrolled in and completed a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University. A bit of background and then a fable: long ago, we were required to sign a book’s unique circulation card, kept in a pocket on the back flap of a book, and leave the card with the library before we took a book. Now the fable: for years a story circulated that one could pick up any book related to the Old Testament in the Theological Library at Vanderbilt University and find “John T. Willis” on the circulation card. In other words, he had checked out and read part or all of every book in the library (if it was important = if it was on the Old Testament) while he was a student. Just before the transition to computers took these circulation cards out of the books, I happened to visit Vanderbilt and went to the Theological Library to do a little research and find out if the fable had any standing in fact. I looked at one book, then another, and another, and then another – sliding the circulation card up or finding my evidence on the top five lines of the card. I left the library that day as a witness: the fable is, in fact, no fable at all. Every book on the O.T. I could find that was written prior to the completion of his Ph.D. in 1966 – and many others after, until he moved to Abilene in 1971, had his distinctive and familiar signature.

When I came to ACU in 1980 it was my good fortune to fail my Old Testament Literacy exam and my equally good fortune to pass my Gospels’ exam. As a result, I was immediately placed in the sophomore level course taught by Dr. John Willis, “Genesis-Esther” (MWF 10 AM). I began the year and my college career with many of the same attitudes my own students would later bring to class: who needs the OT? What does any of this old stuff have to do with “New Testament” Christianity? By the end of the first semester I knew what I wanted to do and what (or who) I wanted to become: all I wanted to do was study and teach this amazing witness to the life of faith. I wanted to be just like Dr. John Willis, corny jokes and all.

Years later, after I completed my own doctoral work and began to teach at Oklahoma Christian University, I enjoyed the opportunity to preach, lead teacher preparation seminars, and even present at retreats. From time to time, after the event someone with ties to ACU would greet me and tell me how much I sounded like one of their favorite teachers at ACU: Dr. John Willis. I’ve never received a higher compliment, nor will I receive any higher.

I returned to ACU in 1985 to become the chair of the undergraduate department of Bible. (A word of caution to professors: be nice to your students, you never know who may become your boss some day.) I was terrified at the very thought of being the supervisor of you know who. But here’s the scoop: I’ve never known a world-renown scholar with greater humility, or anyone with such passion for what matters the most: students and their journey with God. I also found a man who would stop by just to see how I was doing. And in time, I found myself in one living room after another, sitting in a circle with Dr. Willis and other O.T. specialists at ACU discussing our research. Could it possibly get any better than this?

So to Dr. John and Evelyn, for changing my life: I thank you. For all the years – all the meals you have cooked for students, all of your corny jokes, all of the cookies: we thank you. But even more, for the way you have transformed how multiple generations view the Old Testament and how they now grow closer to God through the witness of these pages – thank God for you.