Life's Disguises (Faith)

October 11, 2004

A Tribute to Wayne Oates
When I attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, it was my great good fortune to learn from some of the greatest theologians and Bible scholars of the last century. That once proud and great institution has been reduced by the religious wars that continue in the Southern Baptist Convention. Among my teachers were Drs. Clyde Francisco, Frank Stagg, Harold Songer and Peter Rhea Jones.

Perhaps the most remarkable teacher I have ever had was Dr. Wayne Oates, whom many called the “Father of American Clinical Pastoral Care.” He coined the term “workaholic”.

Born into abject Carolina poverty, abandoned as an infant by his father, Wayne Oates saw faith and education as his pathway out of the chains that bound him. No more genuinely humble man walked this globe; nor any greater mortal. Three years after I graduated from SBTS, I needed assistance in counseling Green Bay football player who came to me for pastoral counseling. Quickly realizing I was in over my head, I called upon my mentor. Dr. Oates not only remembered me, he took time from his busy schedule at the University of Louisville and SBTS to assist me and co-counsel my parishioner. Wayne Oates didn’t get paid to do that; at least not in earthly dollars.

Dr. Oates, in his simple, yet profound manner, once said in a lecture: “Some people think the opposite of faith is DOUBT. The opposite faith is ANXIETY.”

Wayne Oates, the cotton mill child of Greenville, South Carolina, wrote 57 books. I recommend all of them, but especially two. One is “Anxiety in the Christian Experience”. The other is, “The Struggle to Be Free.” Do yourself a favor: track down a copy, especially the latter.

My favorite sage, “Author Unknown” said, “Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety, or by the handle of faith.” She adds, “A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul.” I think Wayne Oates would agree with that.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin. Do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.”

Now that’s faith.

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