World Renewal International

I will be preaching at the Hampton First Friends Church, Hampton, VA Sunday Morning @ 11 A.M. then Sunday evening through Wednesday @ 7pm. The church is located 1062 Big Bethel Rd. Hampton, V.A. 23666. Frank and Janet Penna will lead the worship and music for these services.

I will go from there to our Pastors Conference in Haiti. Please be in prayer for this conference. We will have 27 leaders. Leading the conference will be Pastor Wes Davis, Pastor Wayne Stephens, Haiti Field Director, Max Wright, Chris Reason and myself. The conference will be all week. Bill Ferrar of Fountains of Hope will speak in the early part of the week training the pastors how to maintain the water filters for their community. It is our hope to have a water filter at each church. There will be an encouragement to the pastors to minister to the people of their community as they come to draw water.

We will ordain two pastors as well. I will put their pictures here for you to pray for them and the other pastors and leaders from out 10 congregations. Top Picture is Recius Chalemong- Drouin Churfh and then Likenson Etienne- Botso Church

One of the most exciting things about the Asbury Revival was how it spread to other places. It was beyond expectations to see witnessing become such a powerful way to see churches and individuals totally changed by just telling what happened. It seemed at times the least likely to be effective instrument was the most effective. Invitations from other colleges and churches poured into the offices and to the student after the seven days of no classes and all-out revival at Asbury.

My friend Hal Phillips stopped me in the hall of the dorm and said, “Don’t you live near Anderson, Indiana?” He was helping to form a witness team to South Meridian Church of God and invited me to go. As we left the campus heading to Anderson it seemed that a growing boldness became a part of us.

[Pictured is one of the witness teams that I traveled with on a regular basis. James Aycock holds the guitar. He lead our worship and now pastors in his home state of Georgia. Behind him is Edwin Cain who was such a gifted preacher and orator. He pastors in Tacoma, Washington. Harold "Hal" Phillips is on the right. Hal's story "From the doors of the Orphanage" is a wonderful book describing God's rescue of his family from brokenness. His testimony was always a powerful part of our witness in churches. He and his wife Kathy are both pastors in Michigan.]

Readers, you must understand the culture was different. You seldom heard an athlete or well know person come out and talk about the importance of Jesus in their life. Today it seems we have everything just out there to hear, look at and examine. I don’t think I would be overstating that we were part of busting out telling folks of the joy of Jesus that was generational and wide sweeping. It was a day when many were speaking out, mostly in protest of government and the war. It was “in” for college students to be speaking out, but not about Jesus Christ.

We were so excited about Jesus. When we passed cars on the interstate as we headed to Indiana we would hold up signs that said, “Smile God Loves You.” When we stopped at gas stations we talked to everyone we could about Jesus. That may seem trivial or immature now; it was bold and and somewhat unpredicated then. Upon arrival, we scattered across the Anderson College campus dorms inviting everyone we saw. As we went we were even bolder. Everywhere we went we invited all we came in contact with to South Meridian Church of God for Sunday morning service saying, “Jesus Christ is going to be there!” “In person?” some would ask. “Yes, He will be there in person!” In the end, Jesus Christ was there “In Person” for 50 straight days and between estimated 5000-7000 people came to faith in Jesus Christ.

When Sunday morning came, the South Meridian auditorium was packed. There were seven of us from Asbury on the witness team. We did not know each other really. Jim Usher was a seminarian and knew Pastor Charles Tarr of South Meridian. Jim was the leader of our team. One of us, Chris Sanchez Davis , was our only singer. We eventually all gave a testimony in the morning service to what we had experienced at the Asbury revival and how it had affected us. Chris sang “Without Him.” She sang the chorus in Spanish, “Christo, Oh Christo.” Her song melted hearts. I think we invited folks to the altar three different times and each time there were more than we could pray with. Many did not need counsel as they prayed around the altar; God was meeting the needs as they came, at their seats. It was orderly, but not scripted. It was spontaneous but “on earth as it is in heaven” comes to mind.

They asked us to stay for the evening service, then a Monday night service. It was more of the same except we had really said all we knew to say in the morning service. We just tried to say no more no less than what we had on our heart and invite folks to the alar for prayer. Chrisy sang her song a couple more times. The power of God was so strong, people who tried to resist getting right with God found it difficult. It seemed the strength of God’s power was increasing. After the Monday night service , Pastor Tarr said we could go to back to Asbury, they would continue on without us. As I said before, they did continue on, 50 days straight. At times the South Meridian auditorium became too small. People were already standing around the walls of the auditorium and setting in open spots of the platform and in the emptied baptismal. They moved the services to Civic Center.

Everywhere, people would hold up three fingers, Pastor Tarr started it. He said it was a finger sign that missionary E. Stanley Jones used meaning “Jesus is Lord.” Marques downtown Anderson read, “Jesus is Lord! Attend Asbury Revival of Love.” The whole town and region went up in fire, not physical fire, Holy Ghost fire. It was a moment in time for those of us there unlike any other. God reigned. The focus was always the same, people getting rid of sin and receiving forgiveness. The focus was on Jesus, not gifts, some teaching, it was Jesus. It was like riding a wave that overcame everything in its way, a spiritual tsunami. It was so much bigger than man or woman but I think it was just a tiny piece of God.

In my self-centered world of despair, the Lord had mercy on me. It was Wednesday, February 4, 1970 of the 2nd day of the revival at Asbury College. I had stayed up all night in Hughs Auditorium experiencing the most exciting event I had ever been a part of. People were giving their testimonies, asking for prayer for themselves and others, singing praises to God at the top of their lungs. It was just awesome.

Prayers seemed to be answered quickly. In the land of Narnia, Aslan was on the move! We were on the move. We were all swept up in it. The floodgates of heaven were open! It was raining answered prayer as people were coming to Christ on that campus and wherever the witnesses of this God power-driven event could tell it. I am told that witnesses began to broadcast on the short-wave radio to missionaries that revival had broken out on the campus. As the message spread it was overheard by fishermen in the Pacific Ocean on their boats, some came to saving grace of Jesus Christ. It was on! It felt like we were living the pages of the New Testament. No one wanted to miss a report or miracle. It was riveting.

Finally, reluctantly, I headed to my dorm room for some sleep. It had been 24 hrs. I slept about 4 hrs., showered and hurried back to the auditorium. The Head Resident of my dorm was sharing his testimony as I found a seat on the right as I entered. He was not a college student but attended Asbury Seminary across the street.

He said something like this, “God has just done something wonderful for me, he has filled me with his Spirit.” He stated several things he already knew were new and rejoiced at God’s presence in His life. Well, I was glad for him, but it somewhat stole the joy for me.

I had heard all my life, because of my parents and family, the theology that a Christian needs to be “filled with the Spirit.” I think I understood my dad’s preaching on the subject. He said, basically, that after one accepts Christ we have the third person of the Trinity in our life. However, does He really have us? Acts 2 was recited and used to show that believers could have additional power in their lives if they would truly make Him Lord of their life and not just the Savior who forgave us of their sins. The struggle Paul describes in Romans 7 with the “Things I don’t want to do, I do and the things I want to do, I don’t do” are answered in Romans 8 with the Lordship making way for the power of the Spirit to give us strength. I knew this, this had never happened to me, and my daddy had something of God that I did not have when it came to the power and victory of Jesus Christ in my life.

I also was aware of the theological controversy of the Holy Spirit among serious Christ followers. Here was an area where many disagreed and went their various denominational or non-denominational ways. I was aware that some emphasized the spiritual gifts as a sign of this infilling. My daddy used to say, “Seek the giver, not the gifts, let Him take care of the giving.”

As I sat in chapel that Wednesday afternoon I sensed the Lord saying, “Wouldn’t you like to have that power of Me in your life?” “Oh, yes! I said, but not me Lord. It could not happen to me.“ I felt I was too much of a mess up.

I had been filling pulpits of country churches for preaching even before I got my driver’s license. It was like God turned on a video and I started seeing faces of people in the churches where I had preached. My desire was to be used of the Lord but I could not think of one person who had sought the Lord as a result of my preaching. “Wouldn’t you have like to have helped them?” I sensed Him saying. I really sensed Him leading me in that direction, but I thought, “Does this really exist? Is there something He can do to me? I’m a mess.” “If I go to the altar, everyone will think I am a backslidden preacher.” Funny, I had just gone to the altar to pray in front of everyone the day before because I was a backslidden preacher.

I decided I had nothing to lose but my pride. I got up and walked to the altar and knelt and said, “God, I do not know if anything of this "being filled with the Spirit" exists. I don’t know if you can make me different, but if anyone ever needed you to change them, it is me. But Lord, if this (meaning what my dad and others had preached and testified to) does not exist and I just need to try harder to please you and obey you, I will just keep trying.” It was not a great prayer of faith I suppose, but it was totally sincere. I told Him he could do anything He wanted to do with me. I felt such despair about my condition and awareness that I failed Him daily.

In my heart and spirit, I sensed that God had heard me and that He was sending something my way. I felt like a catcher who was waiting for the ball after the pitcher had thrown it. Suddenly, a shot of overwhelming joy and energy went through my inmost being. I jumped to me feet and shouted a yell of victory. I didn’t really mean to, it just came out. A senior from my dorm had knelt next to me to pray with me. He said, “Ought oh! We have a shouting Quaker!”

I felt like and overflowing fountain, such a mixture of joy, peace and strength. I hugged a few people and walked back to a middle aisle seat and sat down. As I walked I kept thinking that what I felt inside was familiar. “Where have I experienced this before?” And then it registered, “This new I felt inside of me was what I had felt around my dad all my life.” He just seemed to have something, a presence. And now, I knew it was in me! Me! Oh, anyone else could have such, but not me!” I wept openly for joy. I weep now as I type. I am so unworthy that He would put Himself in me, …. but he has.

As I sat there in my seat it was if I was a tank being filled with living water. I thought, "Oh, no, I am going to cause a commotion." I really am not sure what a commotion is but I was filling up with joy and it was about to come out. I headed for the door. As I made the front steps of Hughs Auditorium I let out a shout of joy, then another. I was bursting with joy. I ran down the steps and down the sidewalk. It was pure joyful energy and I was overflowing.

As I went, I met a lady on the faculty. I never liked her much, but she seemed fine now. “I said, “God just filled me with the Spirit!” She said, “Yes, I can tell.” I really did not know what to do with myself. I was just walking, praising God and letting out this energy of joy I felt in my heart. I walked down to the IGA grocery store and walked up and down the aisles of can goods. I do not know why I went there. I just kept shouting shots of victory. Whatever, I had, it was Him and I was His and He was mine.

I then headed back to my dorm room. I thought maybe I could settle down a bit. I just lay in bed and every once in a while the joyful energy would overflow and I would shout again. I cried and wept for joy, whatever this was, I knew I could not be the same again. I also knew it was not based on emotions, this came from something other than me.

I did not know that day, it would just get better. I did not know that from that from that day on when I stood before people He would be with me in a way that would change lives. No, the joyful, overwhelming energy is not felt like it was that day, but I wore a new brand. I was not mine, I was His. I love it!

I do not share this hoping someone may have the same or similar experience. If you don't believe it, that is between you and the Lord. I would rather you had a personal, unique experience between you and the Lord that convinced you that God can meet you deepest need and empower you to be all that God has planned for you to be. All I know is that I have never been the same, I am still understanding what He can do in and through me. I do know the less of me and the more of Him the better. We are still working on that. To you who read this I say, "Take what you need from my witness, leave what you don't" Blessings!

It had all started in the 10 A.M. Tuesday chapel February 3, 1970 in the little village of Wilmore, Kentucky just south of Lexington. I was standing in line to get into chapel that Tuesday and I overheard two guys in front of me talking. “Hey, did you hear about that prayer meeting last night? God told us that revival would break out in chapel today!” In my sarcasm I thought, “Yeah right, we have a prophet running around on campus!” The other guy said, “I heard Dean Reynolds has called for a “Testimony Chapel.” I thought this is going to be boring.

I was not at a good place emotionally, spiritually. I was a depressed freshman who did not have spiritual victory in my heart. I had not accomplished my dreams. I really desired to succeed in sports in high school and had not realized my dreams. I felt like a failure. I was severely depressed every day. I was in love with Carol. We had planned to go to Malone College together. At the last minute I had changed to Asbury because I knew that was where the Lord wanted me to go. Looking back, it is a miracle that I did not go to Malone just to be with Carol. I had visited her often during the first semester riding buses and hitch-hiking to see her. On one of those occasions I had proposed marriage to her and she had accepted. I missed her and that just added to the depression.
Asbury College was also very strict. It seemed full of rules and was much more confining than what I was used to. My parents had trusted me to behave and I don’t think I had disappointed them. I had decided to join Carol at Malone after my freshmen year.

I went up to my assigned seat in the chapel balcony. Sure enough it was a testimony chapel. Dean Reynolds who had been the scheduled speaker instead shared his experience with God. He then asked others to do the same. Students started getting up all over Hughs Auditorium and sharing their faith. It was interspersed with singing and prayer. It soon became apparent to me that the Lord was really there. I sensed His presence.

I also began to feel bad about myself. I knew I had wrong attitudes and actions. I was ready for this chapel to be over. I felt guilty and uncomfortable. It may have been the first time that year that I was eager to go to class. Dr. Hunter, the philosophy professor, made his way to the podium and said something like, “Now, before we go, I believe the Heavenly Father would want us to have an opportunity to pray. Let’s stand and sing and if you would like to come and pray at the altar you are welcome to do so.”

The altar in Hughs Auditorium is a long solid wood rail stretching the width of the room. It was a place for students and all to kneel and pray. Soon, the entire altar was completely lined with students. The bell had sounded for classes to begin, but no one seemed interested. There was a magnetism and pull to be in that auditorium and experience this unusual presence of the Lord.
Soon I found my way to that altar and told the Lord I was sorry for my failures and sin. I had prayed similar prayers so often it was embarrassing to me.

I then began to enjoy the awesome event that was taking place. Lines formed across the platform of students waiting to share their new-found joy in Christ. Students would ask all of us to pray for family members who needed Christ, then they would go call them on the phone and tell their family how Christ had met their need. Time and time again, the doors near the platform would open and a joyful student would rush to the microphone to report how those on the other end of the phone had received Christ. I had never seen or experienced anything like it. Long lines of confessors stood behind the podium and shared their stories. Theft, cheating, jealousy, and lying were just some of the sins being named. People were asking forgiveness of one another. This was often followed by hugs and joyful tears and laughter.

The auditorium was getting fuller as more people were filling the room. The noon hour came and went. Afternoon classes were dismissed. Across the nation college students were marching in protests. Here we were having church like none of us had ever had church before! This was a room full of joy and victory.

I couldn’t leave the Hughs. I was afraid I would miss something. I think that is the way most of the students felt. There was a presence of God in that room that was very Old Testament like. It was almost physical in impression. It lasted all night. I left in the evening just long enough to eat a quick bite of food and hurry back. It was too exciting to miss anything. The place was packed with people, it was midnight, but it was packed. I stayed the night not even wanting to leave for sleep. The hymn “To God be the glory” seemed to be the song of choice. I struggle to find the words and phrases to describe these seven days and nights.

The local television news reporter asked viewers to stop what they were doing and watch his report of the revival sweeping a college campus. Video showed the altar and students praying and testifying to Christ’s forgiveness in their lives. Viewers saw the students singing with raised hands of worship. Soon reports started coming in of other places experiencing revival. We knew we were being caught up in something of heaven and earth. Even then I thought, we will never be the same. It has been my experience that those of us who were on that campus at that time cannot separate ourselves from those moments and those changes in lives. We were witnesses to the presence of the Holy and the Almighty. I wish I had better words.

I have seen similar revivals to Asbury/Anderson in the past 40 years. In 1991, God sent a revival to the Bethel College campus in Mishawaka, Indiana. I had given testimony to the Asbury revival in a Friday morning chapel. The response was immediate as not only were students finding Christ as Savior, but confession of wrongs done and restitution were taking place. I knew it had happened again! When the students and faculty left Bethel campus that weekend the revival went with them! It quickly spread throughout the entire Missionary Church denomination. According to then Missionary Church President Dr. John Moran, the revival had a lasting change on the denomination that has lasted to this day. Bethel College certainly has never been the same. It has tripled in size as students who seek a deep relationship to Christ have recognized the spiritual depth on campus. Chapel services continue to be a place to experience God.

I remember sitting on the front row of Bethel Chapel, which was held in the college cafeteria, waiting to bring the last message of that “Spiritual Emphasis Week.” I was only being given 20 minutes to speak. I had a problem. I sensed God was asking me to share about the Asbury/Anderson Revival including my testimony of being filled with the Holy Spirit. How could I do that in 20 minutes? I prayed “Lord, you know me, I cannot say ‘Hello’ in 20 minutes, this seemed impossible.

As I sat on that front row next to my dear friends, Bob and Marilyn Ham, I also had an old spiritual sensation inside. It took me back 21 years to the Anderson Revival. I felt heaviness in my chest that I remembered feeling as I walked up the steps to the pulpit area on Sunday evening that first day of the Anderson Revival. It is hard to explain that feeling. I regard it as spiritual, yet it feels physical. God seems to have at times allowed me to sense the burden of sin in people’s lives. In its strongest form it seems at times to take your breath away. I thought to myself as I waited to preach, “God is going to do it again.” In the next 20 minutes, He did it again.

People started walking to the altar area of chapel that day before I could finish. They knelt and prayed and wept. Maybe as many as 50-70 people. Soon people were apologizing to each other over one of the microphones. I thought to myself, “This looks and feels real.”

This is how one Bethel writer described it,

The first eight services went well but the Spirit was not moving. Gary remembers being frustrated with the lack of response, the spiritual sleep of the students. Then Friday morning came and Gary felt that God called him to present his testimony and to share about the Asbury revival. Then, with an open invitation, God showed up.

Dr. Rod White-Stevens, a professor of chemistry at Bethel, sat near Dr. Dennis Engbrecht. When the service neared conclusion, Dr. Rod sensed that God was telling him that the service must not end. He scribbled a note to Dr. Engbrecht telling him not to stop chapel.

Each person who attended the Friday morning service remembers the huge response: people crying, lines to the microphone to confess sins and ask for forgiveness, praying, singing, joy, calling family and friends. Holtgren remembers: “As is often the case when God chooses to move in a mighty way, confession of sin was the catalyst. I remember students walking up to an open microphone, confessing their sin(s) and asking for God’s forgiveness and the community’s forgiveness. There was a genuine sense of remorse, and a determination to turn from sin and embrace holiness.” The service lasted for four hours. Classes were canceled for the rest of the day and a special worship service was planned for later that night, even though the regular Spiritual Emphasis services were finished.

It truly has proven to be real revival. I remember sensing the Lord speak to me. He said, “Your work is finished, do not say another word.” I saw an empty seat that someone had vacated on the back row of the chapel so, without saying another word, I walked off the pulpit area and sat in that seat. Again, I sensed the Lord speaking to me, “I said, you are done, leave now!” I got up and went to one of the campus leaders and explained that I needed to be on my way. I went to the room I had stayed in and packed my bags and left. I did not return until two years had gone by and Christine wanted to visit the campus.

Dr. Dennis Engbrecht sent me reports from time to time about the revival spreading throughout the students churches and wherever that went giving testimony. I must admit I was thrilled when Chris chose Bethel. During her visit as we walked the campus we would be introduced to faculty and students. “Gary was the speaker when the revival came,” they would say. I could tell few remembered me. I thought, “This truly was revival, they don’t remember the messenger. That so encouraged me.

Later my son David wanted to visit Bethel. Before the campus tour the admissions representative took us to a room to introduce us to Bethel. She began, “The center piece of Bethel College is that in 1991 God sent a great revival to this campus.” She explained that she had not been a student there but explained the far reaching spiritual changes. I sat there and listened to this history with tears rolling down my cheeks hoping she would not see or hear my emotional state. Carol reached over squeezing my hand. Later in the day the young lady came back to me and apologized for “not knowing who I was.” I said,” Hon, don’t apologize you just gave me one of the great experiences of my life.”

In true revival, I believe people are not so aware of the messengers, they think of God. This was true of the Anderson, Asbury and Bethel revivals.

It seems that God finds the college campus more fertile for such movements of the spirit in recent centuries in America. This I do know, those who experience it are not the same. True revival lasts at least for the generation that experiences it.

I have given my life’s work to renewal in the existing, older church. I have preached coast-to-coast, border-to-border in churches of all kinds of evangelical theological persuasions. I have known what revival looks and feels like. I occasionally sense revival in varying portions in the local church. But real spiritual renewal should turn the number of conversions into a growing normality in the church. It should last for a whole generation. It must last for at least one more generation. True revival that we evangelicals should seek should not dissipate in weeks and months. Is the intensity seen in new churches only for new churches or can it exist in the older church too? What is it in the newly planted church that makes it the best method of evangelism? What is it that happens to the church over the years that causes it to decline or plateau? Can the plateaued or declining church return to its early success?

I can never remember not wanting to be in ministry. I am sure as a child if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have told you that I wanted to be an evangelist. I know to some degree I got that from dad. Dad loved doing evangelistic work. He loved preaching revival services. These were situations where he was asked to be a guest speaker/preacher in churches that he did not normally attend. He would preach in a church from Sunday morning, evening then each night of the week, usually ending the second Sunday night. He was successful in stirring the passion of Christians to be more intentional about influencing their friends and family to become followers of Christ.
My ministry started in 1970 when as a freshmen at Asbury College, Wilmore, Kentucky; I witnessed and experienced, along with the others on that campus, a great revival that moved thousands to receive Christ. Many others, like me, made life changing commitments to God during those seven days and seven nights of spontaneous and continuous revival services. I along with many others experienced a presence of Christ that would be the rudder of direction in our lives. At our class reunions “the revival” is still what most claims as the most important ingredient of their college career.

In the weeks that followed the revival, I was also on a witness team from the college and seminary to South Meridian Church of God, Anderson, Indiana, near my home. God used our team to spark revival fires that not only swept that church, but also the Anderson University campus and the city. Some say as many as 5000-7000 made commitments to Christ during the 50 days of nightly services that out grew the South Meridian Church and moved into the civic auditorium. [The above picture is from the Anderson Hearld Bullitin 2/2010 on the anniversary of the Anderson Revival]
It was a fantastic period to live in. What followed in the weeks and months, and for me years, was amazing. Most of the places I gave a descriptive testimony of what happen to our campus, along with my own story, revival in a similar form or pattern, would take place. This was not just my experience, but almost all students; faculty or college staff was used in a similar way to spread the revival. It was highly contagious!
The conversions were genuine. Over the past 40 years I have met and talked to so many lives that were changed in those days. It was wonderful, and lasting. Many of us who were witnesses, at least in the first few months and years after the Asbury revival have had it shape our lives vocationally.

Down through the years as I have stood on stages and platforms throughout this country and world, and because of those revival experiences, I have felt I understood some of what God wanted to do in existing churches and Christian’s lives. I have seen what can happen when the presence of God comes just like those Mt. Sinai experiences in the Old Testament, or the Holy of Holies, and the book of Acts movements of the Spirit. I have seen God melt hard hearts in seconds during times of His felt presence during these revivals. It became, for others, and me, a measuring instrument, an awareness of what can be done by God in just moments! It became a powerful memory, a hope, even as the tide of revival seemed to dissipate over time. I can honestly say we see a similar number of people respond at the end of such services, but the commitments seem less convicting and lasting. It is also seemingly more in response to the way God uses men and women in ministry than the overwhelming presence of God that changes lives so quickly.

Dad and I were invited to hold a tent meeting in Anderson, Indiana in the early 70’s. It was held on the land of an old ministry school that was no longer functioning. Dad and I would take turns preaching and Carol and I did the music. It was a tough neighborhood. [pictured Dad and I]

One night a gang leader gave his life to Christ. The next night he came and brought his gang. He stood at the end of a row of chairs and pointed for them to set in the row. When the invitation was given, he stood and looked down the row at his gang, then pointed to the altar. One guy in the gang refused to go to the altar. So the gang leader put his arm in a hammer-lock and forced him to the altar. Obviously, this is not a recommended method of evangelistic persuasion if you desire true disciples of Christ.

It was interesting to pray with them at the altar in this forced type situation. Dad thought it was really funny. Several of the kids made serious commitments. The leader of the gang was quite serious about the Lord. Life is so interesting sometimes.

I was 5 years old when dad announced that I was going to memorize scripture. We lived in the parsonage at Oak Ridge Friends Church near Marian, IN. It is now Liberty Friends. The first verse I was asked to memorize was Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.” I do not know how long this lasted and what other verses I memorized but I remember this one. [Dad and I pictured]
It was at this church that I gave my first public testimony. Friend’s congregations had a culture that encouraged what they called a quiet time. This may have actually been a time of silent prayer and meditation; however the congregations I grew up in usually had times of testimony during these regular worship experiences. Again, I was 5 when I decided I wanted to give a testimony. I would set in church during these sessions trying to think of something to say and then not have the nerve to say anything.
Finally, I decided to do it. I thought it might help if I sat on the front pew. I hoped dad would have the traditional time for this activity. I had been trying to think of something to say. On the particular day I gave my first testimony I was thinking of paint. I had on many occasions accompanied my dad to the paint section in the lumber yard stores. I watched as they blended various colors of paint together. They would mix the colors together then put them on a “shaker”. To a child this machine was fascinating, but when finished the paint had blended together in one new fantastic color. My five year old brain was thinking how God had a way of blending our life experiences together and it all comes out in an awesome way. However, in my nervous first time testimony struggle I stood and said, “You have to be all shook up to be a Christian,” and then sat down. Poor dad, he did not know how to respond as he sat in the pulpit.
Unfortunately, I have been confusing audiences ever since with things that make sense to me but not communicating quite what I was thinking.
As I grew into ministry, my dad often had to deal with my faux pas. I remember as a high schooler I was asked on a regular basis to lead the singing in worship. One Sunday morning preached an awesome, passionate sermon that called for a commitment from the congregation. My job was to choose a song of invitation at the end of his message for the congregation to sing. It needed to be a song that challenged listeners to make a step forward in their relationship to Christ. I chose what I thought was an appropriate song. What I did not know was there were two songs in the hymnal of the same title. The song I led the congregation in was most inappropriate. First, no one knew it, second it was a march and not at all an invitation. I was devastated. I had ruined my dad’s Spirit-filled passionate sermon. I destroyed the moment. Many in the congregation found it hilarious. I begged dad for forgiveness. What was his attitude? “Hey, I know you did not mean to make that mistake, it is okay buddy!” I apologized profusely, if it bothered him, he never let me know. Dad was a wonderful mentor. I just wanted you to know these things.

Dad’s Prayer Life
Now for those of you who do not know what I am talking about when I say dad “shouted” while he was praying let me explain. My father usually prayed out loud. Often, this was at a louder volume than normal speaking. Dad seemed to have a goal in praying, and that was to “pray through” to “touch heaven.” That meant he would pray until he received some kind of witness of the Spirit in his heart that indicated victory. Often when that victory came it was like a spiritual shot of adrenalin hit his soul and he would let out a shout of joy. He often would shout several times in a row and that spiritual victory seemed to splash around onto the people in the room. I never knew my dad not to exhibit this behavior. He acted this way all my life. I am a little hesitant to share these things, as I do not want to have readers take dad’s prayer habits as cavalier. Dad’s prayer life was such a positive blessing to most folks who knew him or really loved the Lord. However, to those who did not desire the new birth or were not concerned with the Lordship of Christ, dad’s behavior could be a problem. [Dad and twin sister Jeanie- also a pastor]
If he did not get that spiritual victory during prayer he would pray to discern what he felt in his heart, who, what was God talking to him about? He would pray until he got some spiritual direction or focus in his heart about the object of prayer.
If you went to him and asked him to pray for you, he took you serious. “Now Lord,” I can hear him begin to pray. Most of us felt like dad had a spiritual “hot line” to the Lord. I will never forget when my older two children were talking to Carol and me about a crisis in our family and asked, “Does Papaw know about this?” It was both a question and statement. The statement was we want Papaw praying for us and if he is then we are in a better situation. That never offended me because in tough times I was wondering, “Does Papaw know about this?”
A truly defining moment for me was August 22, 1994, when dad passed away in Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. He had suffered a brainstem stroke during a heart bypass and had been in a coma for several days. My brother Mark and I were with him. All the monitors stopped recording life. I said to Mark, “He has stopped breathing.” Mark leaned forward and kissed dad on the forehead. As we turned to tell the rest of the family that Papaw just “slipped” into heaven as he would say, I reached for the curtain to exit the area of his bed. I thought, “Oh, Oh, my kids just have their mom and me to pray them through now.” It was and still is an overwhelming thought; I have tried to embrace it.
People who knew dad often say to me, “I sure liked to hear your dad pray.” I always give this truthful response, “Me too.”
The last years of my dad’s life were interesting in many ways. Without mom he seemed to lose all inhibitions in prayer for some reason. It was probably just the hours of solitude and grieving. He prayed so much out loud, when you rode with him in the car it was confusing. Was he talking to the Lord or to you? Often, I could not tell. While unsettling, at least to me, it was also wonderful. Jesus Christ was so real to him. If you knew him, this was all genuine and totally his relationship to Christ. There was nothing more real to him in his life than his relationship to Jesus. It was the very essence of who my dad was. I felt the presence of Jesus with him throughout my life. It was real. It is to be desired. When I read the stories of great men of God in the Bible as a boy, I never thought they had anything on my dad. Some things never change. I just wanted you to know, I hope I captured him in these words.