I heard the Voice… It was late at night back in 1957.  A voice of authority, but friendly, a voice of dogma, but compassion.  I was young, the voice was mature.  It bounced across the rooftops to small-town England from the distant towers of Radio Luxembourg.  It spoke of things that made me want to know more.

The voice was that of Herbert Armstrong that controversial, but gifted presenter of life changing ideas.

 
Little did I dream that some years later I would be in a management position working for his media organization both in England and America. As the years passed I had the opportunity to work directly with this man and to observe first hand how he was able to lead men.  Herbert Armstrong had the ability to surround himself with intelligent and talented people.  He was a master communicator who taught by example and through his 3 international colleges, turning many into master communicators themselves.

As a leader and director he was most definitely in charge at all times.  He delegated authority but if you stepped beyond what he considered your role, you would feel his anger, but then he was over it and when next he saw you it was not mentioned. As keeper of the flame he was able to inspire others to great things, both in and out of his organization.  He was always stating and restating the mission, which was as he saw it, to announce the good news of a wonderful world to come that would be ushered in by the return to this earth of The Savior.

I observed that he treated all people with the same respect.  If he were writing at his desk he would gather valued feedback from the janitor or the head of the publishing department.  It just depended on who was in his office at the time.  This trait would annoy some who saw themselves as the only ones worthy or capable of giving him qualified feedback on his ideas.
Because he was driven by his mission, he was always thinking and working.  It was his life, he was totally dedicated to the task at hand.  This sometimes had the effect of him asking where the staff was when he arrived in the office early or on public holidays asking why the office was empty when there was urgent work to do. In meetings he would take time to teach a principle about life or give directions as to why he thought we were going in the wrong way.  I learned, along with many others things, that focus and dedication to the task at hand is a key to success; not always easy for many of us, but worthy of much effort. Herbert Armstrong never thought of himself as a great administrator but time has proven that he was a much better one than he and others thought he was.

For some, commentary on his life centers not on doctrine or his radical ideas, but that he made us look at old things in new ways. A controversial figure yes, but let history give him credit for his vision, physical energy, and great effort that put together a worldwide organization, which now exists as a vehicle for the gospel of Grace.