2013 Distinguished Alum
The Rev. Dr. Gordon D. Laman ‘59
Gordon Laman ‘59
The year 1947 was pivotal for 13-yearold Gordon Laman. He professed his faith in Christ at Unity Reformed Church in Muskegon, MI. That summer he heard a challenge from missionary John Piet at the newly opened Camp Geneva, and seeds of a call to mission work were planted in his mind and heart. In his mid-teens he met and began dating Evon, who came to share his passion for world mission. Gordon entered Hope College as a pre-seminary student, and Evon followed him to Hope the next year. They received encouragement to missions each year when mission secretary Ruth Ransom came to visit the campus. Gordon’s missionary goal was further impacted through Hope College classmate Ki Bum Han of Korea. Gordon invited him to share his tiny rented room, and soon his new roommate ignited an interest in East Asia. Gordon and Evon married in 1957 and departed for Japan in 1959. Surprisingly little hatred of Americans remained from World War II. Instead, the people blamed the nationalist Japanese military leaders who had brought such shame and destruction upon the nation. After
Japan’s surrender, there had been a short window of opportunity when people were eager to hear the gospel, but then the U.S. freed Japanese war criminals to create a conservative counterbalance to the encroachment of Communism. Many Japanese felt betrayed. Youth rioted in the streets, and things American —including the gospel brought by missionaries—went under a cloud of suspicion. All that could lift that cloud was the presence of people like the Lamans. Unassuming and quiet in nature, Gordon was well equipped to work in Japanese culture. He achieved great competence in both spoken and written Japanese. A servant’s heart toward the people he loved and served paired with scholarly perseverance made him an ideal messenger of the gospel. His gifts were highly respected in Japanese society, where there is little tradition of charismatic oratory or self-promotion. Missionary work, especially in a resistant field like Japan, is not easy to describe, much less to do. Day-to-day Gordon studied the difficult language, society and culture, he prepared sermons, tracts and lessons, and he built relationships with Japanese colleagues (which could be thorny at times). Understandably, while help from a foreigner was needed and welcomed, some resented it. In spite
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Gordon with his first four pastor colleagues in Saga, 1962.
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of this, Gordon’s patient persistence and faithful service to the church won respect and acceptance. Saga Prefecture was the
At a Glance Gordon D. Laman Missionary and Professor
b. Muskegon, MI 1/30/34 Married Evon Southland in 1957 Three children, Tim, Lisa, and Greg, and six grandchildren A.B. Hope College, 1956 B.D. Western Theological Seminary, 1959 Th.M. Western Theological Seminary, 1970 D.Min. Western Theological Seminary, 1983 D.D. Tokyo Union Theological Seminary, 2002 1959-2002 Missionary, Japan 1981-2002 Professor, Tokyo Union Theological Seminary Book: Pioneers to Partners: The Reformed Church in America and Christian Mission with the Japanese (Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America), 2013
Reg. $60 Available directly from Gordon for $40, contact him at 145 Columbia Ave #565, Holland, MI 49423 or 616.394.7144.
Evon and Gordon at language school, June 1960.
JUNE 2013