Remembering “The Walking Bible”

(4 Minute Read plus video)

Jack Van Impe (1931-2020)

If your friends nicknamed you based on what you do for hours every day, what nickname would they pick?
Java Junkie?
Game Guru?
Beauty Buff?
Gym Rat?
Tool Man?
Music Maven?
Kitchen Queen?
Shopping Ninja?
Boobtuber?
Movie Geek?

TV host Jack Van Impe (1931-2020) earned an unusual nickname that few others have ever shared. He died several weeks ago on Saturday, January 18, and his memorial service was this past Saturday, February 1.

For over 30 years, Van Impe hosted a weekly TV show presenting Scripture in connection with current events. From his metro-Detroit studio, Van Impe broadcast to a worldwide audience.

Jack Van Impe Presents aired in 25,000 cities in the US and Canada and in over 150 other countries around the world. Commenting on the purpose of his program Van Impe said, “We only report the news from the latest papers and magazines, but we use the Word of God to show you that it means Christ is coming.”

If TV hosts were awarded trophies for things that really matter, Jack Van Impe would be a remarkable champion. He earned distinction as a faithful and loving husband. He was married to Rexella for 65 years, and many have remarked on the tender bond between them.

The Walking Bible

While I do not endorse everything Jack Van Impe taught, I did highly respect him for his commitment to memorizing Scripture. Over the course of his life he memorized nearly 18,000 verses including most of the New Testament. This earned him the moniker “The Walking Bible.”

Jack regularly spent two hours daily memorizing and reviewing Bible verses. He estimated that he had invested about 80,000 hours in memorization work. He said the secrets to his memorization success were desire, discipline, and dedication.

He described these benefits to memorizing Scripture:
“The Word gives us victory over sin (Psalm 119:11).
It makes us clean (John 15:3).
It is the source of faith (Romans 10:17).
It brings blessing (Revelation 1:3).”

Of all the many verses he had memorized, Jack’s favorite verse was Titus 1:2, a verse that few people would know without looking it up.
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. (Titus 1:2 KJV)

The Apostle Paul stuffed tremendous truths into this short Titus verse:

1. God promised eternal life. What could be more valuable than eternal life? What could be more sure than a promise by God?
2. God cannot lie — because He is the source and ground of truth.
3. God made His plan to save sinners before the world began, before Adam and Eve were even created.

Van Impe’s memorization process is outlined in the article Scripture Memorization on his website.

People Remember Jack Van Impe

Over 1,000 people left comments on the Jack Van Impe Remembrance Page which reflect the influence he had on people. Here is a sample:

Dr. Jack Van Impe was a mentor and friend to me. He inspired me to memorize over 10,000 Scriptures by subject including 22 complete books of the New Testament.

I know Jesus because of him, Rexella, and their ministry. Psalm 104:4 says that God “maketh his ministers a flaming fire.” He had the fire of God within him, and I loved to see and listen to him preach with that fire.

Thank you for your straightforward and no nonsense teaching.

I grew to love his dedication to Biblical doctrine, his boldness, and stance for the truth, especially when he was pretty much “blacklisted” by the mainstream Christian television community (namely TBN). He refused to be silenced and accepted being cancelled by the network – rather than ever compromise truth. He endured death threats by Islamists, battled countless health issues, and lived solely on his Social Security check each month for the remaining years of his life – rather than live off donations to his ministry. A far cry from how most big name preachers live today.

Dr. Van Impe was an example for all Christian leaders, a reminder to preach the truth of the Scriptures with knowledge, plain understanding, conviction, without political correctness.

Jack Van Impe was indeed the “Walking Bible” saturating his messages both with God’s Word and the fire and fervency of the Holy Spirit.

Jack Van Impe operated in an anointing of wisdom that I’ve never seen or heard from any other evangelist. He had a burning desire for Biblical truth that is also unmatched in most ministries today.

His preaching of the Word has kept me on course all these years. We love you, Rexella. You and Jack have been a shining beacon of light in a dark world guiding us toward the Lord.

No other preacher, throughout the course of my life, has ever preached with as much fire and conviction concerning the Rapture and Christ’s return. No other preacher in my lifetime has preached the Word of God more boldly or faithfully than Dr. Jack. I pray that I can carry the torch of his Biblically-sound, uncompromising, and bold style of preaching until the Lord calls me home.

Soon after I got saved some 15 years ago I discovered Jack Van Impe Presents on television. Very new to the faith, at that time my understanding of Bible prophecy was basic at best. Jack caught my attention quickly with his passion, knowledge, and love for God’s Word. Watching him and Rexella open the mysteries of Bible prophecy changed everything. Instead of knowing Jesus only as Savior and the Lamb of God, I discovered Him as the soon returning and conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah. The Bible came alive to me through Jack’s teachings.

Many years ago Dr. Jack and Rexella responded to a letter I wrote to them. Their kindness was beyond measure and helped me more than words can convey.

Jack may have been known for his fantastic Bible memory and prophetic vision. However, what always moved me the most about Jack and Rexella, was/is their passion for lost souls. That will always be the backbone of a true follower of Christ. Watching Jack at the end of each broadcast, his being moved to tears while encouraging people to run to the Lord’s salvation.

A true man of integrity that wasn’t afraid of political correctness. He only feared God.

Rexella, your husband was a courageous man, who never backed down in the face of the worldly pressures and changing times socially. I thank you and him for standing steadfastly for our Lord and Savior.

How blessed we were to have such a servant to work as hard as he did to get out the truth without compromise; his love of Jesus burned within him.

I love that he never sugar coated anything. If it wasn’t God’s Word or didn’t line up with what the Word said, he didn’t pretend that it was! He didn’t just preach what people wanted to hear. He preached what people needed to hear in order to be saved! Praise God for this amazing man and what he stood for!

Jack Van Impe Biographical Video

Here’s an 8-minute YouTube video surveying Jack Van Impe’s life and Christian ministry of over 70 years narrated by Chuck Ohman.

 

Questions to Ponder

1. How will people remember you when you are gone?
2. What can you do this year to earn the encomium, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” as so many said of Jack Van Impe?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom. Soli Deo Gloria. Alere Flammam Veritatis.

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday February 5, 2020 A.D.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

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