When I think of Dr. T, I think nearly instantaneously of the Bible. He loved and studied the Word deeply and daily. It is so important for all of us to understand that the reason that he loved the Word so much was that it was through the Word that he communed with his Lord. It can be said more truly of Dr. T than anyone else I know that “his delight was in the Law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:2).

When I think of Dr. T, I think of his love for souls. He so desperately wanted others to know the One who had so radically changed his life. Dr. T spent these last days telling his health care providers about the Lord; in fact, he had a supply of tracts delivered to his hospital room. Even though he was laboring to breathe and talk, he was using those precious words to share Jesus with those around him. Dr. T lived with eternity firmly in view every day of his life. Dr. T entered glory, arms full of eternal treasure; chief among those are the souls that he influenced to heaven.

When I think of Dr. T, I think of a master teacher, mentor, and friend. I will never forget so many of the conversations that I had with him through the years. He never missed a chance to teach and to invest himself in me and in all the people around him. You simply could not be around Dr. T without being taught something of great value. Outside of my immediate family, I cannot think of anyone who has more personally impacted my life than Dr. T. I know that I am not alone in this. No one will ever replace Dr. T, but if all of us will use that bit of Dr. T that he invested in us, we too can make an eternal difference.

There is no way around it: our IBCS family has suffered a great loss. My own heart is heavy, but we will press on with the mission that God has given us. Dr. T’s last words to me through labored breaths were, “Nathan, the needs are great. God is good. We must contend.”

Nathan Mestler
President