Of the thousands of students and hundreds of faculty and staff members to circulate through Evangel in his presidency, none have felt the impact of Robert Spence’s influence more than his wife Anne and their three sons, Steve, Dave and Jon.

“I just could not have a better husband,” Anne Spence said. “I think he is a gift from God. He’s certainly been a wonderful father. Even with all of his activities and commitments, he made time to be where the boys were.”

From the first time they locked eyes in 1955 to their summer wedding in 1956 until now, 56 years later, the Spences have been inseparable.

“We enjoy each other,” Robert Spence said. “We laugh a lot to-gether. We just have a lot of inter-action and a lot of fun.”

Robert Spence has had many traveling obligations, so he and his family have spent weekends and summers traveling together across the U.S. and around the world.

All three of his sons said their father’s consistency and respect for everyone he encounters de-fines his method of effective lead-ership.

“He always treated us so well and so appropri-ately for the stages of life we were in,” Steve Spence said. “Even in

times of discipline or frustration, he always treated us with great re-spect.”

Whether at home or in his workplace, Robert Spence has conducted himself naturally his entire life.

“He was ‘dad’ at home, but he wasn’t a different person,” Steve Spence said. “What I saw in public, I saw in private. There

was respect, but the respect was earned.”

Jon Spence said, “The leaders of great organizations understand that nurturing and shepherding people is critical to the health and success of an organization. He’s done that, and he’s done it well. I’m really proud of him.”

Robert Spence’s sons said his legacy is twofold: his consistency and his dependence on the Lord’s will.

“I depend on his consistency,” Dave Spence said. “We talk every day or every other day. I heavily rely on his wisdom and his deci-sions.”

As Robert Spence prepares for retirement, his sons recognize their father’s impact on Evangel for the past 39 years.

“My hope is that students, fac-ulty and staff would see the trans-formational qualities that he laid down as a person who under-stood the importance in investing in other people,” Jon Spence said. “That they would recognize that the greatest quality in leadership is developing others, watching them succeed and cheering them on when they do.”

TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2013

WWW.EVANGELLANCE.COM

KEEPING EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CONNECTED AND INFORMED SINCE 1955

VOLUME LVII | ISSUE XXVIII

LANCETHE

He has been described as a Southern gentleman who will never forget someone’s name, an e� ective minister whose character remains the same no mat-ter where he is and a man with a witty sense of hu-mor that shows itself at just the right moments. He is a husband, a father, a leader, a servant – a man who cares.

He is Robert Spence, president of Evangel Uni-versity.

Since 1974, there have been seven U.S. presidents, seven British prime ministers and � ve popes. But during that same 39-year period, Spence has stood � rm at the helm of Evangel.

He has steered the university through numerous structural renovations, spearheaded the growth of academic and athletic programs, been an ambas-sador for Evangel and the Assemblies of God in the community and provided a reassuring hand throughout the recent process of university con-solidation – all while providing spiritual inspiration to multiple generations of young men and women who have moved forward and become leaders in the state, the nation and the world.

He is held in the highest esteem by those who work with him and under him, and as he spends his � nal year as president, his students and colleagues alike have expressed that he will be missed.

But even a� er he leaves his position at the head of the university, the work he has done and the legacy he is leaving will not be forgotten.

Southern Roots

Spence was born in McComb, Miss., on Sept. 13, 1935. His father was an AG minister and evangelist, and his mother was a homemaker.

During the early years of his life, his family moved to di� erent locations in the South, � nally settling down in Montgomery, Ala., where his father served as the AG district superintendent.

Spence said his parents raised him to learn to handle responsibilities from an early age. At six years old, he remembers taking care of the family’s chickens, and he said he began cutting the grass at age nine.

“I would say they instilled in me a very strong work ethic,” Spence said. “And that played out in the expectation that there was work to be done all the time.”

Spence attended Lanier High School in Mont-gomery. He then decided to attend the University of Alabama as a biology major, with the ambition of entering the medical � eld.

A HistoricLegacy BY IAN RICHARDSON

Chief Copy Editor

See SPENCE, page 2

Re� ecting on the life of a

servant leader

Spence family: � e people behind the manBY JESSICA NUNLEY

Managing Editor

“I just could not have a better husband.- Anne Spence

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BETTY A. CHASE EVANGEL UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Robert and Anne Spence celebrate their wedding on Aug. 11, 1956, with family and friends.

ANNE SPENCE

Commemorating President Spence’s years of service

� e Call

A Sunday evening prayer service near the end of his sophomore year of college changed the direction of his life forever.

� at night, Spence felt the call to the min-istry.

“At the end of that prayer time, I knew the Lord had changed the direction of my life,” Spence said. “� at next week, I changed my major from biology to history because I re-ally felt it was the Lord’s will for me to stay at Alabama and complete my degree program.”

Spence graduated with a major in history and a minor in mathematics. He then went into the ministry, pastoring for the next 20 years.

While senior pastor in Mobile, Ala., Spen-ce became a member of the Evangel College Board of Directors, serving as the minister representing the Southeast region. He would serve on the board of directors for six years. But a� er Evangel College President Robert Ashcro� retired, Spence’s career would take a brand-new direction.

A Di� erent Kind of Pastor

“[Becoming president] never was an op-tion that I considered,” Spence said. “� ose 20 years as a pastor, I was a very, very ful-� lled pastor. I was as happy as a pastor could be.”

However, when the board of directors re-quested Spence to take the leadership role, he accepted. Since the Evangel College con-stitution and bylaws required the president to be an ordained minister, Spence said he saw the presidency as a revised pastoral role.

But he never saw it as a role he would con-tinue for the next 40 years.

“When I came, I thought it would prob-ably be a � ve-year tenure,” Spence said. “I’m seeing myself as a pastor: I’m going to be pastoring in this role for this period of time, and then I would see myself back in a lo-cal church situation. And as these � ve-year terms would come, the Lord would just open things in a way that I would know there’s more the Lord wants to do here.”

Spence’s � rst challenge as president: fol-lowing Robert Ashcro� .

“Dr. Ashcro� was a well-appreciated churchman in the Assemblies of God,” Glenn Bernet, vice president for Academic A� airs and an Evangel faculty member for over 50 years, said. “So there were some big shoes to � ll.”

As he stepped into those shoes, Spence admitted that he felt intimidated. In his late 30s, Spence was young for a college presi-dent.

However, he had a supportive board of administration behind him, and he had the assurance that God had called him to where he needed to be.

“� at was most important,” Spence said. With that con� rmation, Spence said he knew that God would provide the grace, direction, support and encouragement he needed to complete the job.

One of the major tasks he would face in the years to come was the renovation of Evangel’s campus. And the way he would go about it would speak volumes about the kind of president – and person – he is.

Renovations

Dale Garrett, associate professor of social sciences, began teaching at Evangel in Janu-ary of 2003.

“When I visited Evangel to interview,” he said, “something stood out to me that con-vinced me this was the kind of institution that not only talked about Christian prin-ciples but actually was a place where those principles were in operation.”

� at something: the location of Spence’s o� ce.

� irty-nine years ago, Evangel still looked like an old, World War II Army hospital with a handful of renovated buildings. The rest

2 | Tuesday, April 23, 2013 | The Lance

1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993

Robert Spence’s fi rst year as president

Football team takes fi eld for fi rst time

Spence travels with football team to China

Birthday: Sept. 13, 1935Age: 77Hometown: Montgomery, Ala.Hobbies: woodworking, home improvement projects, readingDegrees: Doctor of Divinity, Southeastern CollegeMaster of Arts, University of AlabamaBachelor of Science, University of AlabamaStarted at Evangel: May 1, 1974

Did you know?*Spence is the longest tenured president in Missouri and second longest in the U.S.*His favorite food is shrimp creole.*He never missed a day of school from fi rst through 12th grade. *He and his fellow administrators have sung as a quar-tet (or quintet) at multiple school functions.*His two favorite places on campus are the prayer cha-pel on the second fl oor of Riggs and the Chapel.*He and Anne have been married for 56 years.

Spence/Life, journey Continued from page 1

“At the end of that prayer time, I knew the Lord had changed the direction of my life.- Robert Spence

Above: President Robert Spence watches the demolition of the barracks as the site is cleared to start construction on a new administration building in 2007.Above Right: President Robert Spence cheers on the Evangel football team at one of its first home games. Evangel’s football program was started in 1976.

LANCE FILE PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY OF BETTY A. CHASE EVANGEL UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

President Spence:

At a glance

One of the many times Spence sang with colleagues. Pictured with Glenn Bernet, George Crawford and Hubert Morris

of the campus buildings were barracks, and there was much work to be done.

As the years passed, Spence gave oversight to the construction of new structures – resi-dence halls, new academic buildings, the student union, the Chapel – until only one old building remained: the administration building.

“� is fact spoke volumes to me about President Spence’s leadership principles and priorities,” Garrett said, “particularly the principle of denying self for the betterment of those who you serve.”

When Riggs Hall was � nished in 2009, it marked the completion of a project that Ber-net said is “unprecedented” in AG history – something that many people will remember

Spence for in the years to come. “I think a lot of people will remember

him because of the physical structure he has le� and the campus development, turning it from just this motley collection of worn-out buildings to what we see today,” Bernet said. “I think it’s a testament to his steady and per-sistent staying on task with what the univer-sity’s all about.”

A major part of Spence’s interaction with students and faculty has come in the Cha-pel. For the � rst 2 ½ years of his presidency, Spence held the full responsibility as cam-pus pastor. Since then, he has continued to speak periodically during the semester. And the standing ovations and talk of students throughout the years attest to the fact that Spence has been the favorite speaker in cha-pel year-in and year-out.

But it is not due to complicated rhetoric. Spence admits that his approach is simple.

“I’m not trying to impress people with

homiletic style. I’m not trying to impress people with oratory. I’m not trying to have people – whether it be faculty or a visitor – saying, ‘Wow, that’s just such an outstanding sermon,’” he said. “To be able to touch some-thing that is relevant, personal, pertinent to the student is what I’m asking the Lord to help me do.”

Unlike many speakers, Spence does not use notes. He said his goal is not to be com-plicated but to be relevant.

“My messages are not long, and they’re simple, and it’s a matter of my trying to con-vey a truth that has been made real to me,” he said. “If I can do that, that’s my objective.”

Not only has Spence proven loyal to Evan-gel during his tenure, but he has been an ac-tive member of the surrounding community as well. Has been chairman of the board of city utilities and served on the airport board, Cox Hospital board, Chamber of Commerce board and many others.

Challenges

Spence admits that the tenure of his presi-dency has not always been easy. He said one of the main professional challenges he faced was the other ministry opportunities he turned down to continue his career at Evan-gel, remaining sensitive to God’s guidance.

Spence said, “� rough the years, there have been a great many invitations that I have received from churches to become their pastor. Some really great churches. And very tempting. But always when that would hap-pen, it would be at a time that I knew was not the time for a change.”

Other challenges have come to his fam-ily. Before coming to Evangel, Spence and his wife, Anne, lost two of their children as a result of birth defects. � ey lost a daugh-ter soon a� er she was born, a time further complicated by � nancial struggles. Ten years later, they lost their � ve-year-old son a� er years of praying for healing.

Spence said the questions and issues he struggled with during those times were in-strumental in building his own personal faith. He said that God brought him through

The Lance| Tuesday, April 23, 2013 | 3

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Robert H. Spence Chapel dedicated

Zimmerman Hall, the fi rst new academic building, completed

Spence wins Springfi eldian of the Year award

Evangel University celebrates 50 years; Trask Hall completed

Robert and Anne Spence’s 50th wedding anniversary (Aug. 11)

Riggs Hall completed

Consolidationtask force formed

Consolidation approved

Name and status changed from Evangel College to Evangel University

“I think it’s a testament to his

steady and persistent staying on task with what the university’s all about.

- Glenn Bernet

See SPENCE, page 4

CHRISTINE TEMPLE | THE LANCE

Students and faculty members of Central Bible College, the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and Evangel University met for a consolidation prayer walk during the 2012 fall semester. Those in attendance prayed that God would give President Robert Spence guidance during the consolidation process.

All three current and former presidents of Evangel University stand together: Klaude Kendrick, left; Robert Spence, center; and J. Robert Ashcroft, right.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BETTY A. CHASE EVANGEL UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BETTY A. CHASE EVANGEL UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Left: President Robert Spence rappels down a wall for Rappelathon, a fundraiser to reduce debt owed on the Chapel. Right: Robert Spence participates in the 1995 ground-breaking ceremony forZimmerman Hall.

Chapel Speaker, Community Leader

Steve Spence is last of three sons to graduate from Evangel

of a dedicated leader

1994

And God said, “Let there be football.” Robert Spence, Evangel University presi-

dent, said he proposed the idea to create an Evangel football team because he felt it was “something that the Lord wanted [Evangel] to do.”

The board approved the program in 1976. David Stair, director of intercollegiate athlet-ics, said football gave Evangel the ability to have a Homecoming celebration in the fall. He also said that some of the highest enroll-ment numbers came during the first few years of football.

Spence said, “The year before we started football, our enrollment was somewhere around 1,450. That was in the fall of 1976. In the fall of 1977 – first football team on the field – our enrollment had gone up to 1,612.”

Spence said that when he asked Denny Du-ron to help start the football program, Du-ron originally said no. However, after several weeks, Duron called back and said that he felt it was God’s will. The program began, and the team started to play football.

The football program did something new for Evangel, Spence said. “It created an energy and a synergy that was just dynamic, and it made an impact on the campus,” he said.

During its early years, the football team traveled and sang, Spence said. He said that the team would travel and sing in youth events in locations in cities like Omaha and Little

Rock. Along with the team singing, the coach

would preach a message. This was used as a recruiting tool for the school as well as the football team.

The football program has gone through some changes since the early years. “The big-

gest thing that happened for the football pro-gram overall was when we were able to join the Heart of America Athletic Conference,” Stair said.

“The second year we had football, we played Missouri State and beat them. And that was a classic, classic game,” Spence said.

1998 Inductee Associated Collegiate Press Hall of Fame

Member, Associated Collegiate Press

Member, Missouri College Media Association

Member, Association of Christian College Media

4 | Tuesday, April 23, 2013 | The Lance

Andy DentonEnrollment Management

Jim WilliamsInstitutional Advancement

George CrawfordBusiness and Finance

David BundrickStudent Development

Glenn BernetAcademic Affairs

A lot of the things I do, I’ve modeled after Presi-dent Spence. The more you are around him, the more you realize God has given him an enor-mous amount of wisdom. From the very beginning, he told me, ‘I’m here to answer your questions, I’m here to help you, I’m here to help you grow, and he’s kept his word in that.

His character shows through in everything that he does, and it’s consistent. Whether it’s working with someone on campus, whether it’s working with the city, in some kind of program or wherever it is, he’s the same. He is a man of integrity. When he says something, you can bank on it. It’s going to hap-pen.

Someone said a leader is someone that will take you places you would never have gone by yourself. He is that type of person. I have accom-plished more in life both in my personal, spiritual and professional devel-opment; and I will be forever grateful for that leadership

The greatest draw to me coming to EU was the opportunity to work with Spence and to learn from him and grow that relationship. During my 15 years here working with his administra-tion team, I have been influenced by his stabil-ity, model of leadership through serving the team here at EU and com-munity and AG fellow-ship. He has modeled for me how I can best lead through serving those in my area of responsibility.

He has cared for me, as he has for the other vice presidents. He’s a very caring man. He’s been my mentor here at Evangel. I think whatever leadership skills I have, I’ve learned them from him. But I think even beyond that, you just can’t help but respond to his Christian gentleman demeanor, and I have learned from that.

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The Lance is the student voice of Evangel University, published since the college was founded in 1955. Published weekly in print and online during the academic year, The Lance is the primary source of news for its students, faculty and staff. Opinions expressed in The Lance do not necessarily represent the opinions of Evangel University.

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the challenges, preparing him to help lead students and even the university during times of loss.

Changes

Many people wonder how Spence has managed to provide such quality leadership at Evangel for so long.

His answer: change.“Every year in many, many ways

it’s a new challenge,” Spence said. “By the same token, I would like to think that I have also changed and grown with each year.”

In the past 39 years, Evangel has grown not only in physical structure, but also in its offering of academic programs, athletic programs and much more.

Spence said a personal change is that he thinks he is more pa-tient. “[My coworkers] might not think so, but I think I am more re-flective and I do know that there is more of an inclusion of our team now than what I had in my first years.”

Looking Ahead

As Spence prepares to go into retirement following his 40th year, he is looking forward to sev-eral relaxing activities.

He said he has stacks of his-tories, biographies and business books he is eager to read, several home improvement projects on his to-do list and – most of all – three sons and numerous grand-children to travel to visit.

In the future, Spence said he is willing to help at Evangel in what-ever capacity he can be useful.

Beginning in July, he will go on a semester-long sabbatical, the first ever in his Evangel career. His final act as president will be providing the commencement address at the 2014 graduation.

Spence said he will be available to assist Carol Taylor, who will begin this July as Evangel’s presi-dent-elect and CEO.

“The time that I have been here has been intended to help Evan-gel be everything that it can be,” Spence said. “I want to make sure that anything from this point for-ward is simply advancing that.”

Spence’s only remaining com-munity responsibility will be a position on the emeritus board at CoxHealth. He has served on the hospital’s board for over 35 years.

Spence said his favorite vaca-tion spot is the Gulf Coast, where he is looking forward to spending some time.

“I wish him every bit of enjoy-ment in his retirement,” George Crawford, vice president for Busi-ness and Finance, said. “I hope he’ll have many more years of en-joying life with his family.”

Spence/Future

There have been several women who have worked very closely with Robert Spence, Evangel University president, over the years. Each has a different story, but Spence’s charac-ter shines through in all of them.

Virginia Sanders has been Spence’s execu-tive assistant for over two years. Sanders said working for Spence has been “an honor.”

Sanders’ first interaction with Spence came in 1978 when she was a student at Evangel. She said, “My impression of president Spence was always a high level of respect for him.”

Sanders said that during her time at Evan-gel, she has never seen Spence turn down any-body who needed to meet with him. She said, “I’ve never had him say, ‘No I don’t have time.’”

Sanders also said Spence would deliver doughnuts to the workers at the Physical Plant.

“He seems to like to recognize people who might not be so be visible and get all the acco-lades that other people might,” she said.

Carol Stair, Spence’s executive assistant from 1981 to 2010, said that in her time work-ing with him, she saw him handle his position prayerfully, thoughtfully and wisely. “He has been a true spiritual leader for our campus and is a wonderful man of God,” she said.

Between 1977 and 1981, Spence had two executive assistants, Leta Bradford and Linda Warren.

Alice Kirsch was Spence’s executive assis-tant from 1974 to 1977. She said he is a “kind gentleman” and that she was always impressed by Spence’s integrity.

Kirsch said, “I remember two of his little boys coming in. They always asked if they could have some candy because I had a candy jar on my desk.”

She said Spence was very interested in the students and that he would walk around the campus to talk to students, get to know them and learn their names.

EU football: How it all beganBY SEAN WHITE

Features Editor

President Robert Spence shakes hands with an Evangel football player in 2001.PHOTO COURTESY OF BETTY A. CHASE EVANGEL UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

From those who work closest to himBY SEAN WHITE

Features Editor

Students gather around President Robert Spence and speak with him in the early 1980s. PHOTO COURTESY OF BETTY A. CHASE EVANGEL UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Continued from page 3

The Springfield Prayer Breakfast

COmmittee

Dr. Robert Spence

thanks

for over 20 years of leadership to our event and celebrates

with him for 40 years of service to Evangel.

®

Springf ieldArea Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Robert Spenceon 40 years of leadership to

Evangel and our community.

www.springfieldchamber.com

1998-2002 Chamber Board of Directors

2001 Chairman of the Board

2004 Springfieldian Award Recipient

Dr. Robert SpenceDr. Robert SpenceDr. Robert SpenceDr. Robert SpenceCongratulations

Assemblies of God National Leadership and Resource Center

The General Council of the Assemblies of God

expresses its sincere appreciation to Dr. Robert

Spence for nearly 40 years of exemplary service

to Evangel University, the Assemblies of God

and the Greater Springfield area.

“DR. SPENCE, YOUR CHRIST­LIKE CHARACTER HAS IMPACTED THOUSANDS

OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE, WHO IN TURN HAVE IMPACTED

COUNTLESS OTHERS FOR THE KINGDOM. MAY GOD’S BLESSING REST

RICHLY UPON YOU AS HE CONTINUES TO USE YOU IN HIS SERVICE.”

—GEORGE O. WOOD, GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT

Thank you, President Spence!The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary would like to thank President Assemblies of God Theological Seminary would like to thank President Assemblies of God Theological SeminaryRobert Spence for his decades of exemplary service in our community and

faithful stewardship of the lives of young adults who make up the future of the

Assemblies of God and our nation.