ERICKSEN: Another thing I...

BERG: Yeah.

ERICKSEN: ...was wondering about. During the time period that you were at the seminary [Latin American Biblical Seminary in Costa Rica] the Evangelism-in-Depth program was developing.

BERG: It sure was.

ERICKSEN: What kind of impact did that have on what you were doing at the seminary?

BERG: Okay. That's...very good. Yes, the first Evangelism-in-Depth campaign was in Managua in...in...in Nicaragua, the first part of 1960, I believe. 1960 I think was the year in Nicaragua. And then the next year was in Costa Rica. [clears throat] And...well, now we have to look at the dynamics of Evangelism-in-Depth and how Ken Strachan had...let's...let's put it this way: that we've had the same problems with Christ for the City [clears throat] in relationship to the rest of the mission and the various programs involved as Ken did selling Evangelism-in-Depth. And during (now this is just from...from within the institution, okay)...but, you know, from the very beginning of that thing, there was considerable direct and indirect opposition to Evangelism-in-Depth because it was getting most of the pages (most of the pages of the Evangelist were dedicated to Evangelism-in-Depth, like Christ for the City today). [clears throat] They were getting the lion's share of the development activities by the board and by the general directors. Furthermore, as far as the seminary is concerned, we were a bunch of superior idiots too, as far as that's concerned. We thought we were better than anybody else in the mission. First of all, we were really very close family, really working closely together, the faculty. But the same time other missionaries...so that's...that's another problem. But it also reflects...it also...you also see it as...as...as you...as you look at Evangelism-in-Depth and the seminary. And all the other people thought that we, those of us who were on the faculty of the seminary were [clears throat]...thought we were better than anybody else. I don't think that was true. But I'm...I know we gave that impression and that was bad. Well, when Juan Isais came to town and Evangelism-in-Depth, he didn't get all the full cooperation that he should have [laughs] probably from the seminary [laughs] for a number of reasons. Well, I was still young in the starting blocks there and so I was assigned. I had to be the coordinator [laughs] representing the seminary working with Juan Isais in Evangelism-in-Depth. Boy-oh-boy-oh-boy-oh-boy. Nobody wanted that job, so I got the dirty work.

ERICKSEN: One more committee.

BERG: Yeah. One more committee is for sure. Oh, my goodness. Well, we got it...we worked it out so that our students were really involved and it turned out positively. But it was rugged...it was rough times. And of course, dear old Juan. Now there's a guy you've got to interview. Juan Isais, absolutely essential. Somehow, some...some way we've got to do that. But Juan.... [clears throat] "Well, here we come!" A typical evangelistic outlook, you know. Evangelist's outlook, not evangelistic, evangelist's outlook. And "Here we are and this is what we're going to do. And we need to put a banner here across the...the quadrangle of the seminary. And we...you've got to do this. And now see you have two...two vehicles so we can use those over here to transport these people to bring them into our campus." "Wait a minute, Juan! Let's sit down and talk a while." And so that's where our friendship was really developed [laughs], I think, in the knocking our heads together. But it finally came off, worked out beautifully. And, you know, Evangelism-in-Depth was the greatest thing that could have happened to the Latin American Biblical Seminary, as far as that's concerned.

ERICKSEN: How so?

BERG: Well, it just gave opportunities for our kids to really do some real evangelistic work, you know, and...and...and in a whole country...countrywide setting. And they went back disciples of Evangelism-in-Depth. And so they were leaders in the various Evangelism-in-Depth campaigns and...and other evangelistic efforts too down through the years. So, you know, it was really wonderful, really...it was really great. But in the...you know, in the [pauses]...in the nuts and bolts, it was a little rough for a while there. [laughs]