Following are some testimonials from former students and friends of Ronald. If you desire to add a testimonial, please email it to
I had the joy and privilege of having Ron Wright as teacher at Central Bible College in 1973-74. I had been a Christian only a year and a half and was eagerly drinking in as much Bible and theology as I could. Ron not only fed me but helped me develop discernment on good and bad theology. He also was a living example of how a theologian can have a great mind and a big heart. He certainly was my favorite teacher and I still credit his influence on me in many ways. Over the decades I have had contact with some other former CBC students and several of them also testify to Ron's influence in their lives. After CBC I went to seminary and then took my PhD in theology at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. After graduation I contacted Ron and thanked him for his influence on a young student. I treasure his warm reply. I wish I had had the opportunity to meet up with him somewhere sometime, but our paths never crossed again. I look forward to seeing him again, however, in the land of glory. It warms my heart to think that brother Ron is beholding the face of the Savior he loved so dearly. May his influence on hundreds of students continue and bring further glory to the Lord Jesus.
—Curt Daniel
Faith Bible Church
Springfield, Illinois
My husband and I first became acquainted with Professor Ronald Wright when we visited his Sunday School Class at Newport Mesa Christian Center a number of years ago. We grew up in Sunday School classes, but never before had we sat under anyone who could teach as he did. From the first, we were impressed with the depth and clarity of his teaching. We became devoted members of his classes, and, in time, close friends with him and Barbara, his wife. He was not only the finest teacher we have ever known, but was also a close and beloved friend. We loved him very much, and were devastated by his death. Never since have we found a teacher as knowledgeable and able to communicate his love of God's Word as Professor Ron Wright, and having this opportunity to hear him again is a gift from God. We look forward to the day we see him again. What a day that will be.
—Paul and Mildred Freeman
I first met Ron in Toronto in the late 50s when he and Barbara had recently settled there from South Africa. Within a short while Ron became the associate minister at Danforth Gospel Temple under the lead pastor, Dr. Harry Faught. Ron made a deep impression on us all in those days, especially the youth group. His scholarly Bible teaching and his passion to burn out rather than rust out for God fired the imagination of us all.
Nearing completion of my university studies at the University of Toronto I was in the process of deciding on which seminary to attend. One school which was not on my list was the graduate school of Central Bible College and Seminary in Springfield, Missouri. But Ron had completed his BA at CBC and encouraged me to consider it. In fact, he wrote to the administration and urged them to hire me as a part-time lecturer in English Composition. So at the end of August, 1963 that's where I went and eventually completed an MA in Arts and Religion. I'm sure without Ron's encouragment I would never have gone there, but now I am glad because it introduced me to the whole world of the Assemblies of God and resulted in making some wonderful friends. In the meantime Ron had gone to Vancouver to become academic dean of Western Pentecostal Bible College and we corresponded once or twice.
Upon finishing at Springfield I went to Chile, South America in the fall of 1965 to join my sister and brother-in-law in mission work there. The idea was to go for ten months before continuing further studies. Ten months eventually became thirty months, before I finally felt ready to return home to pick up theological studies again. But towards the end of that time I became very ill with hepatitis and lost all self-confience and interest in ministry. I simply wanted to return to find some kind of ordinary employment. At the low point of that depression one day I received in my devotions an encouraging word through the scriptures and wrote in the margin Aug. 17, 1967. Two weeks later I received a letter from Ron with the same date saying he had been thinking of me recently and asked me to come to teach with him at WPBC. I knew then that it was the Lord speaking. Shortly thereafter I became well and never looked back on my calling.
When I arrived in Vancouver at the end of August, 1968, Ron met me at the airport, took me home to a wonderful meal with Barbara and helped me get settled. We worked together at Western for a couple of years until Ron and Barbara left to return to Springfield, now as a professor of Systematic Theology. Keeping up a correspondence turned out to be more difficult. I suspect the way things ended at Western was a factor in Ron's motivation in keeping up close contacts in Vancouver. As I recall, it was Barb who would answer with the odd note! Eventaully we lost direct contact.
It was years later before I saw Ron again. I was finishing my day teaching at Regent College and returning to my office when there, out of the blue, were Ron and Barb, together with Lill Hanson, waiting for me. I could hardly believe it. Ron's face showed the effects of his health battles, but Barb was as smart-looking as ever! We had a nice visit recalling former days. As it turned out, it was the last time we saw each other. He died a year or two later.
At pivotal turning points Ron's friendship and initiatives on my behalf were decisive for determining were I would wind up in ministry and theological eduation. I thank God for Ron's testimony and for the ways our lives interesected during what were for me crucial and life-forming years.
—Sven (Kenneth) Soderlund
Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies
Regent College, Vancouver
I arrived at WPBC from South Africa in 1966. I had never traveled before that eventful trip nor had I even possessed a passport. My travel agent, thinking she was doing me a favor, sold me a 5 country stopover ticket which meant it took days and days to arrive in Vancouver.
Arriving, frightened, tired and all of 21 years old I saw the first friendly face meeting me at the airport in Vancouver. They had sent Ron Wright to meet me and take me through to the campus, perhaps because we could share a word in Afrikaans, Zulu or Xhosa.
From that day and for the following three years, Rev. Wright captivated his audience of students with his grasp of the Word of God, his devotion to the task of teaching and his kind and patient tolerance of the youth he taught.
Once Ronald Wright had thumped his briefcase on the desk at 3451 St Mary's Avenue, there was silence in the room, because he would lead the way into a deeper understanding of the heart of God. I look forward to seeing him again at the feet of our Master.
Thank you,
—Marlene Martin (nee Zinn)
WPBC 1966-1968
Prof. Ronald Wright was more than my former professor (I am a 1999 graduate of Southern California College) and even more than my pastor (I attended his Sunday school class at Newport-Mesa Christian Center). While being my dear friend, he was also my godly counsel, my hero, my father in the faith. In short, he was my Paul and for 5 years I endeavored to follow him as he followed Christ.
In fact, after going over 5 years of notes, I discovered that everything I think about ministry, life and doctrine, everything I think about God, how He relates to us and how we should relate to Him and others is based in largest part on Prof. Wright's teaching of Scripture. I cannot possibly quantify the effect God had on my life through him.
He taught me I was given life for the sole purpose of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.
He taught me what's now my life quote when he recalled a story from D.L. Moody's life. A preacher proclaimed, "The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him" to which Moody tearfully replied, "By the grace of God, I'll be that man."
He taught me another line of Moody's, something he said the first day I attended his Sunday school class and which he repeated the last day we were together-8 days before he died-"If God has called you to the ministry, you should not stoop to take the British throne. You burn your bridges, man. There's no going back."
He taught me to "Always leave people saying 'Praise Jesus.' God's people should go home loving Christ more than when they arrived at church," something that happened for me every Sunday morning.
I believe that Ronald Wright belongs to a class of men, who arise from time to time, to represent the greatest of ideas and revive holiness in Christ's church by passionately emphasizing the glory and majesty of God, the supreme authority of Scripture in all matters, the absolute lordship of Christ and the necessity of a holy life "in Christ" (THE doctrine he believed could revive the Western church) that demonstrates the Holy Spirit's control. Or, as he would often put it, "Theology that does not become biography is a living lie."
These principles, often fought for in flames and blood, are the essence of a long line of reformers and revivalists who find a fellow brother in Prof. Wright. I hope this short testimony conveys my deep love and respect for the man, and that I only have the most profound thanks to God for gracing me with the almost indescribable gift that was Ronald Wright.
—Jon Benzinger
I went to Western Pentecostal Bible College in the fall of 1965, the last year it provided only a three-year program. Ronald Wright had just earned a Masters degree, plus he was working on another one on the side. Teachers tend to teach the way they were taught, and I’m convinced that we got a Master’s-level education! He made us sweat!
Not only was Ron a teacher, he was the Academic Dean, and he had big dreams for our small college. In the fall of 1966 we students had a choice of majors. I chose Christian EducationI’d heard that it would be the easiest workload. Boy, was I fooled J. Ron’s major was Christian Education, plus another prof had freshly joined Western, straight out of seminary, and he and Ron continued to make our workload nearly unbearable. But that no-tom-foolery approach paid off: by the time I graduated in 1969 I had realized that the rise and fall of the Church through the centuries was closely tied to Its ability to teach effectively, and I had been completently prepared to do something about it. I committed myself to ministry in Christian Education and discipleship ministries.
After college, I never saw Ron and Barbara again, but I am thankful for those few years of tough love that Ron invested in my life. He has a share in the little bit I’ve been able to accomplish for the Lord as a CE pastor, denominational district and national CE director, and (currently) instructor and Canadian Ministries Director for Walk Thru the Bible. And I am just a speck in his huge legacy, which lives on through many others who have accomplished far more for the Kingdom than I.
—Bill Hale
Canadian Ministries Director
Walk Thru the Bible