Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” One of the ways I try to obey this verse is by keeping a list of faithful people worth emulating and what I can learn from them. Stan Fowler stands prominently on that list.
I first met Stan in 1987 as a nervous seminary student dreading systematic theology classes. Stan immediately disarmed that fear. At the time, Stan was just 41 years old, and had just joined the full-time faculty of Central Baptist Seminary. He had the heart of a pastor and the intellect of a scholar. His teaching combined biblical clarity with gentle directness and dry wit. No professor has matched his impact on me since.
Stan taught other courses besides systematic theology, including homiletics and Christian ethics. I loved reading his notes, printed using a dot matrix printer. I looked forward to getting his feedback on my assignments. I still have my notes from his classes.
Stan also played an outsized role in the school. He served as academic dean, and later as interim president. He played a major role in helping the school address a financial crisis that threatened its existence.
Stan’s teaching would have been enough to make a difference in my life, but his influence didn’t stop there. Outside class, he readily offered encouragement and answers. His care for students was unmistakable.
Stan’s influence was everywhere. My first summer ministry placement was at Runnymede Baptist, a church that Stan pastored from 1978 to 1985. Stan helped me secure my first full-time pastorate when I graduated in 1991. He moderated my ordination council. When that church held a surprise appreciation dinner, they invited Stan to speak. That kind of involvement continued for years. Everywhere I looked, Stan’s influence was visible.
Once, I asked Stan to mentor me. He declined but offered friendship instead. We began meeting halfway between us at Kelsey’s in Milton. Those conversations proved invaluable. During one meeting, I sought marriage advice. His insight helped me gain insight into one of my blind spots, marking a turning point in my marriage.
Once, Stan attended the church I pastored and heard me preach. After, I told him I was intimidated to preach with him there. Stan reminded me that God was present in that church every week, and that his evaluation mattered more.
We maintained contact over the years. I read his books and other writings. I sought his advice. I watched him continue to influence other students similarly to how he influenced me.
In 2012, in the early days of starting a new church near downtown Toronto, I still remember my surprise when Stan and his wife Donna attended an early event. He’d driven all the way from Kitchener-Waterloo to express support. Later, we attended a Jays game together. When I taught as an adjunct professor at Heritage Seminary, I had to miss a class due to a personal crisis. Stan filled in for me.
In 2016, Heritage presented Stan with a festschrift, and I had the privilege of writing a short biography. In 2018, Stan retired from full-time teaching, but continued to teach part-time, serve as an elder, as well as write and preach.
In 2021, FEB Central, a region of the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches in Canada, honoured Stan with the Eagle Award for lifetime achievement, recognizing his “outstanding leadership and service to the FEB Central Churches and family.” Shortly after, Stan suffered a stroke while vacationing in the United States. The extensive damage to the left side of his brain resulted in aphasia, robbing him of speech while his intellect remained intact.
Stan’s influence continued even after his voice was silenced. Earlier this year, Heritage Seminary released two volumes of his collected writings. Recently, two friends spoke about his theology and legacy on their podcast. Just this past week, I’d consulted his writings, and his name came up in multiple conversations.
Stan was a gifted theologian. His writings on baptism contributed to a sacramental turn in the Baptist understanding of baptism. A fellow professor referred to Stan as “one of the greatest theological minds on the planet.” Stan also influenced multiple generations of students and pastors, both in the classroom and through his life.
I saw him last in May and told him I’d see him again. Stan died yesterday.
Stan’s life and his impact on countless lives, including mine, leaves me feeling profoundly grateful. I can’t wait to see him again.
For more on Stan, see my article A Theologian in Service of the Church and my interview with him.