One of the great creators of the last century was a man named R.G. LeTorneau, who invented and created many of the mammoth earthmoving machines that build our roads, raise our buildings and mine the depths of the earth. LeTorneau died on this day in 1969 and worked tirelessly over his life to dominate an industry and inspire thousands to greater engineering feats.
LeTorneau did not separate his faith from his work, seeing the creation of earthmoving mechanics as an extension of the play he enjoyed with the world God made. He flew endlessly to the corners of the world to inspire people of faith to work with their minds and hands to better the world, and even bought an old hospital in Longview, Texas to start a university, now called LeTorneau University, one of the most esteemed engineering schools in the country.
Toward the end of his life, LeTorneau used his knowledge to start colonization and land development to assist the poorest of the poor in Liberia and Peru.
LeTorneau taught us more than how to move the earth, but that if we plunge fully into the field that fascinates us, we can change the world in through the free and passionate pursuit of our interests, and reminds us that the glory of God is man fully alive.
I love that thought: the glory of God is man fully alive. There is no question that we are at our best when we co-mingle our life passion with our life’s work. Why is this so hard to get through our heads? Why don’t we instill this in our young kids?? Powerful thoughts – thanks!
As a former student at LeTourneau University, I appreciate the mention. He was a pretty amazing mind. I think my favorite LeTourneau anecdote is when he ran to Mexico one night with his underage girlfriend to get married against her parent’s wishes. They remained married for life.
Good.
I like this. Thank you.
Thanks for this post.
I did not know about LeTourneau. Very inspiring!
Thanks for sharing about his life. Definitely inspiring.
LeTourneau had an impact on my life without ever knowing it. He dontated land in the Finger Lakes of NY for a Christian camp. A Christian organization would utilize it for a week each summer. I attended camp there from 4th grade into my college years. Made some significant decisions regarding my life there, including a confirmation to enter ministry. Looking forward to heaven and thanking him personally for his ministry.
Joe,
May I share your story with others. It illustrates the unseen impact of our decisions and the power of a legacy.
Thanks for sharing.
Tom
The camp is now in its 77th year of ministry and still impacting many people for the glory of God.
[...] glory of God is man fully alive.” I see this quote lots of places (this week it was on Don Miller’s blog), and I love it. It resonates with me and I know it’s true. When I read it I want to [...]
The quote at the end inspired me this morning, so I wrote a blog entry about it! http://www.plumfieldlearning.com/fully-alive/
LeTourneau University is my alma mater, and I love R.G.’s story and legacy. I lived in the dorm named after his wife, Evelyn. Both of them were incredible, inspiring people. Thank you for sharing his wonderful story.
I went to LeTourneau University. Mr. LeTourneau was a great man and left quite the legacy and impacted many many people.
I just blogged about that quote two posts ago myself. Many people talk about being fully alive. Most of them assume they know what it means. Hardly any of them express it a way that makes sense to me.
https://bnwworship.wordpress.com/2011/05/24/fully-alive/
Thanks for pointing out an interesting example though.
I did some research about RG at the LeTourneau archives. He was a pioneer on some many levels. He was doing his work in Peru and Liberia years before the Peace Corp was established. He wanted ethical globalization. He knew his Christianity meant helping those in need. His story is absolutely amazing!
Any ways, he are some cool excerpts of the news letters he published at the technical school. It should help you get into the mind of RG
“The way to lower the price of potatoes and wheat, and all the rest of the eatables that a hungry country wants and can’t get, is to put these jungles into production at a lower cost.” (Now. Vol. V. No. 23. December 1st, 1953)
“…the sooner we tackle the problem from a long range development point of view instead of a short range or exploitation point of view, the sooner our world will become one world.” (Now. Vol. V No. 22, November, 1951)
Reminds me of Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
I just feel compelled to respond that I always knew he was special, but every once in a while I still need a reminder of the power & reach of one man really devoted to God. Amazing! Bless u all!
And although it was in a different America, R.G. (or ‘Pop’ as he was known later in life) never let the lack of formal schooling stand as a reason for not tackling a challenge. In fact, of his many admirable character qualities, it is his initiative coupled with the hard work he would weld to an idea that inspires me the most! R.G. is one of the special figures of the last century that few know well. I was honored to live in the house that he and Evelyn called home during my time at LETU…
The first and one of only a handful of books my husband has read is RG’s biography. It has had a major impact on his life, even now, 30 years after receiving it.
As a former student of LeTU, I thought I’d also mention something about RG… he gave away 90% of his income and lived on only 10% of it. An amazing man!
I don’t in any way question the goodness or legacy of this man. In fact, I’m happy to learn a bit about him, a name I’d never heard before.
I do question use of the word “colonization” as a positive accomplishment. Perhaps in his day and from his point of view, colonization of Peru and other poor countries was seen as “God’s work” however, in my mind, and in this day and age, colonization implies taking over a poor country for control and profit….not a good thing.
Thanks for posting this, Don. R.G. was my Uncle Bob. His wife, Evelyn, was my Grandfather’s sister. His story is inspiring and my family is blessed to be a part of his legacy. As a businessman, he made and lost and made again many fortunes, but he never considered money a thing to hold onto. He was known to give away up to 90% of his income and only live on 10%.
As a librarian at LeTourneau University, I’ve been spending this summer organizing and scanning the original manuscript of R.G.’s autobiography. I’ve been able to read through notes in the margins and all the pieces that would later be cut out. It’s done a lot to deepen my appreciation for his character and to sharpen the way I view the relationship between faith and our careers.
His book, “Mover of Men and Mountains”, was my introduction to the idea that my faith can be active in my everyday life and especially to in the areas where I have a passion or calling. Its been about 25 years since I read the book, (and have re-read it 5-10 times when I needed the encouragement). I believe that my relationship with God would not be anywhere near the adventure that it is without his example.
He was pretty amazing! (but, you spelled his name wrong through-out the post)
realllllllllly turns me on. have seen these monsters up close. touched them by hand- their dirt left behind on me.
and, this is a special present to me. my dad worked close to these. thank you for the mentionings.
So do you ever respond to the comments? Why did you write about this guy? Do you ever feel like you have to write? Is that ok? Do you think you still have the same vitality that you had when you started? How do you keep it going? To be that is being fully alive.
Donald,
Thank you for the excellent piece on R.G. LeTourneau. I work at LeTourneau University in Longview in our Center for Faith and Work where we teach our students to integrate their faith in the workplace and be the presence of Christ. We have 1300 students on campus. You must come and speak at LeTourneau. By the way, I was at Catalyst Dallas when you spoke recently. Awesome talk on Joseph from the Old Testament. Tim
What a fantastic story! Thanks Don!
Next time I pass through Longview, I’ll remember this post and know a little more about the university’s namesake which is a lot more than I knew before this post. I appreciate the tour of God’s grace and greatness I’ve experienced through this post and the comments of others.–Tom
Glory of God is Man fully Alive. One of my favorite quotes, and my mantra. Thanks for remembering Don, what a great soul.
My son went to LeTourneau in Longview and I agree, it is an amazing school indeed. I love the opportunities they provide for students to use their ingenuity on mission trips to help those around the world. I also can’t express deeply enough how I was, as a mother, profoundly affected by the leadership of Godly men and women who influenced my child. I wholeheartedly support R.G. LeTourneau and his vision – it is impacting students and people around the world.
My maiden name is LeTourneau and new a bit about LeTourneau University and R.G., but not much. Thanks for the new look into his life and legacy. I’m sure we’re related, I’m just not sure how.
In the 1940′s RG LeTourneau heard about a pioneering missionary working on the equator in Africa who was seeking to build a hydro-electric plant to support the work and bless the jungle villagers. RG donated all the material and had it shipped over. It remained there, powering the lower third of the country Gabon, for about 1/2 a century! Today, because of that investment, the Bongolo Hospital (www.bongolohospital.org), a progressive teaching hospital at the same site, enjoys free electricity and passes the blessing on to the community with low-cost care. I’m a LeTourneau Grad (Go YellowJackets!) who now works with the Bongolo Hospital as a pilot, developing the first dedicated medical air transport (www.gabonpilot.blogspot.com) with a talented writer for a wife (www.alacecatherine.blogspot.com). Don, you may remember us as the most attentive listeners in the crowd of 500 or so the last time you spoke at Messiah College (we happened to be on furlough from Africa). DId I mention that I ramble on if I’m not careful?
Timely.
My wife works with a tutoring program to encourage and prepare students in “the academic middle” of the student body so they can be better equipped for college life and life in general. Her group took a daytrip to LeTourneau a couple of weeks ago. And she came back with high praise for the school.
“The glory of God is man fully alive.” Brilliant! I’ll add that when the creation does what it was created to do, it implicitly glorifies its creator. I.e., When my Honda runs and runs without mechanical problems, that glorifies Honda.
So when human beings do what we were made to do, especially those God-honoring things unique to our individual personalities, we glorify Our Creator.
(Oh, and I live in East Texas, so thanks for the good word about LETU.)
Am so excited to tell us about a place where you can watch thousands of videos of anointed men/women of God, make friends with Christian believers worldwide, write/read inspirational blogs, forums and so much more….www.dbafu.com
Thank you for bringing the name R.G. LeTourneau back into the dialogue. R.G. was a founding member of a tremendous marketplace ministry called the Christian Business Mens Connection (CBMC). He was passionate about three things in life: his God, his wife and educating those who would come behind him and his generation.
This past April, CBMC established a Founder’s Award in honor of R.G. LeTournaeau. This inaugural honor went to Joe Cogeshall another CBMC legend, at the annual CBMC Leadership Conference in Chicago. You can learn more at cbmc.com under Good News.
We here at CBMC are supportive of what he lived for and what R.G. stood for, and applaud those at LeTourneau University who are working to ensure that the foundations he built his life on, live forever.
Blessings:
Phil Stone
CBMC
Director of Communications
pstone@cbmc.com
[...] The glory of God is man fully alive: Remembering R.G. LeTourneau [...]
As the Director of LeTourneau Christian Camp in NY I know the importance of LeTourneau and his beautiful histroy. May God continue to use his name as a way to reach people for the message of Christ.
I remember Mom and Pop LeTourneau very well. My life was changed at LeTourneau Tech during my stay there 1947-1949. I was a Yellow Jacket basketball player, and also chose the name for the yearbook though a different name is listed in the 1948 edition. I committed my life to Christ and missions while there. I was one of the original missionaries and first pilot for the Liberia expedition. I worked on the adaptation of the Motor
Vessel R G LeTourneau and was on a crew member on the maiden voyage to Liberia. I will always have much love and gratitude for Pop and Mom LeTourneau.