by Karina Brady, Student Public Relations Writer
During Cedarville’s annual Homecoming and Parents Weekend, October 4-5, the university opened a new chapter in its story by honoring longtime friends.
The opening and dedication of the Warren and Betty Wiersbe Library and Reading Room took place at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4. The special program was held in the Center for Biblical and Theological Studies. Members of the Wiersbe family were in attendance.
Dr. Thomas White, president of Cedarville University, gave remarks prior to the official opening of the Wiersbe Library. Dr. Rick Melson, vice president for advancement and Dr. Jason Lee, dean of the school of biblical and theological studies, also took part in the ceremony.
— Jason Lee
The library will house part of Warren Wiersbe’s personal collection of commentaries, nonfiction publications and works of literature. The Wiersbe library will be a permanent home for titles related to sermon preparation and biblical studies, while the rest of his collection will rotate on and off the shelves periodically.
The library is furnished with floor-to-ceiling wooden bookshelves, rolling ladders, tables and seating for up to 12 students. Many of the pastor’s books contain handwritten notes and sermon outlines — bits of wisdom that add even more value to this priceless collection.
Wiersbe, one of the foremost Bible teachers, pastors and authors of the 20th century, and his wife, Betty, gifted the collection of 13,000 to 14,000 books to Cedarville University in 2018.
White and Lee visited Wiersbe last September to thank him for his generous gift. They had the opportunity to talk with Wiersbe about ministry, see his personal sermon notes and explore his vast library with him.
Dr. Wiersbe passed away on May 2, 2019. Betty, his wife of nearly 66 years, joined him just six weeks later on June 15.
“Sometimes when you meet your heroes it’s a disappointment, but in this case it was just the opposite,” said Lee. “It was very impactful to see someone who had finished the race well. He was near the end of his life and had demonstrated his faithfulness as a preacher, a pastor, a husband and a father.
“Dr. Wiersbe was one of the influencers in my early days of ministry,” Lee continued. “His commentary works and published sermons are the very things that influenced me. He used these very books to write the books that had an impact on me.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,380 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its Master of Divinity program, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.