Great Evangelicals - Josh Hamidu

778 Views | 4 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by Jabin
Jabin
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Pacifist just posted in another thread that my complaints about how evangelicalism is treated on this board is because pro-evangelical posts are typically brought up only as a response to something else. I had thought about starting a series of posts about great evangelicals I have known to help people see another side of evangelicalism.

I'm going to start with Josh Hamidu, a very impressive man I met as a very young boy. I met him while my family was living in Germany in the early 60s.

My parents were new Christians and had joined an evangelical organization focused on the military named Officers Christian Fellowship (OCF). OCF was started shortly after World War II and was a ministry to and for military officers. Its primary means of ministry was and continues to be Bible studies formed by and led by officers on military bases.

While we were in Germany in the early 60s, OCF held an international conference somewhere in Germany or Austria. Christian military officers from all over the world attended, including officers from other nations' militaries. My parents offered our home as a place for visiting officers to stay during the conference, which was a pattern of hospitality that was characteristic then and is still today of OCF members.

Josh Hamidu took up my parents' offer. He was a native of Ghana, an officer in its military, and had been educated at Sandhurst. He spoke English with a strong British accent. I remember him with awe. He was huge and had deep scars all over his face. My childhood memory of those scars was that he had to kill a lion as part of his tribal customs (his dad was a king or chief and he had to prove that he was worthy), but like many childhood memories, I may be mistaken. I know that the scars existed because others who knew him confirmed their existence. But perhaps the scars were created on purpose by other members of his tribe pursuant to tribal rituals.

Years later I asked my dad what had happened to Josh. My dad replied that he became sort of a Daniel or Joseph character in the Ghana military and government. Josh eventually became head of the Ghana military and survived multiple coups and changes of government because of his reputation for honesty and his character. Josh also eventually became President of OCF International. Like many men of God, Josh was accused by his enemies of evil, but Josh came through the subsequent investigation unscathed. However, like all of us, Josh was human and thus a sinner. So he cannot have been perfect, no more than any of us are perfect. Yet Josh lived his entire life as a man of character and a shining testimony to the glory of God and Jesus Christ.

My opinion of Josh is based not just on my childhood memories, or upon my dad's comments, but also on the opinions of numerous other people who knew him well, including at least one U.S. Army Major General who was a contemporary of Josh and knew him well throughout his life.

Josh is just the first of many evangelicals I plan on profiling in order to show what evangelicals can be and how they have lifted up the body and name of Jesus Christ.

Others I may profile whom I have met and known include:

Elisabeth Elliott, wife of the martyr Jim Elliott
Harold Ockenga
Col. Ira Palm
Kurt Wise
Charalambos Nikolaou Tokatloglou
Although I did not know him, David Updegraff

Zobel
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AG
I'm not sure I understand the thrust behind this. I don't think anyone who disagrees with evangelicalism on a theological basis would claim that this person isn't an example for us in faith. At no point have I see someone on this forum say that the theological problems within the modern evangelical movement preclude its adherents from doing incredible things, empowered by the Spirit.

When I have leveled criticism of evangelicals it is at the tenets of their beliefs, not at the individuals themselves. I believe everyone on this forum who is a Christian and not an evangelical will agree that there is truth in their teaching, but not the fullness of truth - which I understand to be found only in Orthodoxy. This teaches where the Spirit is, but never where He isn't.

I appreciate the post. It was a good read, and inspiring. Thanks.

Edit to add. I met a person I am convinced was a saint at first baptist Houston. Her name was Dorothy and she volunteered at the ESL classes weekly. The most pious and beautifully faithful woman I have ever met. She had a nearly tangible aura of peace and joy around her at all times.
Quad Dog
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AG
What would you say Josh contributed to evangelicalism, or society at large? Is he an inspiring evangelical, or did he inspire something in evangelicalism. Does that difference make sense?
nortex97
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AG
Awesome thread, thx for sharing that information about Josh. It's good to keep the memories of such people alive/fresh in more folks' heads.
Jabin
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Quad Dog said:

What would you say Josh contributed to evangelicalism, or society at large? Is he an inspiring evangelical, or did he inspire something in evangelicalism. Does that difference make sense?
I can't answer your questions because of the lack of knowledge of the details of Josh's life. However, based on what I do know, he was definitely an inspiring evangelical.
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