Regent Alumni Tributes - Late Dr. Charles L. Holman (page 3)
I am truly thankful that I had Dr. Holman as a professor. He inspired me and challenged me to grow in ways I did not think were possible. I consider it a real privilege to have been taught by him. His teaching will make a long-lasting impact on my future ministry.
As a Regent student in the Master of Divinity program, I had Dr. Holman as a professor for six different courses. I had him for my first class and my last class. He later attended my wedding, my ordination, and financially supported my family monthly in ministry for the past dozen years. Dr. Holman has made an enormous impact on my life as a ministry leader, but more specifically as a student of the Bible. Dr. Charles Holman has profoundly influenced me to keenly notice and deeply care about the small things, the little details, the underlying facts of the Word of God and life challenges in general. I have come to realize that these lead to the big things, the macro view, and the overarching successes in life.
Dr. Holman was a gentle man with a great heart for God. He was a humble scholar who would help anyone at anytime. I was blessed to get to know him and serve with him at First Baptist Norfolk where I was on staff. There he faithfully taught God's Word and ministered to his Bible study class. I was also blessed to have him during my Doctor of Ministry experience at Regent. He will be greatly missed by his precious family, his colleagues, and many of us who called him friend. He was greatly loved because we could see the spirit of Christ in his life. May the Lord raise up more faithful scholars and leaders like Dr. Charles Holman. He made a difference for the Kingdom of God. He was a good and faithful servant of the Lord who is now in that great cloud of witnesses of Hebrews 12.
Dear Mrs. Holman,
Your husband was a brilliant man and I was so blessed to have had him as a professor. He taught me so very much and I have many precious memories of him. It may surprise you, however, that my most precious memory had nothing to do with his brilliance or with how carefully he handled God’s word. It had to do with you and how he looked at you, his wife. There was so much love in his eyes. You were his earthly world. Perhaps that’s why he loved the Lord the way he did. Father had given him the most wonderful of all earthly gifts, a wife he could adore.
I consider it a privilege to have been Dr. Holman's student. He inspired me to both search the scriptures to understand the truth, and to touch the heart of God. It was truly and honor to have known such a great man of God.
As a tribute to Dr. Holman, I would like to say that I will always consider myself very blessed that I was able to have him as a professor. What I learned in Principles of Bible Study I will take with me and use for the rest of my life. I not only admired him as a professor but as a gentleman.
Dr. Holman was such a joy. No matter what he gave me to do or how fast he wanted it, the twinkle in his eye and his spirit made me just say, "Sure, no problem." I'll never forget him telling me he thought he had finally graduated to 2nd grade in computers or the times I had to do a little computer tutoring. When I heard he had gone home, I could just imagine Jesus rejoicing over him with great singing. I loved watching him when he told a joke. I think he got more out of it than anyone. I count it one of the deep joys in my life to have had the opportunity to know him and work with him. Our prayers, thoughts and love are with Rose and the family.
I was so sorry to learn that Dr. Holman had passed away. He was such a kind man and I was really touched by his ministry. During my commissioning service Dr. Holman spoke a word over me that impacted my life in a very definite way. Since I graduated I have reflected on that word many times and it has been such an encouragement to me. He had no idea how significant it was to me or how accurate it was! I melted into tears as soon as he said it and knew that God had personally spoken to me through him. I know Dr. Holman is where we all want to be eventually and he is receiving his reward now, but we will miss him here!
As a student of Dr. Holman I was greatly impacted by his life and teaching. Most obvious about him was his sincere and gentle walk with the Lord. Dr. Holman was a teacher's teacher. He taught, but more importantly, he taught how to teach. I know I am just one of many who are saddened by the loss of our beloved friend and professor but also jubilant to know he is now with the One he loved so much and lived to serve. Dr. Holman.....your legacy goes on through so many students who you have trained and impacted.
Dr. Holman was one of my most favorite Professors while at Regent University (2002-2005). His quiet way of speaking made the students pay close attention. I have often thought that what I learned in Principles of Bible Studies would be used in Ministry throughout my life. Thank you, Dr. Holman, for giving me a set of useful techniques and tools that I now teach to others. Until we meet in Glory.
Dr. Holman had the true humility of the Lord. He had a gentle spirit. Please extend my condolences to his family and the Regent family.
I was one of 12 students in the first class in the School of Divinity (School of Biblical studies then). Dr. Holman was such a blessing with his keen mind and deep understanding of the subjects he taught. He taught us to be thorough in our scholarship and careful in our theology.
We soon learned to be well prepared and know what you were talking about before you spoke in class. If we were not, he had the skill of cutting the argument to shreds in love without the least damage to the person’s ego. I admired him for that because debates so often become personal rather that issue-centered. He demanded careful and thorough preparation and we learned well and respected him for it. In Dr. Holman’s classes you had to earn a grade, there were no give-aways or grade-inflation, and we respected him for his careful and fair grading. When I taught Old and New Testament Survey in the School of Divinity and later Business Core Values in the Business School, Dr. Holman was always a generous and wise resource for me. Charles Holman was a great saint, marked by wisdom and integrity. He will be greatly missed.
In the first class I had with him, I spoke with him a bit after the first session. What he said to me is etched in my mind. He said, "I look forward to studying WITH you this semester. With his many years of walking with the Lord and studying his word, all the wisdom God had given him, he was still studying and learning and growing. To me, that was powerful.
