Lon Fendall
Barclay Press books by Fendall
For most of Lon Fendall's adult life, writing has been part of his work-- as a professor, a staff member for Senator Mark Hatfield, a staff member for World Vision, and as an administrator at several colleges. But it was through the encouragement of Jan Wood, a former colleague at Tabor College in Kansas, and now the director of Good News Associates that Lon came to understand that part of his calling was to write as a ministry, not just as part of his job.
While continuing his “day job” at George Fox University, Lon became a part-time Good News Associate and came to understand more and more about writing as a ministry. His first project was a book co-authored with Jean Thomas, director of Haiti Christian Development Fund. Jean’s wife, Joy, a graduate of George Fox University, was also active in telling Lon the stories that became At Home With the Poor, a narrative of twenty-five years of ministry in rural Haiti. A similar joint project with a Christian leader from another part of the world, David Niyonzima of Burundi, gave his perspective on the roots of ethnic conflict in Burundi and the pathway to reconciliation and healing from ethnic violence.
Two of Lon’s Barclay Press books drew on his ten years as a staff member for Senator Mark Hatfield. The first, Citizenship, a Christian Calling, spoke more generally about what it means to apply one’s faith to active citizenship and drew on a number of acquaintances active in politics. The second focused primarily on the political career and the spiritual values of Senator Hatfield, its title, Stand Alone or Come Home, a quote from Hatfield’s father, admonishing him to walk away from situations in which his friends wanted him to join in their questionable fun.
Lon’s other book was also a collaborative effort, Practicing Discernment Together, co-authored with Jan Wood and Bruce Bishop. Together they drew on their Quaker values to explore the discernment process in Christian groups determined to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as they make decisions.
The journey into understanding more about writing as a ministry has been helped by the excellent input, proofreading, design work, and distribution carried out by his partners at Barclay Press. Dan McCracken and his staff have meticulously guided him through the steps from idea to manuscript to finished product and in doing so have maintained an emphatic commitment to quality in the substance and appearance of the books.
His other partners in this writing ministry have been those who have invested time, attention, and money in their essential part of the ministry, looking over his shoulders, marveling with him at the work of God’s people.