The Diary of an Unworthy Servant

About the Book

Three polar phrases characterize this little book. The first is conflict. From the outset Wayne Detzler has walked a tightrope between religious factions. At first it was his Catholic family ostracizing their upstart Baptist boy. In Germany it was the Catholics versus the Protestants, back to the Thirty Years War. Back in America the author fell victim to a dominant gaggle of right-wing religious powerbrokers. Only after officially retiring did he find peace in a thriving Methodist Church.

Second, there is comedy in this book. As a toddler Wayne fought turf battles with Mickey, the Monster Cat. Later, he took a turn as a telephone man, climbing poles, crawling under houses, and generally making a menace to the communication industry. In Germany his antics puzzled and mesmerized students, while he tried to teach serious stuff. After moving to England he became a religious jet-setter, traveling half the days in the year. Unfortunately, sometimes he ended up in Copenhagen, while his bags had a holiday on the Riviera. Add to this the running tension between Wayne and Margaret. She is an ardent "minimalizer" (nothing is as serious as it seems), while Wayne is a "maximalizer" (every stop light is a crisis). There's plenty of humor to go around in this book.

Third, there is also commitment. For a start, fifty years of marriage have stretched and twisted Wayne and Margaret's commitment to each other, to their children and grandchildren. They've had to learn that love does not equal obsession or possession of another person. Commitment has an open hand. The same is true of their commitment to God. For almost a half century they have served God and others around the world. Commitment is the bedrock of their lifestyle, and the amazing thing is, they enjoy it. Better yet, they've survived it.

About the Author

Born is the bustling industrial town of Pontiac, Michigan, Wayne escaped when he left high school. College took him to the Chicago area, and immediately afterwards he and his new wife and daughter headed for Europe. For more than two decades the Detzlers lived and worked in Europe. In fact, their son, Mark, was born in Europe, and he still makes his home there. Detzler is a professor, holding a Ph.D from the University of Manchester in England. Also, he is a preacher, having preached in everything from a German "Gasthaus" to a prestigious Anglican Seminary. Detzler is also an author, having written several books about the Greek Scriptures, a handful of historical articles and books, and a brief history of Southern Gospel Music. Margaret and Wayne make their home in Charlotte, North Carolina.