When you mention the name of Renwick Wright in a Reformed Presbyterian gathering, you’re likely to find a lot of people ready to share testimonies of his influence in their lives. Yet, because he made each of us feel special, we also tend to be surprised at the sheer number of people he influenced in his lifetime. And his ministry in North America didn’t even begin until he was 50 years old.

Dr. J. Renwick Wright, pastor and professor, died October 8 at age 91.

One of my Dr. Wright stories comes from the first time I was nominated as an elder. I had perceived a calling; yet I wondered about many things, including whether I was too young to be deemed an “elder.” In the election I received just 17 votes, which was about one-fourth of what was needed, as I recall. Questions entered my mind again, but were dispelled when Dr. Wright shook my hand firmly and said in his brogue, “I voted for you.” If Dr. Wright saw the hand of God in this, then I could no longer countenance the doubts I once had. I never looked back.

When it came to my personal questions of applying faith to life, questions where the right answer was critical, I turned to Dr. Wright on a couple of occasions. And when our congregation was at a near impasse on the question of whether to remain in the current location or move to the suburbs, Dr. Wright got up and made an impassioned speech, saying that the right thing was to stay. Not a single person spoke after that, and the congregation voted convincingly to stay. As I write this I think of the many faces of the urban children who have been ministered to because we did stay.

When I spoke with Dr. Wright two weeks before he died, his mind was lucid and his heart for the Lord strong. He wanted to hear about the flock of God’s people. And he wanted to tell me once again of his love for his wife, Maureen, with whom he would celebrate 65 years of marriage that week. Both he and Maureen have told often of the fact that she had expected to be a missionary and so had had to pray and consider fervently whether to become a pastor’s wife. But her dad told her that Renwick was a good man, and she agreed. What Renwick and Maureen committed to, they committed to 100 percent.

I’ve been tempted to say that they are perfect people. But that would be nearly opposite of the truth they would want people to know, and it would help no one.

Pastor Barry York got it right when he preached Renwick Wright’s funeral message. He said that God is kind in giving us some people who reflect the love of Christ through their lives. When we interact with them, we know that the Christ they love is loving us too. As I think of the blessing of knowing Dr. Renwick Wright, I know that God has been very kind to us, indeed.

—Drew Gordon