John Richard Rice

Hello Bob, I also attended MBC in 76-79. I was also a member of the John R Rice society. YOu are right there are not many men who really had the Love of God in their life like this man. So much today is a cold, hard, know it all religeon. Given by men of the same type.

 

Hi, Bob.

Great to hear from you. Grandad blessed so many, I hope God will use me to be a blessing to just 1/100th. Praise the Lord for the souls you've seen come to Christ. Keep on keeping on!

I married a girl from Midwestern, Patty Grimes (maiden name), who graduated in 1978. So I owe a lot to the school and Dr. Malone! I myself preached there in chapel in about 1979 or 1980, just before we went to the field.

God bless.

John R. of Japan

 

Timtoolman, I thought at first you meant Maranatha, but that would be MBBC, not MBC. So, you may have known my wife! I'm a Temple grad myself, with my MA from Maranatha, but I know you guys won't hold that against me, since I had to get a Midwestern girl.

God bless.

John R. of Japan

 

Benjamin, if you are still watching this thread, let me tell you how it was. I lived with him while I worked for him and waited to be appointed to my mission board.

He would rise early and have 1/2 hour to 1 hour of private devotions. Then we would eat a delicious breakfast at about 7:00 of eggs and bacon cooked by Grandma Rice, one of the best Christians I ever knew.

After breakfast we would have family devotions. We would read two verses apiece around the table of about 4 or 5 chapters of the Bible and then we would pray. And oh how he could pray! I have counted about 100 folks he prayed for by name and need, including men I knew had rejected him and stabbed him in the back.

Then it was off to work at the Sword of the Lord. Fast forward to supper around that same kitchen table. The conversation was always lively and often about Bible doctrine or service for Christ, though he had a great sense of humor and could tell wonderful stories about his youth as a Texas cowboy and his long career as a pastor and evangelist. After supper we would often sing the great hymns of the faith. He would do this even in a crowded restaurant. He was never ashamed of Jesus Christ!

He used the Socratic method with young preachers like his grandson. "Johnny, do you think we should be preaching the tithe in the 20th century?" Then he would continue with leading questions until he had you right where he wanted you. He was a championship debater in college, and so far I've seen no one on the Baptist Board who could come close to his abilities. Internet debating? Not even close!

After supper, we might play "Texas 42" dominoes around that table with him, Grandma, his executive secretary "Miss V.," and me. He played fast and furiously, like he lived for the Lord. And woe be to me if I didn't keep up. Oh, nothing harsh, just, "Johnny, it's your turn. Don't keep people waiting!" And what a wonderful time we had!

I've prayed, debated and played with a great man of God. What a rich spiritual heritage I have!

 

John, I could just imagine what it would have been like to be around him especially after listening to his sermons. I’m a much better listener than I am a reader and listening to him I got a feel for the love he had for God and the depth of his knowledge from the speed he delivered his sermon while compacting so many thoughts in, not to mention how much scripture he must have had memorized and meditated on to present a message in that manner.

To be frank, I thought about how if I had been exposed to someone like that how well I would have picked up on the mannerisms and methods from the hearing and what a blessing it must have been for you. To be openly honest with you while I pondered you’re upbringing and considered one of your first posts here where I first caught a sense of conviction in you, I wonder about the cost in a race with such a powerfully built engine sitting still while spinning it’s wheels on a very slippery road and the potential of the same car in a race to be ran on a road with traction and new wheels- if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I thank you for sharing the experience with me as I enjoy seeing examples of what a strong Christian household should be like. Tomorrow (Friday) I’m going to my Dad’s funeral and I don’t even know if he believed in God or not, although he seemed to show some interest when I quoted scripture he wouldn’t discuss religion except negatively, but just a couple weeks ago I noticed him leaning in to listen as I discussed the Roman road of evangelism with my sister at his early 70th birthday party. Guess it goes to show how different the experiences in life can be huh?

 

Thanks for sharing back with me, Benjamin. It is late Friday here in Japan, and my heart truly goes out to you as you go to your father's funeral today. I am praying for you right now to have sweet comfort and be blessed by the Holy Spirit today.

Let me share with you something. I learned so much from my grandparents as well as my parents about how to live for the Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him faithfully. However, we are each still a product of our own choices. My brother, raised in a virtually identical environment, turned away from God and lived his own life. He has lived an amazing life, it is true: a leading activist against the Viet Nam War, vice president of the student body at the huge and radical U. of Wis. at Madison, a Communist activist working against the government and watched by the FBI, over 40 jobs with the last one being at Microsoft (he edited the Windows developers journal and designed the first MSN webpage), retiring early as a millionaire philanthropist.

This is all incredible, I know, but absolutely true. When a grandson of John R. Rice's lives for himself, you can expect an unusual life. However, though I love him, I wouldn't trade lives with my brother for the entire world. I decided at a young age to follow Jesus, and never looked back.

So, continue following and serving the Savior with all your heart, my brother, and He will surely bless and use you.

John R. of Japan

 

I am grateful for this thread. I have fond memories of Dr Rice's preaching, of meeting him at the Sword of the Lord one day, and mostly of the time he came off the platform of the old dining hall at Tennessee Temple and sitting at a table where I was sitting for lunch after chapel one day. I got to see his wonderful sense of humour in those few minutes.

Never saw any other speaker do anything like that.

I am also honoured to count his grandson as one of my friends.

 

Thanks, men, I'm honored by your friendship. All of Christ and none of me.

Time to hit the sack here in Japan.

John

 

JoJ, I've been meaning to put my two cents in here for a while, but haven't had time.

I grew up reading JRR's sermons in the SoL. From time to time read some of his books as well. Even though I am no longer IFB, I still hold to a great deal of what he taught.

Now my dad always trusted literature from JRR and so a few years ago he paid my eldest to read JRR's Bible Stories. Now, he's paying my middle child and eventually it'll be the youngest ones turn. (Dad used to pay me to memorize Bible verses. 10 cents a piece. )

Occasionally a subject comes up that I can't recall having discussed with my kids before and they come up with the right opinion on the matter. The first few times I patted myself on the back and thought I was doing a better job than I am. Then it hit me, they were giving me back what they had learned through reading the Bible Stories book.

Since we live in ahome where my husband/their father doesn't "do" religion/church, your grandfather's book has become an invaluable tool for helping me explain to my children the things of the Lord. I couldn't do it nearly as well without it.

BTW, what happened to the naysayer that began this thread?

 

To John of Japan,

I cannot even begin to say what a huge impact your grandfather had on my life. I met him only once when I was a little girl (I am now 45). He was preaching in a nearby town and our family went to hear him. I remember he shook my hand and asked me if I was saved. I was so glad that I could honestly tell him "YES!"

We grew up without a TV and had very few books in our home except for those my parents had purchased from the "Sword of the Lord". Even as a little girl I regularly read the Sword and many of your grandfather's books. My own library is full of John R. Rice books. My daughters (ages 11 and 12) are reading his book "Prayer, Asking and Receiving". How I wish I could find modern day authors that would measure up to his writings. If you know of any, please let me know.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I loved your grandfather very much and we still sing the songs he wrote in our church. My favorite is his "Jesus Loves Me". "Jesus is such a Savior, Jesus is such a friend...." Makes me all teary. Great, great, man of God. So glad to hear you are walking in his footsteps! God bless you abundantly! Think I'll go choose one of his books to read this evening!

 

Hi, menageriekeeper and samarelda.

Thanks so much for the sweet stories. They do my soul good.

John R. Rice loved children, and I remember often seeing him talk to kids and ask them if they believed in Jesus. You may have heard the following story about him from other sources, but last year on furlough I heard the pastor of the church tell it, Dr. Charles Keen.

Grandpa was at Brother Keen's church in Ohio, and it was time for dinner on the grounds. Church folk looked in all of the likely places but he was nowhere to be found. Since John R. Rice was always punctual to a fault, this was strange. However, someone finally found him. He was playing hopscotch with the kids!!

This story reminds me so much of Jesus rebuking his disciples for sending the children away. "But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:14).

Sigh. Have to get back to my Japanese income tax forms, due tomorrow.

 

I had not heard that story of your grandfather, John of Japan. Thank you so much for sharing it.

Mark 10:14 is a verse that always rebukes me. Several years ago my then 4 year old daughter was talking all summer long about getting saved etc and I just kind of kept putting her off. I honestly thought she was too young. Finally one day my little Mary said to me, "Mama, why don't you want me to get saved?" Talk about a rebuke and slap in the face!!! I just wept as I realized that I had been doing just what this verse told me not to do. I meant well, but I was actually forbidding my daughter to come to Christ. Even today, 8 years later, that sin causes me to cry. Thankfully she accepted Christ that very day and is already, at age 12, preparing to serve the Lord as a missionary to Mexico. She is learning as much as she can about the country and is learning Spanish the best she can here in our home school. Thank the Lord for men of God like your grandfather who was a real friend of children. God bless you brother John. Does your wife ever post on this board? I checked out your website and she looks like someone I would very much like to get to know.

 

What a wonderful little girl you have, samarelda! I know you consider it a great privilege from God that she wants to be a missionary. When I surrendered to come to Japan, my parents told me that they considered me their debt to Asia, since they had tried to go to Tibet as missionaries until the Communists took over.

Our children can teach us so much, sometimes even spiritual things. Our son is 25 now and in seminary training to teach the Bible in a college somewhere. I consider him to have surpassed his parents in many ways.

 

Alas, Patty is not much into the Internet, other than doing e-mail and ordering a few things from the "Foreign Buyers Club" here in Japan.

She is my best friend and constant support and a wonderful Christian, so anyone should want to get to know her! Try e-mailing her through our website, and I'm sure she'll answer.

 

John I looked at your website too, you don't look Japanese to me

 

I had surgery!

Seriously, in kindergarten a bigger boy came up to me and said, "Are you Chinese?" I didn't have a clue! Stranger still, during WW2 my father was stopped by a cop after coming out of a store and asked if he was Japanese! Some woman had turned him in. This was in PA and the irony of it is, Dad was of German ancestry!

So God predestined me for Japan, I guess!