Skip to main content

Collection 437 Oral History Interview with Dexter B. Gordon

 Collection
Identifier: CN 437

Scope and Contents

Oral history interview with Dexter B. Gordon in which he describes growing up in Jamaica, his family, social conditions on the island, the role of Sunday school, in his life and the community, his conversion, spiritual mentor Amy Lord, his participation in sports, his and his parents involvement in politics, love for oratory and preaching, Jamaican worship, work in Youth for Christ, evangelism among young people, his work as an air-traffic controller, the role and influence of the church and Rastafari movement in Jamaican society, the church's response to the 1988 Hurricane Gilbert, the strengths and weaknesses of the Jamaican church, theological training at Jamaican Theological Seminary, Youth for Christ's ministry in Jamaica, and his desire for culturally relevant outreach. The time period covered by the interviews is 1955-1990.

Dexter Gordon was interviewed by Robert Shuster on October 5 and October 25, 1990, at the Billy Graham Center Archives at Wheaton College.

Dates

  • Created: 1990

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical Information

Full Name: Dexter Barrington Gordon

Birth Date: June 22, 1955

Birth Place: Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine, Jamaica

Family:

Parents: Murrel and Eutedra Gordon

Siblings: Seventh of fourteen children

Marital Status: Married Joan (nee Fearon) in January 1977

Children: Donja-lee (b. 1979), Janelle (b. 1984), Le Var (b. 1986)

Conversion: In 1973 at age 18, through influences of childhood involvement in church and a Sunday school teacher, Mrs. Amy Lord

Education:

1973 Graduated from St. Jago High School, Jamaica

1980-1984 Jamaica Theological Seminary (graduated as valedictorian)

1990-1992 Wheaton College Graduate School - M.A. in Communications

Career:

1974-1975 Assistant to the Clerk of Courts in a Resident Magistrate's Court

1975-1985 Air traffic controller

1984-1985 Part-time assistant to his pastor

1984-1985 Part-time Director of Ministries with Jamaica Youth for Christ

1985-1990 National Executive Director for Jamaica Youth for Christ (YFC)

Extent

4 Audio Tapes

180 Minutes

Language of Materials

English

Accruals and Additions

The materials in this collection were given to the Billy Graham Center Archives by Dexter Gordon in October 1990.

Accession 90-110, 90-116

June 27, 1997

Paul A. Ericksen

M. Congdon

Title
Collection 437 Oral History Interview with Dexter B. Gordon
Author
Paul Ericksen
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Roman Script

Repository Details

Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

Contact:
501 College Avenue
Wheaton IL 60187 US
630-752-5910