Lyle Schaller

Lyle E. Schaller, an author and consultant who was widely cited as the most influential Protestant church leader of his era, died on March 18th in Oklahoma City at the age of 91. Medical staff said the cause of death was heart failure. He had been in declining health for several years. During a career that spanned half a century, Rev. Schaller conducted consultations with some 6, 000 churches, wrote 55 books, and edited or co-authored about 40 more. In 1988-89, Hartford Seminary asked Protestant church leaders to name the "most influential" writers or activists. Rev. Schaller was named most often, and his was the only name frequently given by both theological liberals and conservatives. His influence continued to grow through his monthly newsletter, "The Parish Paper," his books, and more than 500 magazine articles and columns. He wrote in a highly accessible style often centered on stories adapted from real-life churches, pastors and lay people, filled with both practical advice and deep insight. His prolific output continued into his eighties, with his wife, Agnes, as his constant partner. He never used a computer, and wrote in longhand; she interpreted handwriting that no one else could read, offered advice, typed the manuscripts, and handled his correspondence in addition to meeting the needs of six children and doing volunteer work. He took a particular interest in the phenomenon of mega-churches as they grew in influence, with as many as 5, 000 members, but never let that diminish his support for small churches, which were the focus of several of his books. He did not let enthusiasm get in the way of honesty, however. More than once when a church with dwindling membership asked him for a consultation he appraised their situation, gave them his best advice, and then added, "But you should really have done that twenty years ago." Church planning was not the only topic of Rev. Schaller's workshops. He also discussed his colon. While others came in suit and tie, Rev. Schaller routinely showed up wearing a t-shirt. His favorite displayed a colon; this was an opening to explain that a colonoscopy had detected his colon cancer and saved his life, and to encourage others to have the procedure. At least once, he was told later, this prodding had saved someone's life. Another favorite t-shirt said on the front "Question Authority." After pondering that, participants got to see the back of the shirt when break time came. It said: "And when authority answers, listen." Rev. Schaller's books were published by Abingdon Press and he had a long relationship, both personal and professional, with Abingdon's president and publisher, Neil Alexander. In recalling Rev. Schaller's work, Alexander noted that he "did it all with an enormous twinkle of good will in his eye, a deep love of God and neighbor in his heart and a keen and inquisitive mind. We rejoice that he walked with us with such loyalty and competence and will miss him dearly." Lyle Edwin Schaller was born April 19, 1923, on a family dairy farm in Lime Ridge, Wisconsin, the younger of two children. Under family tradition his older brother inherited the farm; the second son was expected to get a profession. But before he did so, World War II intervened. He trained as an aerial photographer during the war and was stationed in Nashville, Tenn. for a time. "They were saving us for the expected invasion of Japan," he recalled many decades later. In 1945 he met a Vanderbilt student named Agnes Woods Peterson at a Fourth of July picnic in the Nashville's Centennial Park. He mailed a photograph of three young women to his mother in Wisconsin and said, "This is who I'm going to marry." Although he omitted to say which of the young women he was referring to, he often recalled proudly that his mother knew with certainty which it was. His interest in photography continued, and dovetailed with his interest in planning. To churches that hired him for consultations, as well as many friends, he often presented an aerial photograph of their neighborhood. After the war Rev. Schaller attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison and received a BA in 1948, and later earned three Master of Science degrees, including an MS in City Planning. In 1957 he graduated from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill.; he was honoured by its successor, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, as 1990's Distinguished Alum. From 1955-1958 he was a pastor, serving a circuit of three rural Wisconsin churches while also attending seminary. He then became the Budget Officer for the city of Madison under Mayor Ivan Nestingen. When Nestingen later took a position in the new Kennedy administration he urged Schaller to run for mayor, but Schaller declined: "My opinion was that anyone who didn't drink beer could not be elected mayor of Madison." Instead, he was the first director of the Regional Church Planning Office in Cleveland, Ohio. That was followed by three years at Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, Ill., after which he focused full-time on writing, consulting, and leading workshops through an association with the Yokefellow Institute in Richmond, Ind. Following retirement, he and his wife moved to Oklahoma City where their daughter Elia was a long-time resident. In addition to his wife he is survived by his sons Walter (Lubbock, Texas), Sasha Alyson (Luang Prabang, Laos); Bruce (Brooklyn); and David (St. Paul, Minn.); his daughters Rebecca and Elia Woods (both of Oklahoma City); and five grandchildren. His daughter Becky, speaking for the family, said "his family will remember him for his generous spirit, pioneering career, and deadpan humor." Highlights from Rev. Schaller's 55 books appear in "The Wisdom of Lyle E. Schaller: The Elder Statesman of Church Leadership" by Warren Bird, published by Abingdon in 2012. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the Laos Literacy Project, co-founded by Lyle and Agnes' son, which brings books and a love of reading to children in Laos.