Ralph G. Turnbull: Disciplined Servant of the Word
By Mark E. Yurs
Just as important as books were in Turnbull's estimation, so was one's plan for study. A methodical and hard-working man, he believed the best study happens according to plan. Thus could patient preparation lead to permanent power. He suggested devoting a month to a major book in a particular field, or else to study a single subject for a three month period. Another way of working is to concentrate for as much as a year on the works of a selected writer. Turnbull himself followed this latter plan with the writings of various preachers such as Whyte, Morrison and Jowett.
Among the minister's most precious resources is time, and it needs to be used with the utmost care so that it is not merely used up but put to use. All this calls for discipline, which was a major theme for Turnbull and a hallmark of his own life and work. Discipline means the conscientious use of time, and it is the reason Turnbull was able to be a busy pastor and such a prolific writer at the same time. To be sure, he would give the credit to God and not to himself, but, if pressed beyond that for his estimation of the secret of his success, he would credit discipline rather than genius, work habits rather than innate ability.
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"Diligence and not genius," he wrote in A Minister's Opportunities, "explains the secret of those who have accomplished much. It is not good fortune, but regular concentration at a predetermined hour and a weekly output." Thus he would advise those of us who wish we could do more never to underestimate the power of plodding faithfully along a prearranged plan.
None of this can be sustained without a strong devotional life which makes the most of every opportunity to pray, and so Turnbull put heavy emphasis on the pastor's internal communion with God. On the human level, this is a key area in which we exercise discipline to show ourselves faithful, daily turning to the Lord in a spirit of prayer to seek out the things of God. In truth, our devotional life is a gift of grace. It is by God's mercy that the ear, heart and help of God are available to us wherever we are, whether in life's routines or crises.
Nothing so prepares the servant of God as the cultivation of the devotional life. Academic excellence, however worthy that goal and supportive of ministerial excellence, is not sufficient for proper effectiveness in the service of the Lord. By way of prayer we grow in holiness and increase in integrity of character. "Let integrity and industry intertwine," wrote Turnbull, "and God will have a servant ready to use." Such a statement was not merely prescriptive for others; it was descriptive of Ralph G. Turnbull.