A Tribute to Dr. Donald Demaray
by: Rev. Dr. Larry G. Teasley (M.Div. 1987; D.Min. 2000)
Oswald Chambers once said, “Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.”
I cannot think of a better description of Dr. Donald E. Demaray.
Dr. Demaray served as my professor and academic advisor while working on my Master of Divinity degree during my years at Asbury Theological Seminary. He also served as my professor and mentor when I later pursued my Doctor of Ministry degree. In each case, “Dr. Don” impacted my life, invested in my ministry, prayed for my family, and taught me not only how to preach, but how to live as a preacher. His transition from the Church Militant into the Church Triumphant on October 31 leaves me with both a sense of grief and rejoicing: I have lost a friend of preaching and celebration, but rejoice in that his prayer for healing has been answered. In this dual spirit, I offer this tribute.
Dr. Don was a preacher, a professor, and a pastor, both spiritually and academically.
He was a preacher, no doubt! He understood the power of words. He experienced the power of Scripture. When he, by the working of the Holy Spirit, joined the two, God clearly spoke through him. He lived committed to communicating God’s Word clearly and accurately. Often in class he would ask us (rhetorically, of course) “Are we communicating? I hope so!”
He loved to preach more than anything else. He admitted that openly. He loved to preach, yes, but he loved the One about whom he preached all the more. In the preface to his little work, Blow, Wind of God, is a compilation of quotes from Billy Graham. Dr. Don described Graham as follows:
So it is that when Billy preaches and the wind of God blows, His Spirit moves on a street crowd in the ghetto, on students at Harvard, on a great crowd of London preachers, on a massive audience in the Los Angeles Colosseum. It seems not to matter to whom Graham speaks, only for whom. (p. 14)
In describing Billy Graham’s preaching, Dr. Don described his own.
Dr. Don presented himself as the consummate professor. He gave himself for his students. He was generous with his knowledge, compassionate with his struggling students, and quick to celebrate with all who achieved a victory on any level, personal or academic. He knew how to balance praise with pedagogy when critiquing sermons in the classroom. His gift for guiding novice preachers not only put us at ease, but inspired us to seek more feedback from him. I confess that over the years, well after commencement, I returned to him many times seeking his input and encouragement for myself.
Dr. Don had one mantra in class: word economy. He prodded us to think about our choice of words. He championed writing as a way to improve our preaching. He believed that if one writes well, one preaches well. I learned this first hand after a year in the parish. As his doctoral student, I regularly received remediation in word economy in his “corrected” drafts of my thesis chapters. “Use energy verbs,” he would often say. With Dr. Don, his students wrote and rewrote – a lot!
Dr. Don’s influence reached beyond the chapel pulpit and the classroom podium. At heart, I believe, he was a pastor. He never failed to begin every classroom session by asking, “What would you like to share devotionally?” Students would offer prayer requests, report of answered prayer, and share insights from their devotional readings or sermons recently heard. We could always count on his fervent prayers for healing, petitioning God to restore people physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. He demonstrated his pastoral heart with all of his students no matter the need. He advised us academically with a pastoral heart. He inquired of our family life with a pastoral heart. He challenged us in our assumptions, encouraged us in our struggles, and championed us in our endeavors- all with a pastoral heart. He frequently spoke over us with the simple benediction, “Bless your hearts.”
What Dr. Don taught in theory, he practiced in life. I once asked him during a class dinner what gave him the greatest satisfaction as a preaching professor. He replied, “Knowing that my students are faithfully preaching the Word of God with passion and with purpose. As long as they do that, I know I have been faithful in my teaching ministry.” I can think of no greater tribute to the life, faith, and ministry of Dr. Donald Demaray than living into the legacy he has left to us, his students. I cannot speak for others, but I can say for myself: as long as I shall preach, so shall Dr. Don.
“Are we communicating? I hope so!”
Dr. Don taught me in a private creative writing course – I would start with a three page article and end up with half a page! He said that I built furniture (bulky) – I should make it beautiful furniture. A good friend and professor.
Amen! Dr. Don was such a great teacher and encourager… helping prepare me to preach the gospel and teach the word to hundreds of thousands ( and millions on TV) around the world. What a dedicated and wonderful man of God!