Des\’ 80th Birthday Book of messages (iv)

Mark & Marilyn Brinsmead…
Dear Des,
We thank God for your personal convictions, your perseverance in the face of opposition, and the spirit of friendship you extend to everyone, regardless of their beliefs. Above all we are truly grateful for your preaching of the gospel which has invigorated our personal faith.
Mark & Marilyn Brinsmead

Jean Gersbach…
Dear Dr Ford
I am delighted to be able to contribute my best wishes on your 80th birthday. May God continue to bless you and Gill and your ministry that continues to lift up Jesus.
God has used you to present the Gospel with clarity – I recall the moment listening to one of your tapes, when it dawned on me that my acceptance by God was not dependent on my being good enough. What a moment that was! I thank you for allowing God to use you and for using your life and talents to share the Good News.
In particular your contribution at my husband Lance’s funeral meant so much. Lance had told me often that he saw you as a mentor and he valued that immensely. Thank you too Dr Ford for your encouraging correspondence in the months following his death, for instilling hope in the future and for always reminding me of Gods sovereignty and great love. I know that Lance will thank you when we meet him in heaven.
Words are inadequate… please accept my heartfelt thanks. May God richly bless you.
In Christian Love ,
Jean Gersbach

Lee Cameron…
Dear Dr Ford,
I attended your classes at Avondale College back in 1976 for New Testament I. These classes opened my eyes to the gospel that you so clearly and earnestly shared with us. I respect you as a great teacher and interpreter of the Word in a clear and meaningful way.
I have had on occasions sat in some of your meetings since that time and the memories come floating back and the renewing of the gospel story you so passionately believe in and share have never waned. It has been and honour to know you and more of an honour to have sat in your class to hear this wonderful story of redemption.
The past may not have been easy for you I am sure when dealing with well intentioned administrators but you have shown that we can rise above other people’s prejudices and short sightedness and still spread the good news, possibly with more effectiveness.
I honour you, your life and your teaching.
Kind Regards,
Lee Cameron

Doug & May Martin…
Octogenarian extroardinaire, we welcome you to another level of maturity.
Des,your dedication to the Lord and His gospel has always encouraged me; your commitment to truth and the God of truth has inspired me; your research has both baffled and eventually enlightened me; your books and articles have often created a desire for a “bovine bible” so that I may rest and chew them over and over again, for the sweetness and nutrients seldom reach their full enjoyment at first reading. You have quoted and will be quoted until the Lord of glory returns.
Memory—I wish I had yours! I recall your breakfasts:- I had never had rock melon for breakfast before that first visit. Fresh, simple, healthful, enjoyable, and left no regrets. Of-course, there was more than rock melon to balance our intake, but that stands out. And there was always more.
“This Ford still Runs”! More correctly, we do the running to keep up. You were renowned for walks to relax and invigorate the mind. Well, you walked and we jogged along beside you and mostly listened and breathed deeply. But I recall that at Tambourine we stopped and chatted, how unlike our younger days.
You were a vital part of the Seminary Extension Seminar of 1972. Apocalyptic visions took on a new aspect in those days. The great controversy was not confined to heavenly places and was destined to arouse opposition as new enlightenment was promoted. And those who said they believed in Ellen White ignored her statements that “we are not to take the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without error.”
Your expositions of Romans at the Workers meetings at the Basin Camp in Victoria in c.1976 were inspirational. There followed many baptisms into Christ, some of which experienced disappointment with a later church return to traditional emphases. Yet many still remember the truths presented and share where they can.
You proclaimed with vitality, “My Grace Is Sufficient For You” at the Nunawading Camp in the mid seventies. The truth has remained true for so many of us ever since.
Thank you so much for proclaiming the truth, which is often “on the scaffold”, but always life-giving. The Lord has enriched so many lives through your teaching and preaching and others, like my wife, May, and our children have been blessed through listening to recordings. I have been criticised as a Fordite, and May has been praised as a lovely Christian, but much of her beauty had its origin in the gospel truth received and renewed through your recorded messages. I say, “She is more Fordian than I am”—she listens so much.
For your loyalty to your convictions — often interpreted as disloyalty to the
church;
For your kindness expressed to those who opposed or misunderstood you;
For your lucid answers to biblical questions that satisfied enquiring minds;
For ties of friendship which, in Christ, never will be broken;
For your willingness to suffer rather than compromise your integrity;
For your gracious witness to those who tried to find fault, for you “reviled not
again”;
For your readiness to answer emails when so many other enquiries
demanded your time;
For these and more we honour you and pray for continued blessings—of
health, of protection, of opportunities to share, of enjoyment with family and friends.
We praise God for His faithfulness, wisdom, love and grace ministered to so many through your life. We are honoured to be your friends,
Doug and May Martin.

Jim Beyers…
It’s very easy for me to remember when I first met you, Des. It was on my 25th birthday, March 15 1957.
It was expected of students back then to spend a week each year on appeal for Missions. My wife, three others plus myself volunteered to go to Inverell where we stayed with you and Gwen and had some very interesting discussions. You were the first minister of any denomination to say “Just call me Des.” After my ordination I did likewise, and had several ministers rebuke me for being familiar with the laity.
One memorable experience Ws a bush walk with you and Bob Brinsmead in 1958. Bob would ask “What do you think about Hebrews 9:12? By the time I found the verse in my pocket Testament, you and Bob would have moved on to another subject.
For me. Des, you have been an inspiration for more than 52 years. I’m looking forward to a very satisfying friendship for all eternity.
Jim Beyers

John & Joan Hughson…
Our dear Des,
What a joy for John and me to send you greetings on your 80th birthday. We greatly cherish the photo taken of the three of us in January 06 and keep it in a prominent place in our study. John’s dream to have you share your passion for the Gospel at the Spiritual Renaissance Retreat will always be a highlighted and underlined memory in our hearts.
Your life and ministry have continually demonstrated a tenacious centeredness in Christ. This focus brings new meaning to God’s description that His word, “shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it,” Isaiah 55:11.
Bless you, Des, ministry can certainly bring its challenges! Then again, that should not be unexpected. A quote bears poignancy to this fact:
The spiritual world…cannot be made suburban. It is always frontier, and if we would live in it, we must accept and rejoice that it remains untamed. (Howard R. Macy)
May you continue to experience the smiling nod of God and take pleasure as you walk toward His warm embrace.
Lovingly,
John & Joan Hughson

Ross & Angela Howard…
Dear Des
Eighty years is cause to celebrate of itself but, in your case, cause also to celebrate decades of achievement under the calling and blessing of God. Thank you for your wonderful ministry in bringing the gospel to us so many years ago, and for continuing to refresh us with your preaching, teaching and demonstration of God’s love and grace.
We’re sorry that we can’t be attending the celebrations on Sunday, but we wish you God’s blessings on the day and for many years to come. May He continue to bless you and keep you, and to cause His face to shine upon you.
Love and best wishes,
Ross and Angela Howard

Sue Tinworth…
Dear Des
I am grateful to those who have organised this opportunity to tell you and proclaim publicly our appreciation for you.
You impacted my life profoundly from the early 1970’s when I attending Stanborough Park in Britain. The fullest impact was on a day – about a year later – after we’d returned to Australia You were taking the Sabbath service in the Opal Room at Wahroonga Church , in Sydney . This was the day I first understood and received the gospel of Jesus Christ. My world changed from black and white to colour! I had walked with Jesus all my life and been intentionally committed to Him since I was 11 years old, but I had not understood the completeness of His loving provision by grace until that moment.
In later years, when people asked me when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I thought I could not define a specific moment until it dawned on me – that is what opened on that memorable day with you. From that time I began moving in the gifts of the Spirit of God. His first gift that manifest was words of knowledge for evangelism. The Spirit would tell me what to say to open immediate encounter with people to whom I could witness about Jesus on my way to school. I have been in ministry all my life but I have been given the grace to serve in full time ministry since mid 1996.
God has blessed me with the enormous privilege of coordinating Partners in Prayer Australia and working as Associate Coordinator beside Rob Isaachsen of Transforming Melbourne. In line with Jesus final prayer, we build communication and relationships within the Body of Christ, connecting leaders of denominations, theological colleges, and Christian ministries, pastors and all people with the invitation to pray and work together for God’s will to be done. We call the Church to hear our Father’s compassion for the lost and encouraging them to undertake intentional discipleship and collaborative mission in their local areas or Greater Melbourne. I am so aware that our Lord waits on us to be obedient to His great commission so He can finish His work in us and in the earth and establish His kingdom.
One of my deepest joys is working with Indigenous leaders in our nation and last weekend Richard Young, Head of the Victorian Aboriginal Sports Association, was proclaiming in a private conversation, the joy of the new covenant in Jesus. He has a spiritual gift of teaching and clearly articulated that it will be God’s grace that will bring a relief from the burden, guilt and condemnation carried by his people. Although I did not yet know of this upcoming celebration of your gifts to us, I thought of you straight away! We have some correction to bring to the message of the early missions. It is hard for Aborigines to understand revisions in what they have been told because their cultural tradition relies on faithful verbal rendition of the spiritual stories
and so they are very committed to the accounts they first receive. I pray that we are all sensitive to the ongoing leading of God’s Spirit.
I release to our Father the wrong done against you by the Seventh Day Adventist Church . It has not yet been made right and a price was paid by the church for this. But His recompense to you has been evident and eventually Jesus’ message reached the church anyway. God finds His way to bring to us again and again His merciful invitations!
Praise God – the light of Jesus Christ shines in this world through many who really know Him because of you!
May our Father continue to bless you and your descendents, Des.
In the joy of our Lord
Sue Tinworth

George & Stephanie Muirhead…
Congratulations Des on reaching 80. From your state of health it looks like you have hopefully a good many years ahead. Both Stephanie and I have greatly appreciated and been encouraged over many years by your ministry with its message of compassion and understanding of the human condition and its strong gospel message. This has provided hope in times of our greatest despair. We have also been pleased to acknowledge the positive influence you have had upon all of our family throughout the years.
However, there is a downside to having listened to your inspirational preaching- that it is difficult for other preachers to inspire the same response. It is a great gift which you have used tirelessly in God’s service.
We would have liked very much to have been able to attend this celebration, however due to prior business commitments were unable to get there. We however celebrate this milestone and will be thinking of you today.
Fondest regards
George and Stephanie

Harry Allen…
Dear Dr. Ford:
When God gives us life, He does not promise it will be long. Thus, when it is, we must wonder at His grace, His goodness, His ineffable wisdom, and His love. We must do this, because life, like God’s only greater gift, salvation, is given freely, by means we barely comprehend, let alone could order. We merely accept it, because there is nothing that we could do to earn it.
If I was an even more selfish and self-centered person than sin has made me, however, I would urge that you were granted long life, Dr. Ford, so that in November 2007, I could meet you and Gil at your home, and ask you many of the questions that had been burning in my head and heart, probably since the first time I ever saw or heard of you.
I happen to remember vividly when that was, by the way: I was 16, looking through an issue of Newsweek, and there you were, in a photo. I was just amazed that there was something about Seventh-day Adventists in a non-church magazine, but the piece was more startling than that. The article told about how you’d said something outrageous about our church’s beliefs, and that they’d had to get rid of you. At least, that’s how my dad gently summarized it for me. He told me that the leaders of our denomination had tried and tried to reason with you, but, in the end, they’d had to let you go.
It’s a very long walk between that moment, Dr. Ford, and the one where, 11,000 miles from my home, I was sitting in your kitchen with you and Gil, asking merely a few of the questions which had burned in my heart for so long. I listened, as you summed up mere slivers of your wisdom, to address my infantile queries.
It’s a long walk between that moment, Dr. Ford, and the one where I opened the copy of For the Sake of the Gospel Gil had been kind enough to send me, only to see…oh, my goodness…that you’d dedicated the book to me? WHAT? I was, and remain, so utterly and completely floored by that, Dr. Ford. I so little understand it. It was a gesture so generous and, again, so undeserved. I stared at that volume so long, not comprehending it. I still don’t. I found it hard to believe that, in my trip to your home, I had done anything other than take up your time. (In fact, I was silent so long, Gil finally had to e-mail me and ask if I’d seen it. I’d not said anything until now because I could not think of a big enough way to say how completely blown away I was by this honor. I finally did so, here because, I mean, it was just getting embarrassing.)
But most of all, Dr. Ford, it’s a long walk between that moment with my dad, back in 1980, and one my wife and I shared, just this past Saturday evening. We were riding the bus home, and talking about that day’s “energetic” discussion of the Adult Sabbath School lesson, led, to a fair extent, I’ll admit, by my questions about the year-day principle, the identity of the remnant, and the term “spirit of prophecy.” At some point, Zakiya asked about whether I’d hold animosity against people in our local church who’d disagreed with my positions. “I’ll quote Dr. Ford, here,” I said in response. “’How can I be angry at
people who don’t have the time to study?’” Which brings me back to the question of long life. I believe that you have lived so long, Dr. Ford, because God knows that there are young men and women still to be inspired by your unwavering commitment to truth; your adamant dedication to study; and your firm unwillingness to strike back at those whom would do you ill.
But most of all, Des, there are many yet to be empowered by the example of your enduring reliance on the transformative power of the Gospel, and on your unbroken conviction that Jesus Christ is not only sufficient, but exorbitant, inordinate, and immoderate. That He is All and All…and All. To that end, then, and to you, I can say no less than Daniel did, when, in the presence of the King, he, affirming the monarch’s greatness, blessed him with these words:
“Live forever.”
Happy 80th Birthday.
Sincerely,
Harry Allen