March 13, 2006

Corban College alumnus Kyle Archibald had his sights set on becoming an English teacher until he spent a month in 2004 biking across the United States with adjunct professor Herb Anderson.

After talking with the then 88-year-old preacher and professor and watching him interact with people at every stop between Salem and Washington D.C., Archibald decided to enroll at Western Seminary and pursue the pastorate instead.

“How can you not grow in wisdom during 30 days on the road with an 88-year-old man of God?” Archibald said. “He who walks with the wise grows wise, and I think the same goes for biking.”

Stories like Archibald’s – life changes made at Herb Anderson’s encouragement – filled two solid hours at the professor’s ministry celebration/90th birthday party on Sunday, March 12. More than 250 people attended the celebration in the Psalm Center. Anderson’s fellow Christian workers shared story after story about his impact on their lives.

Along with teaching at Corban, Anderson has pastored 16 churches in Oregon and Washington, helped lead seven Christian organizations, taken 19 groups to Israel and led several cross-country bicycle trips. He’s memorized large portions of Scripture and is a watercolorist and musician.

“I’ve never met a man who combines humility and giftedness like Herb Anderson,” said Bill Sharman, the party’s emcee and a co-leader on the Israel tours.

And the compliments just kept coming.

“I have never known once person who has had so much impact on so many different people,” said Larry Gordon, the founder of a Christian radio station in Albany for which Anderson served on the board and regularly wrote and narrated programs.

“Herb is the empowerer of the next generation,” said Luke Hendrix, a past associate pastor with Anderson.

“I think of Herb as a Caleb-man,” said Corban President Reno Hoff, referring to the Old Testament leader who worked well into old age. “A Caleb-man serves until the Lord calls him home.”

When the testimonies ended and the emcee asked Anderson what he thought about the two-hour heartfelt outpouring, the 90-year-old gave a classic response.

“What do I think?” Anderson said, his eyes twinkling. “I think we’ve had enough.”

In all seriousness, Anderson talked briefly to the crowd about his decision to go into the ministry 65 years ago. As a college student, he originally planned to be a lawyer or businessman but drastically changed his focus after hearing one of the founders of Wycliffe Bible Translators speak.

“He said, ‘It isn’t fair that you and I hear the gospel again and again, and there are people who’ve never heard,” Anderson recalled. “That’s when I began to pray, ‘Lord, make me willing to be willing.’”

For his life verse, Anderson recited Numbers 23:19, which reads, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?”

Herb and Betty Lu Anderson

With that reminder about God’s steadfast character, Anderson plunged into 65 years of ministry, which continues today. In May, he is investigating the possibility of taking another group of students, faculty and friends on an 1100-mile Oregon bike trip. At Sunday’s party, he also described the Israel tour he may organize for the 2006-07 school year.

Audience members laughed and shook their heads as the day’s speakers marveled at Anderson’s focus, energy and drive. Echoed by more than one speaker, Chuck Kelley, president of the Bridge Builders International , put it this way:

“When I grow up, I want to be like Herb Anderson.”