As I have written in the past, I had a fairly “ordinary” upbringing, like many of you who read this magazine. I grew up in southwest Missouri, and for 19 years was a member of a very respectable “mainstream” church. My parents graduated from a college sponsored by this major church denomination. I was, for a year or two, president of my Sunday School class. I graduated from Joplin High School and was co-captain of the track team and the star mile runner for three consecutive years. I lettered in football, and was a two-time Golden Gloves boxing champion. I became a first lieutenant in my high school’s Reserve Officer Training Corps. Later, I attended Joplin Junior College, and was elected President of the Junior College Luncheon Club—an organization devoted to discussing civic affairs and world events.
