Because I write devotionals a couple of weeks in advance, events happen that require me to go backwards on the calendar. One of those events was the death of Dr. Don Sisk, President/General Director Emeritus of BIMI. Most recently, he had served as Missions Director for West Coast Baptist College. On Monday, July 6th, Dr. Sisk entered his eternal home.
Only eternity can record the number of lives Dr. Sisk touched. My memory of him is not of some religious stuffed shirt but of a man who loved God and loved people. He had a joyful attitude and a playful sense of humor. He exemplified and modeled what the Christian life should be.
For those who read the devotions online, you probably don’t realize that these devotionals are printed in hard form, two weeks’ worth at a time. In the next two weeks, there will appear another devotional focused on one of God’s choice servants. Today’s devotional is from Pastor Chappell of West Coast. It’s his tribute to Dr. Sisk. In preparation for what you will read, consider Romans 13:7.
“Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”
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It is with both deep sadness and profound gratitude that I share our dear friend, Dr. Don Sisk, went Home to be with the Lord today.
It is impossible to put into words what Dr. Sisk has meant to me. For thirty-five years, he has been one of my dearest friends, most trusted mentors, and greatest examples of Christian faithfulness I have ever known. For the past twenty-three years, it has been my privilege to be his pastor. Today, he is rejoicing in the presence of the Savior he loved, served, and proclaimed for a lifetime. And after nine years apart, he has been reunited with his beloved Virginia, following their sixty-five years of marriage.
I first met Dr. Sisk in 1991 at a pastors’ meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. It was not an especially enjoyable conference. The atmosphere had become centered on issues and controversies rather than on Christ, and before long I found myself sitting alone on the back row, wondering why I had even come. A few minutes later, a white-haired man with a warm smile sat down beside me, introduced himself as Don Sisk, and handed me a copy of his little book, Joyful Giving.
Over the years, Dr. Sisk and I often laughed about that meeting. Neither of us particularly enjoyed the conference, but we both eventually realized God had brought us there for one simple reason—to introduce us to one another. What began with a conversation on the back row grew into one of the greatest friendships of my life.
As I reflect on Dr. Sisk’s life, four qualities immediately come to mind.
Passion for the Lost
Everything about Dr. Sisk was bent toward reaching the lost with the gospel. From sharing the gospel through personal soulwinning to preaching in missions conferences, his great passion was for those who were without Christ, and especially those who had never heard the gospel.
As a pastor in Kentucky and Illinois, missionary in Japan, director of Baptist International Missions, Inc., and head of the missions department at West Coast Baptist College, his life was poured out as an offering to the Lord for the sake of the gospel. God used him to plant churches in Japan, challenge churches across America, encourage missionaries around the world, and inspire countless Christians to give and go. For many years, our students at West Coast Baptist College had the privilege of learning missions from someone who had not merely studied it but had lived it. His burden for souls was contagious. Today there are graduates from West Coast Baptist College serving in over fifty countries around the world, all of whom were taught and influenced under Don Sisk.
Even after moving to a care home in Ohio, he would often tell me about the people he was witnessing to there. Several months ago, Terrie and I visited him, and as we walked in, I saw him handing a gospel tract to another resident.
Only eternity will reveal how many people have come to Christ through his witness or his passionate preaching, urging others to both send and carry the gospel to the lost.
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Tomorrow, you will read the rest of this glowing tribute in honor of Dr. Sisk. For today, can we say that we have a passion for the lost people of this world? Do we even care about the lost people in our own families? May we pray that God would give us a love and passion for seeing sinners rescued.
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (22) And of some have compassion, making a difference: (23) And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (Jude 1:21-23)
*https://paulchappell.com/2026/07/06/well-done-remembering-dr-don-sisk/
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