I have seen a number of appreciative mentions of A. N. Martin online since his passing several days ago. I can only view them with great appreciation for the positive remembrance of this godly and useful man’s life.
As one of his students, I remember him often quoting the old proverb which goes, The best of men are but men at best. He certainly would have applied that to himself. But those of us who were deeply molded by his teaching and example cannot be silent about the enormous and blessed influence he had on lives and ministries. Remembering that blessed influence and writing about it is not something, however, that I was able to do without a day or two of reflection. That is because of how deep and pervasive that influence was for some of us.
As well as I can recall, that influence for me dates back to the early 1970’s when Pastor Martin was invited to speak at a couple of conferences in Michigan. I was profoundly affected by his ministries in them on The New Creation and The Doctrine of Repentance. I think it was from him in those ministries that I first heard of “the tree of repentance,” upon which I still expand in my Doctrine of Salvation lectures.
With this influence leading me, I later wrote Pastor Martin to seek counsel regarding an issue that was bothering me. I remember the helpful, balanced, and gracious response I promptly received.
When my wife and I joined the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids in 1975 (shortly after we were married), Pastor Martin’s influence continued. This very youthful church (our old members were in their early 40’s at most, and our pastors were not yet 30) was greatly helped by the example of Trinity Baptist Church, which at that time was in Essex Fells, NJ. Cassette tapes of his preaching were frequently in circulation among us—as they were across our nation.
But the greatest period of Pastor Martin’s influence on me began in 1979 when our church in Grand Rapids sent me to study at Trinity Ministerial Academy in New Jersey. I think I was a part of the third class to matriculate. Pastor Martin’s pastoral theology is now embodied in three wonderful volumes. Recently, we at CBTS invited Pastor Dave Chanski—the final editor of those volumes—to give several lectures in a seminar for our students and friends at CBTS. But it is with profound thankfulness that I can say that in my three years as a part of TMA, I heard all of those lectures (at least in an early form) in the Friday morning lectures, which all the students attended. I was profoundly helped and shaped by those fine lectures in ways that I still remember. I am also sure that I was blessed in many ways that I do not specifically recall.
During those three years at TMA, I was also blessed to be a part of Trinity Baptist Church and hear almost every Lord’s Day the preaching of Pastor Martin. I know that I was influenced by his preaching and learned much about preaching. What did I learn from his example? I learned that good preaching should be organized and orderly. This has made me careful about form and structure in my own preaching. I also learned, of course, that preaching should be passionate. Finally, I was encouraged to be graphic in my preaching by using illustrations that would stick with my hearers. Pastor Martin was known for this. Some might even smile at how graphic some of his illustrations were. I think I remember Pastor Martin saying that a good illustration would grow talons, grip, and penetrate the spiritual skin of the hearers. I certainly am not the preacher that Pastor Martin was, but I am a better and more useful preacher because of him.
The death of those who have blessed, guided, and helped us through this life should not be allowed to pass without notice and gratitude. I do thank God for the life and ministry of A. N. Martiin. I cannot allow his homegoing to pass without expressing deep thanksgiving for God giving him to us.
The Lord Reigns,
Dr. Sam Waldron
Dr. Sam Waldron is the Academic Dean of CBTS and professor of Systematic Theology. He is also one of the pastors of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, KY. Dr. Waldron received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1977 to 2001 he was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Waldron is the author of numerous books including A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, The End Times Made Simple, Baptist Roots in America, To Be Continued?, and MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto: A Friendly Response.
