My wife Mary and I have enjoyed a friendship with Vic and Nelina Bogard that goes back nearly two decades. We first met in November 1983. At that time I served as Professor of History and Director of Wheaton College's Marion E. Wade Center which houses the world's most complete collection of writings related to C.S. Lewis.

That autumn as the Bogards were traveling through the Chicago area they dropped in to see the Wade Center. Before the day ended Mary and I took them to lunch. Vic and Nelina donated their automobile to the Wade Center and we made plans to rendezvous in California so that Vic and I could jointly spread the good news of Jesus Christ via the life and writings of that influential British apologist, C.S. Lewis.

Over the years, Vic Bogard has worked tirelessly to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. His relationship with me toward that end is only one glimpse of how this traveler, speaker, and friend has lived out Christ's call.

Vic opened numerous doors for me to give lectures and informal talks on C.S. Lewis. Beyond this he and Nelina made several substantial financial contributions to the Wade Center's efforts to collect Lewisiana. A remarkable example of his generosity took place in the late 1980s when Vic accompanied me to England and made it possible for the Wade Center to purchase C.S. Lewis's personal library. Thanks to this effort, the Wade Center has acquired more than 2,500 books from Lewis's personal collection, including many volumes signed, underlined, and annotated by the late C.S. Lewis.

Vic Bogard is a splendid example of the outworking of the parable of the talents. The Lord has given Vic a wonderful wife and good children in a home blessed with the gift of hospitality which is sprearheaded by servanthearted Nelina. Over the years, this couple has held with an open hand the resources God has entrusted to them. Not until judgment day will we see how many families, churches, institutions and full-time Christian workers have been blessed through their gifts of encouragement.

In this season of Vic's life God continues to multiply the talents. Still entrusted with traveling, speaking, teaching gifts, Vic is now exercising the gift of writing.

May the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified through Vic's writing as much as He has been in the faithful exercise of Vic's other gifts.

Lyle W. Dorsett
Professor of Evangelism and Spiritual Formation
Wheaton College
Wheaton, Illinois 60187