Ted W. Engstrom Dies at 90

Ted Engstrom, the former head of World Vision has died at 90. Christianity Today has a good article on his life.
An article on the World Vision site says this:

Dr. Engstrom is recognized for making two fundamental contributions to American evangelical culture in the 20th century. First, he introduced standard business practices and management principles to churches and other faith-based institutions, which often went awry because they paid too little attention to the bottom line. Second, and more importantly, he combined social outreach with evangelism, contending that service to mankind was as important as preaching salvation in Christ.

“What Ted said was this,” said Bill Kliewer, a World Vision marketing executive who first met Dr. Engstrom in 1958: “'Let’s give a cup of water in the name of Christ but let’s also introduce those who are thirsty to the saving grace of Christ.'”

He co-authored or wrote over 50 books, including the best-selling Managing Your Time, The Making of a Christian Leader and The Fine Art of Mentoring. I had the privilege of taking the Managing Your Time seminar with Dr. Engstrom, many, many years ago.

Dan Kimball has a great article Ted Engstrom and how we all need Gandalfs. Here's an excerpt:

I recently posted about intergenerational relationships and the church - and how sitting together in a worship gathering looking at the backs of each others heads and preacher and singing songs together does not equate "intergenerational church" (in my opinion). But what does is what happens amongst different generations outside of the worship gatherings. One of the joys I had when leading the Graceland ministry to young adults at Santa Cruz Bible Church was that almost every one of our mid-week home communities was led by older couples (40's, 50's, 60's and even 70's) who opened their homes to the twenty-somethings and would serve as shepherds passing down wisdom, sharing life, being there for problems with them etc. They all would study and go through books of the Bible together in these groups, but I think the large impact was how God used the older to mentor and shepherd the younger. Most of the older couples didn't even go to Graceland (the young adult gathering) as it was too loud or dark or different for them, but they had a heart for younger people and opened their homes and lives to them.

When Janice and I were first married, we were part of a young couples group that was led by a 60-something bachelor, who did exactly what Kimball talks about.