May 1973
When Storekeeper school was nearing the end a list of places needing personel was put up on the board. People with the best grades got the best choice of stations. I was 6th in a class of 26, so I should have had a great choice, but I was on loan from the SW district. In other words, I had no choice in the matter, I was to go to wherever my district decided, and they decided that a ship in Charleston SC needed a Storekeeper. That ship was the US PawPaw which I told you about in an older blog.
The PawPaw was the worst ship known to humanity with all time low morale when I learned about it in 1971. However, I didn't know that the Coast Guard was trying to straighten it out and make it better. It was still a far cry from anywhere I wanted to be.
I had a month before I had to report on duty so I drove to Jacksonville, FL and stayed with Ray who was not working at the time and living at home with his mother who at 50 years old was already going senile.
During this month I met my 2nd fiance Dru.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Dru
June 1973
I met Dru at Southside Assembly of God's Wednesday night Bible Study. When I first saw her I thought she was a very nice looking girl, but I didn't ask her out or even persue her for one reason - I didn't think she was that spiritual. No kidding, that was the reason. Otherwise she was great in every way.
During the month I stayed with Ray in Jacksonville, Dru hung out with us a lot. It seemed that everywhere Ray and I went Dru was there. Then to top it off, even when I went places by myself she was there. She wasn't stalking me, because oftentimes they were chance encounters - in fact, so many chance encounters that I began to wonder if it was meant to be - and I loved being with her.
It turns out Dru liked me but thought I was shy and thus didn't make any moves. But one day after about 4 weeks of seeing Dru it hit me like a ton of bricks and I got convicted.
Conviction is that uneasy feeling like you did or are doing something wrong. It is much like guilt, but guilt gnaws away at you without any solution. Conviction gnaws away but provides solutions that make you better. When the solution is put into place, conviction goes away.
I got convicted big time! I was being judgmental. It was the best conviction I ever got. I accepted it with open arms as I accepted Dru with open arms and began a two year relationship that turned into engagement.
However, after 2 years our relationship simply stalled and we broke up remaining very good friends. Years later, I heard that Dru married a local television newscaster, and I met Kim, got married and had 2 kids - both girls.
By the way, if you look at other Christians and think they aren't as spiritual or aren't as good a Christian as you are, do yourself a favor... knock it off.
I met Dru at Southside Assembly of God's Wednesday night Bible Study. When I first saw her I thought she was a very nice looking girl, but I didn't ask her out or even persue her for one reason - I didn't think she was that spiritual. No kidding, that was the reason. Otherwise she was great in every way.
During the month I stayed with Ray in Jacksonville, Dru hung out with us a lot. It seemed that everywhere Ray and I went Dru was there. Then to top it off, even when I went places by myself she was there. She wasn't stalking me, because oftentimes they were chance encounters - in fact, so many chance encounters that I began to wonder if it was meant to be - and I loved being with her.
It turns out Dru liked me but thought I was shy and thus didn't make any moves. But one day after about 4 weeks of seeing Dru it hit me like a ton of bricks and I got convicted.
Conviction is that uneasy feeling like you did or are doing something wrong. It is much like guilt, but guilt gnaws away at you without any solution. Conviction gnaws away but provides solutions that make you better. When the solution is put into place, conviction goes away.
I got convicted big time! I was being judgmental. It was the best conviction I ever got. I accepted it with open arms as I accepted Dru with open arms and began a two year relationship that turned into engagement.
However, after 2 years our relationship simply stalled and we broke up remaining very good friends. Years later, I heard that Dru married a local television newscaster, and I met Kim, got married and had 2 kids - both girls.
By the way, if you look at other Christians and think they aren't as spiritual or aren't as good a Christian as you are, do yourself a favor... knock it off.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Another Prophecy
June 1973
I was at South Side Assembly of God in one of the back rooms with some other Christians when this girl told me she had a message from God for me. I pretty much remember that she said God was going to teach me His Word (the Bible) and .... I don't remember the rest, maybe she told me I was going to be a great prophet or something. She may have said I was going to be a pastor...in which case, Wow! She was right on the spot! But then maybe she said I was going to be a circus clown. The heck if I remember.
I was just thinking during the whole time, "Oh no, here we go again," but it wasn't extreme like the first prophecy I got. In other words, she didn't say anything that was too outrageous. I was even drawn to what she was saying about God teaching me His Word and hoping that it was true. I really wanted to know a lot more about the Bible, there was so much of God's Word that seemed so foreign to me and I wanted to know so much.
In the end, I basically decided that if the prophecy were really from God, the message would come true. If it wasn't from God there was no loss. I took that position from then on. If I felt like God spoke to me in any way, whether through dream, word, prophecy, a feeling or whatever, if it's God speaking, then it will happen like He says. But if not, I don't need to sweat it out.
Its done me good in life.
By the way, the part of the prophecy about learning the Word of God was true. I have been a professor for 4 different Evangelical Universities.
I was at South Side Assembly of God in one of the back rooms with some other Christians when this girl told me she had a message from God for me. I pretty much remember that she said God was going to teach me His Word (the Bible) and .... I don't remember the rest, maybe she told me I was going to be a great prophet or something. She may have said I was going to be a pastor...in which case, Wow! She was right on the spot! But then maybe she said I was going to be a circus clown. The heck if I remember.
I was just thinking during the whole time, "Oh no, here we go again," but it wasn't extreme like the first prophecy I got. In other words, she didn't say anything that was too outrageous. I was even drawn to what she was saying about God teaching me His Word and hoping that it was true. I really wanted to know a lot more about the Bible, there was so much of God's Word that seemed so foreign to me and I wanted to know so much.
In the end, I basically decided that if the prophecy were really from God, the message would come true. If it wasn't from God there was no loss. I took that position from then on. If I felt like God spoke to me in any way, whether through dream, word, prophecy, a feeling or whatever, if it's God speaking, then it will happen like He says. But if not, I don't need to sweat it out.
Its done me good in life.
By the way, the part of the prophecy about learning the Word of God was true. I have been a professor for 4 different Evangelical Universities.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Love Lines
JUNE 1973
From time to time I would stay over at Ray's house for a day or two, just to hang around. On two occasions one of Ray's other friends also came over for the night. His friend was in charge of taking local calls for a national program called Love Lines, so for those two nights he transferred Love Lines to Ray's house.
Love Lines was a national program that featured Rock and Roll music with an anouncer who would preach the gospel and invite people to call in. Everybody calling in from Jacksonville would actually call into Ray's house on the 2 nights Ray's friend hooked up his phones at Ray's house. In other words, people would hear a program originating in New York, but when they called in from Jacksonville, they called into Ray's house.
The three of us took turns answering calls. When it was Ray's turn he got a call from a woman on the verge of divorce. Telling Ray about one problem after another about her relationship, Ray interupted her and asked her point blank, "How are you doing with the Lord?" After some thought she told Ray she wasn't doing too well so Ray focused on that for the rest of the conversation and led her to the Lord that night.
One year later, the second night we had the Love Line phones at Ray's house, when it was Ray's turn to take the phone, he got a call from the same lady he talked to a year previously. She called for the first time since she talked to Ray a year ago just to say she was thankful that since she gave her life to Christ, her life had turned around and her marriage was doing great.
From time to time I would stay over at Ray's house for a day or two, just to hang around. On two occasions one of Ray's other friends also came over for the night. His friend was in charge of taking local calls for a national program called Love Lines, so for those two nights he transferred Love Lines to Ray's house.
Love Lines was a national program that featured Rock and Roll music with an anouncer who would preach the gospel and invite people to call in. Everybody calling in from Jacksonville would actually call into Ray's house on the 2 nights Ray's friend hooked up his phones at Ray's house. In other words, people would hear a program originating in New York, but when they called in from Jacksonville, they called into Ray's house.
The three of us took turns answering calls. When it was Ray's turn he got a call from a woman on the verge of divorce. Telling Ray about one problem after another about her relationship, Ray interupted her and asked her point blank, "How are you doing with the Lord?" After some thought she told Ray she wasn't doing too well so Ray focused on that for the rest of the conversation and led her to the Lord that night.
One year later, the second night we had the Love Line phones at Ray's house, when it was Ray's turn to take the phone, he got a call from the same lady he talked to a year previously. She called for the first time since she talked to Ray a year ago just to say she was thankful that since she gave her life to Christ, her life had turned around and her marriage was doing great.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Charleston, SC
July 1973
I moved to Charleston having resigned myself to the fact that I was going to the worst place/ship I could think of. I was no longer depressed about it, but I did feel like had to go and I had to deal with it as best I could. Charleston was a 4 hour drive from Jacksonville which was the center of my universe that included the church I loved, my new girl friend and most of my good friends including Ray.
I spent many weekends driving back and forth between Charleston and Jacksonville finding different adventures not only on the ship but on the drive to and from Jacksonville.
The weekends I did stay in Charleston I went to the largest Pentecostal Church of God in the U.S. It was several hundred people who attended, most of whom were under the age of 12. The Pastor and his wife were from South Africa and very nice people, but the church offered no other fellowship from people my age.
I moved to Charleston having resigned myself to the fact that I was going to the worst place/ship I could think of. I was no longer depressed about it, but I did feel like had to go and I had to deal with it as best I could. Charleston was a 4 hour drive from Jacksonville which was the center of my universe that included the church I loved, my new girl friend and most of my good friends including Ray.
I spent many weekends driving back and forth between Charleston and Jacksonville finding different adventures not only on the ship but on the drive to and from Jacksonville.
The weekends I did stay in Charleston I went to the largest Pentecostal Church of God in the U.S. It was several hundred people who attended, most of whom were under the age of 12. The Pastor and his wife were from South Africa and very nice people, but the church offered no other fellowship from people my age.
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Guy at the Picnic Table Somewhere in GA
August 1973
The Setting:
- Sunday afternoon after church in Jacksonville, after saying goodbye to my girlfriend Dru.
- Somewhere along HWY 95 in Georgia driving to Charleston.
- Stopping at 7-11 to get a Coke to wake me up on a tiring drive.
- Man sitting alone at a picnic table on the side of the parking lot.
- I am walking to the store from my car and see him at the table.
- I am struggling inside.
"Should I talk to him? I don't really think I should; I should ask him if he would like to hear about Jesus. That would be stupid. O.K. I'll talk to him, but I am not going to ask him if he would like to hear about Jesus. Not that, anything else. That is so..."
"Excuse me sir, would you like to hear about Jesus?" I couldn't think of anything else to say and I felt so embarrassed by what was coming out of my mouth.
The man looked up, "Right now there's nothing else I'd rather hear about!" I couldn't believe what I heard; I told him, "Just a minute, I'll be right back," then went to my car, got my Bible, went to the picnic table and sat down with my Bible across from the man who wanted to hear about Jesus.
His brother was a Pentecostal Christian who died 2 weeks ago. He had been drinking non-stop since then. We prayed, he gave his life to Christ and I told him something I never told anybody or dared to tell anybody since. He worked at the liquor store across the street from the 7/11, so I told him he should trust the Lord and get another job. I was simply thinking that with a possible drinking problem, it may not be good for him as a new Christian to work at a liquor store. He agreed and talked to me about a place he could move to.
2 weeks later I stopped at the liquor store to visit him and was told, "He left two weeks ago, we don't know where he went."
The Setting:
- Sunday afternoon after church in Jacksonville, after saying goodbye to my girlfriend Dru.
- Somewhere along HWY 95 in Georgia driving to Charleston.
- Stopping at 7-11 to get a Coke to wake me up on a tiring drive.
- Man sitting alone at a picnic table on the side of the parking lot.
- I am walking to the store from my car and see him at the table.
- I am struggling inside.
"Should I talk to him? I don't really think I should; I should ask him if he would like to hear about Jesus. That would be stupid. O.K. I'll talk to him, but I am not going to ask him if he would like to hear about Jesus. Not that, anything else. That is so..."
"Excuse me sir, would you like to hear about Jesus?" I couldn't think of anything else to say and I felt so embarrassed by what was coming out of my mouth.
The man looked up, "Right now there's nothing else I'd rather hear about!" I couldn't believe what I heard; I told him, "Just a minute, I'll be right back," then went to my car, got my Bible, went to the picnic table and sat down with my Bible across from the man who wanted to hear about Jesus.
His brother was a Pentecostal Christian who died 2 weeks ago. He had been drinking non-stop since then. We prayed, he gave his life to Christ and I told him something I never told anybody or dared to tell anybody since. He worked at the liquor store across the street from the 7/11, so I told him he should trust the Lord and get another job. I was simply thinking that with a possible drinking problem, it may not be good for him as a new Christian to work at a liquor store. He agreed and talked to me about a place he could move to.
2 weeks later I stopped at the liquor store to visit him and was told, "He left two weeks ago, we don't know where he went."
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Between 2 Churches
SOMEWHERE IN TIME
I got a call from one of my brothers. Evidently some people (besides me) had been trying to convince them to try out an Assemblies of God church that was growing strong in Milwaukee and evidently they were thinking about it until they ran into a certain situation.
Their friend, who was a girl their age, was in a hospital bed recovering from something or another. Two groups of Christians came to visit her. The first group, from the AG church, prayed with her for healing and when she got none on the spot they told her she was lacking faith.
After they left, she cried.
The next group, from Elmbrook Church came shortly after. They prayed with her; some prayed that she would be healed but when no healing came they were o.k. with that because for reasons we don't understand God doesn't always heal. They talked with her and comforted her.
When they left, she was comforted.
Based on this my brothers decided not to pursue the Pentecostal (Assemblies of God) experience. Even as a Pentecostal I had to admit they made the right decision... because out of faith, hope and love, love is the most important.
I got a call from one of my brothers. Evidently some people (besides me) had been trying to convince them to try out an Assemblies of God church that was growing strong in Milwaukee and evidently they were thinking about it until they ran into a certain situation.
Their friend, who was a girl their age, was in a hospital bed recovering from something or another. Two groups of Christians came to visit her. The first group, from the AG church, prayed with her for healing and when she got none on the spot they told her she was lacking faith.
After they left, she cried.
The next group, from Elmbrook Church came shortly after. They prayed with her; some prayed that she would be healed but when no healing came they were o.k. with that because for reasons we don't understand God doesn't always heal. They talked with her and comforted her.
When they left, she was comforted.
Based on this my brothers decided not to pursue the Pentecostal (Assemblies of God) experience. Even as a Pentecostal I had to admit they made the right decision... because out of faith, hope and love, love is the most important.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Danny
AUGUST 1973
I met Danny on the U.S. Pawpaw - the ship I never wanted to be on. I talked to him about Christ and he gave his life to Christ.
I was very good at evangelism, but like Brian who led me to Christ, I wasn't the best with helping people in discipleship. There were two reasons I was not good at follow up:
1. Most of the people I led to Christ were hitchhikers, people I met on beaches and parks or in front of bars. I never saw them after I prayed with them.
2. I was never taught how to disciple others. Nobody discipled me when I became a Christian - so I put everybody in God's hands just like I was put in God's hands.
With Danny things were a little different. I lived on the same ship with him for four months so I got to help him grow, besides, he came to me regularly with questions.
The day I led him to Christ I prayed with him to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. I did that with everybody I led to Christ but nothing ever happened when I was with the others. Right after they prayed to receive Christ, I told them that they should pray to be baptised with the H.S. and I would pray with them to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I also told them that they might pray in an unknown language and not to be afraid of it, but no one ever did. I didn't worry about it either, because people don't always "feel" some powerful experience when they become Christian or feel like they receive a fuller experience - I never felt anything when I started my life of faith.
The day after I prayed with Danny, he came to me quite concerned because he didn't know what to make of an experience he had during the night. In the middle of the night he woke up with his arms in the air and he was praying in another language. I had never told him about the Pentecostal practice of lifting up hands to worship, but I did tell him about tongues the day before. I let him know that it was o.k. and what happened was good.
I met Danny on the U.S. Pawpaw - the ship I never wanted to be on. I talked to him about Christ and he gave his life to Christ.
I was very good at evangelism, but like Brian who led me to Christ, I wasn't the best with helping people in discipleship. There were two reasons I was not good at follow up:
1. Most of the people I led to Christ were hitchhikers, people I met on beaches and parks or in front of bars. I never saw them after I prayed with them.
2. I was never taught how to disciple others. Nobody discipled me when I became a Christian - so I put everybody in God's hands just like I was put in God's hands.
With Danny things were a little different. I lived on the same ship with him for four months so I got to help him grow, besides, he came to me regularly with questions.
The day I led him to Christ I prayed with him to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. I did that with everybody I led to Christ but nothing ever happened when I was with the others. Right after they prayed to receive Christ, I told them that they should pray to be baptised with the H.S. and I would pray with them to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I also told them that they might pray in an unknown language and not to be afraid of it, but no one ever did. I didn't worry about it either, because people don't always "feel" some powerful experience when they become Christian or feel like they receive a fuller experience - I never felt anything when I started my life of faith.
The day after I prayed with Danny, he came to me quite concerned because he didn't know what to make of an experience he had during the night. In the middle of the night he woke up with his arms in the air and he was praying in another language. I had never told him about the Pentecostal practice of lifting up hands to worship, but I did tell him about tongues the day before. I let him know that it was o.k. and what happened was good.
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
I already talked about the Pentecostal (IE: Assembly of God) teaching about the Holy Spirit baptism, but I have not really given you my own version as I have experienced dozens of churches and studied as many, searched the scriptures and examined my own experience with God.
It is difficult to put the Holy Spirit in a box, as many on several sides do.
1. There are those who say the Filling of the Holy Spirit or Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the same as being born again, and there are no further fillings.
2. There are those who say that the experience the Apostles had with gifts, tongues and filling of the H.S. was only for their day.
3. There are those who say the Baptism of the H.S. is after conversion and always evidenced by tongues.
4. There are those who say the Baptism of the H.S. is after conversion but may not be evidenced by tongues.
From the Bible I learn that:
1. Paul associates the filling of the H.S. with repentance and baptism (the 3 are never separated in Paul's writings).
2. Even though theologically they are one and the same, experimentally in the early church, the book of Acts separates the experiences of repentance, baptism and the Baptism of the H.S. in different ways. One church receives the H.S. then is baptized, one is baptized and then receives the H.S., Paul asks certain people if they received the H.S. since they believed. The Samaritan church became believers long before Peter came and prayed with them to receive the H.S. To top off the list, John the Baptist was filled with the H.S. from his mother's womb.
Because we like to put God's work in theological boxes, all these are explained in different ways to fit whatever box a group likes. Good Bible scholars are in each camp and are ignored or refuted by other good Bible scholars.
My Conclusion:
God does what he wants - get over it. There are fillings we should seek, not just one experience, but regularly. Spiritual Christians are in all kinds of churches as are some really bad Christians. Not everybody gets the same experiences in the same ways.
It is difficult to put the Holy Spirit in a box, as many on several sides do.
1. There are those who say the Filling of the Holy Spirit or Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the same as being born again, and there are no further fillings.
2. There are those who say that the experience the Apostles had with gifts, tongues and filling of the H.S. was only for their day.
3. There are those who say the Baptism of the H.S. is after conversion and always evidenced by tongues.
4. There are those who say the Baptism of the H.S. is after conversion but may not be evidenced by tongues.
From the Bible I learn that:
1. Paul associates the filling of the H.S. with repentance and baptism (the 3 are never separated in Paul's writings).
2. Even though theologically they are one and the same, experimentally in the early church, the book of Acts separates the experiences of repentance, baptism and the Baptism of the H.S. in different ways. One church receives the H.S. then is baptized, one is baptized and then receives the H.S., Paul asks certain people if they received the H.S. since they believed. The Samaritan church became believers long before Peter came and prayed with them to receive the H.S. To top off the list, John the Baptist was filled with the H.S. from his mother's womb.
Because we like to put God's work in theological boxes, all these are explained in different ways to fit whatever box a group likes. Good Bible scholars are in each camp and are ignored or refuted by other good Bible scholars.
My Conclusion:
God does what he wants - get over it. There are fillings we should seek, not just one experience, but regularly. Spiritual Christians are in all kinds of churches as are some really bad Christians. Not everybody gets the same experiences in the same ways.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Catholics
If you have been reading my blogs from the beginning it will come as no surprise to you that I was brought up Roman Catholic attending Catholic schools until I was out of 8th Grade. I hated school, I needed to get out of my house and get on my own, and I wanted nothing to do with church. That sums up my life before November 1971.
Just weeks before I turned 19 I dedicated my life to Christ and was then emmersed into Southern Pentecostal and Charismatic Protestant culture which did not like Catholics which was the results of Centuries of anti Catholicism in the U.S., especially down South.
In 1785 there were fewer than 0.6% Catholics in this country - that's less than 1%. In the 1800s Catholics (half of which were Irish) integrated into the U.S. with a huge cultural backlash from the Protestants, many of who decided that Catholicism was the "Whore of Babylon." Persecution and even murder of Catholics increased at alarming rate as Catholics were blamed for disease, violence, and raising taxes.
Eventually the Catholic Church has found its way into American culture, but were still under a cloud of persecution and suspician. Even today the Catholic Church is considered the "Whore of Babylon" by many Protestants and End Time Fictional books.
When I dedicated my life to Christ I entered into that anti-Catholic world. I read books claiming that the Catholic Church was the church of the Anti-Christ and I was still under the influence of my own personal anti-Catholic Church feelings from my childhood.
As all my brothers and sisters and I became Born-again believers, we argued with my parents who stayed Catholic. I must confess, we made it very hard for them for awhile, but eventually we calmed down and the arguments faded away and love once again rule the house.
Almost 40 years later I can now say I have met good Christians who are still Catholic and I can now see that even though I was anti-Catholic for years, even then my Catholic upbringing was big part of my Christian walk, behind the scenes where I didn't see it. Here are some examples:
1. Catachism - I didn't learn how to have a personal relationship with God, but I learned about who God is. When I surrendered my life to Christ I had a large part of my Christian worldview already in place. It needed a bit of tweeking, but I understood a lot about who God was, heaven, hell, angels, demons, and so on.
2. The Holiness of God - Evangelicalism has an amazing gift in their focus on a relationship with Christ. Unfortunately, this focus on the nearness of God (the imminence of God) all too often deflects us away from the holiness of God - or in other words the fact that God is separate, high above and holy. Holiness means separate.
3. The Fear of God - The fear of God is also all too often neglected when we focus on the friendship of God. Hebrews 12 teaches us that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The writer of Hebrews was talking to Christians!
4. Discipline - Although I quit the church in 7th grade, I learned certain things that are crucial to the Christian walk such as going to church every Sunday. I never questioned it after I stared a new life in Christ, I just knew Christians went to church on Sundays.
5. The Knowledge and Severity of Sin - Every Catholic in my days grew up learning that they were sinners. Sin defined for us, its seriousness was emphasised and we were given ways to deal with it. Protestants do deal with it in different ways (through prayer and repentence rather than through Confession) but few Protestant churches can match what I learned about the seriousness of sin.
These are things that took me years to be able to see. Back in my younger days, I was convinced that the Catholic Church had nothing good in it at all and as I mentioned, several of us in our family discussed our views with my parents. In the end, although they continued in the Catholic Church, I am told that they did some soul searching and grew stronger in their faith.
Just weeks before I turned 19 I dedicated my life to Christ and was then emmersed into Southern Pentecostal and Charismatic Protestant culture which did not like Catholics which was the results of Centuries of anti Catholicism in the U.S., especially down South.
In 1785 there were fewer than 0.6% Catholics in this country - that's less than 1%. In the 1800s Catholics (half of which were Irish) integrated into the U.S. with a huge cultural backlash from the Protestants, many of who decided that Catholicism was the "Whore of Babylon." Persecution and even murder of Catholics increased at alarming rate as Catholics were blamed for disease, violence, and raising taxes.
Eventually the Catholic Church has found its way into American culture, but were still under a cloud of persecution and suspician. Even today the Catholic Church is considered the "Whore of Babylon" by many Protestants and End Time Fictional books.
When I dedicated my life to Christ I entered into that anti-Catholic world. I read books claiming that the Catholic Church was the church of the Anti-Christ and I was still under the influence of my own personal anti-Catholic Church feelings from my childhood.
As all my brothers and sisters and I became Born-again believers, we argued with my parents who stayed Catholic. I must confess, we made it very hard for them for awhile, but eventually we calmed down and the arguments faded away and love once again rule the house.
Almost 40 years later I can now say I have met good Christians who are still Catholic and I can now see that even though I was anti-Catholic for years, even then my Catholic upbringing was big part of my Christian walk, behind the scenes where I didn't see it. Here are some examples:
1. Catachism - I didn't learn how to have a personal relationship with God, but I learned about who God is. When I surrendered my life to Christ I had a large part of my Christian worldview already in place. It needed a bit of tweeking, but I understood a lot about who God was, heaven, hell, angels, demons, and so on.
2. The Holiness of God - Evangelicalism has an amazing gift in their focus on a relationship with Christ. Unfortunately, this focus on the nearness of God (the imminence of God) all too often deflects us away from the holiness of God - or in other words the fact that God is separate, high above and holy. Holiness means separate.
3. The Fear of God - The fear of God is also all too often neglected when we focus on the friendship of God. Hebrews 12 teaches us that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The writer of Hebrews was talking to Christians!
4. Discipline - Although I quit the church in 7th grade, I learned certain things that are crucial to the Christian walk such as going to church every Sunday. I never questioned it after I stared a new life in Christ, I just knew Christians went to church on Sundays.
5. The Knowledge and Severity of Sin - Every Catholic in my days grew up learning that they were sinners. Sin defined for us, its seriousness was emphasised and we were given ways to deal with it. Protestants do deal with it in different ways (through prayer and repentence rather than through Confession) but few Protestant churches can match what I learned about the seriousness of sin.
These are things that took me years to be able to see. Back in my younger days, I was convinced that the Catholic Church had nothing good in it at all and as I mentioned, several of us in our family discussed our views with my parents. In the end, although they continued in the Catholic Church, I am told that they did some soul searching and grew stronger in their faith.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Miami and Jews for Jesus
OCTOBER 1973
Yeah! I was able to get off the Pawpaw - the ship I hated so much and move to work in an office building in Miami, FL. I rented a room downtown where I shared a bathroom and a kitchen with 4 other middle age people who were not doing so well in life. One month later I moved into an apartment in Ft. Lauderdale with another Christian I met at mega Baptist church in Ft. Lauderdale. I went to that church for the next 2 months.
During those 3 months I lived in Miami, I visited a place I think was Jews for Jesus a couple of times.
The first time I went, the message was abouth worry. The speaker said it was a sin and needed to be treated like sin. One needs to confess worry as a lack of trusting God, and by confessing find forgiveness and deliverence.
At the time I worried so much about small things that I got stomach aches, so when I heard that message I confessed my lack of trust and put my worries in God's hands. I didn't notice any changes until I visited the same place a few months later and remembered my first visit. I realized that even though I didn't know when it happened, my worries had faded away along with my stomach cramps that had disappeared.
I don't remember anything else about Jews for Jesus.
Yeah! I was able to get off the Pawpaw - the ship I hated so much and move to work in an office building in Miami, FL. I rented a room downtown where I shared a bathroom and a kitchen with 4 other middle age people who were not doing so well in life. One month later I moved into an apartment in Ft. Lauderdale with another Christian I met at mega Baptist church in Ft. Lauderdale. I went to that church for the next 2 months.
During those 3 months I lived in Miami, I visited a place I think was Jews for Jesus a couple of times.
The first time I went, the message was abouth worry. The speaker said it was a sin and needed to be treated like sin. One needs to confess worry as a lack of trusting God, and by confessing find forgiveness and deliverence.
At the time I worried so much about small things that I got stomach aches, so when I heard that message I confessed my lack of trust and put my worries in God's hands. I didn't notice any changes until I visited the same place a few months later and remembered my first visit. I realized that even though I didn't know when it happened, my worries had faded away along with my stomach cramps that had disappeared.
I don't remember anything else about Jews for Jesus.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Gas Crisis
DECEMBER 1973
Once in Miami, I occasionally drove 7 hours up to Jacksonville to visit Dru. In late 1973 gas prices had gone up tremendously and gas stations had little or no gas to give.
I was in the first part of my journey dozens miles away from the Turnpike when I ran out of gas. All the gas stations along the way had been out of gas. I parked my car on the side of the road and hitched a ride with an empty gas can to the next gas station 15 miles down the road. When I got to the station the attendent told me they were out. So I prepared to go the next few dozen miles to the next gas station, but as I was on my way out, the attendant told me to wait. He closed the station, pumped me a couple of gallons and I hitched back to my car. The gas was no doubt from the bottom of their storage, because from then on my car had gas tank problems from dirty gas.
Once in Miami, I occasionally drove 7 hours up to Jacksonville to visit Dru. In late 1973 gas prices had gone up tremendously and gas stations had little or no gas to give.
I was in the first part of my journey dozens miles away from the Turnpike when I ran out of gas. All the gas stations along the way had been out of gas. I parked my car on the side of the road and hitched a ride with an empty gas can to the next gas station 15 miles down the road. When I got to the station the attendent told me they were out. So I prepared to go the next few dozen miles to the next gas station, but as I was on my way out, the attendant told me to wait. He closed the station, pumped me a couple of gallons and I hitched back to my car. The gas was no doubt from the bottom of their storage, because from then on my car had gas tank problems from dirty gas.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Opa Locka, FL
DECEMBER 1973
When I worked downtown Miami I was told I would never move again, but that changed because within 2 months I was transferred a few miles away to a Northern Miami city called Opa Locka to a Air-Sea Rescue Station. I worked at an airport for the Coast Guard little knowing that in little over a year's time I would be transported in one ot those helicopters while my friends took me to a Miami hospital.
In Opa Locka I began attending an Assemblies of God in Opa Locka a few miles from the base. The pastor there was Jim Rentz who in time became Jimmi Swaggart's Campus Pastor. When Jimmi Swaggart became national news for his indiscretions (meeting with prostitutes) Jim Rentz took over the ministry for 3 months. When Swaggart was again caught with a prostitute, Rentz fired Swaggart from the Jimmi Swaggart Ministries, and when Swaggart was fired from his own ministry...he turned around and fired Rentz. Oh the drama!
Jim Rentz and his wife were really awesome people who had me over for dinner or for his wife's great iced tea regularly. I didn't like tea usually, but she put so much sugar in the tea that it became something totally different. Pastor Rentz was also a decent preacher with a church of about 300.
I loved the music in the church - whoever deemed themselves to be a good musician got up front and played during the hymns. In particular there was this guy who played an out of tune violin. Not only was it out of tune, but he seemed to be tone deaf. Up front the band consisted of the pastor's wife on the piano, some old lady on the organ, an accordian player, a guitar player (the pastor's son) and this old guy who dominated the sound with his violin.
As good as Pastor Rentz was, when I brought visitors to his church, for some reason there was always a visiting evangelist which always meant disaster ... Every time! There was one evangelist who told us how to properly discipline children - he told us how great his kids were as a result... years later one of his daughters became a prostitute.
There was also one who was very much like the guy who preached by spitting and frothing at the mouth, pacing the platform like a trapped animal, screaming and then talking softly, challenging and attacking the audience with words that virtually put us through a lousy sermon for one hour. This happened on more than one occasion.
There were one or two exceptions to the rule. At another Assemblies of God in Jacksonville, FL, I saw Arthur Blessitt who was really good. When I saw him in 1972 he was beginning a long and interesting career walking around the world carrying a cross. Check this out: http://www.blessitt.com/. He has walked almost 40,000 miles in 315 countries and was the one who prayed with George Bush years ago. He was one of the best preachers I ever heard. He was also the weirdest preacher I ever heard. I thought he was great.
When I worked downtown Miami I was told I would never move again, but that changed because within 2 months I was transferred a few miles away to a Northern Miami city called Opa Locka to a Air-Sea Rescue Station. I worked at an airport for the Coast Guard little knowing that in little over a year's time I would be transported in one ot those helicopters while my friends took me to a Miami hospital.
In Opa Locka I began attending an Assemblies of God in Opa Locka a few miles from the base. The pastor there was Jim Rentz who in time became Jimmi Swaggart's Campus Pastor. When Jimmi Swaggart became national news for his indiscretions (meeting with prostitutes) Jim Rentz took over the ministry for 3 months. When Swaggart was again caught with a prostitute, Rentz fired Swaggart from the Jimmi Swaggart Ministries, and when Swaggart was fired from his own ministry...he turned around and fired Rentz. Oh the drama!
Jim Rentz and his wife were really awesome people who had me over for dinner or for his wife's great iced tea regularly. I didn't like tea usually, but she put so much sugar in the tea that it became something totally different. Pastor Rentz was also a decent preacher with a church of about 300.
I loved the music in the church - whoever deemed themselves to be a good musician got up front and played during the hymns. In particular there was this guy who played an out of tune violin. Not only was it out of tune, but he seemed to be tone deaf. Up front the band consisted of the pastor's wife on the piano, some old lady on the organ, an accordian player, a guitar player (the pastor's son) and this old guy who dominated the sound with his violin.
As good as Pastor Rentz was, when I brought visitors to his church, for some reason there was always a visiting evangelist which always meant disaster ... Every time! There was one evangelist who told us how to properly discipline children - he told us how great his kids were as a result... years later one of his daughters became a prostitute.
There was also one who was very much like the guy who preached by spitting and frothing at the mouth, pacing the platform like a trapped animal, screaming and then talking softly, challenging and attacking the audience with words that virtually put us through a lousy sermon for one hour. This happened on more than one occasion.
There were one or two exceptions to the rule. At another Assemblies of God in Jacksonville, FL, I saw Arthur Blessitt who was really good. When I saw him in 1972 he was beginning a long and interesting career walking around the world carrying a cross. Check this out: http://www.blessitt.com/. He has walked almost 40,000 miles in 315 countries and was the one who prayed with George Bush years ago. He was one of the best preachers I ever heard. He was also the weirdest preacher I ever heard. I thought he was great.
Friday, January 16, 2009
The Christian Cult
JANUARY 1973
On the Opa Locka base there was a group of Charismatic Chrisians who lived in a house off the station. They invited me to a dinner at their house so I accepted the offer. I always felt uneasy with these guys but thought that I needed to at least check them out.
When I arrived everyone greeted me with a holy kiss - the type of greeting that the French give each other. Now I lived in Belgium for one year and had no problem with guys greeting me in that culture with the 3 kisses like they traditionally do. But in Miami when they gave me their holy kisses, I was totally creeped out.
Before dinner one of the guys from the stations told me that he liked to smoke marijuanna while he read the Bible and the leader showed me dozens if not hundreds of cassette tapes from Charismatic teachers - these and not the Bible were the center of the group. They associated the Bible with the Law and the Charismatic teachers with grace. For them the Bible was Law was good to read, but needed to be interpreted through the teachings of the leaders.
After dinner one of the girls who lived in the house felt sick, so we all got around and prayed for her, after which the leader told her that God was telling him that the reason she was sick was that there was a man at her work she needed to forgive. She got concerned and told him there were no men at her work, but upon the insistance that there was a man at her work she needed to forgive, she remembered that there was a man who cleaned up the office after hours, but she didn't remember ever having anything against him. Nevertheless, she confessed her transgression before the group.
Before that day I had seen many times when God spoke to people about sin, and every time there was recognition and solution to the issue - not in this case. She had no recognition of guilt and I saw that very clearly.
From then on I stayed away from the group, but they hounded me down until I got out of the service.
UPDATE 2018
For years I have assumed that this group was unusual and more like a cult than a legitimate Christian group, but he more I am looking into the modern Charismatic movement, the more I am realizing that the group mentioned in this post is not all that unusual. More and more groups are turning away from the Bible and focusing more on new revelations by self-named apostles and prophets.
On the Opa Locka base there was a group of Charismatic Chrisians who lived in a house off the station. They invited me to a dinner at their house so I accepted the offer. I always felt uneasy with these guys but thought that I needed to at least check them out.
When I arrived everyone greeted me with a holy kiss - the type of greeting that the French give each other. Now I lived in Belgium for one year and had no problem with guys greeting me in that culture with the 3 kisses like they traditionally do. But in Miami when they gave me their holy kisses, I was totally creeped out.
Before dinner one of the guys from the stations told me that he liked to smoke marijuanna while he read the Bible and the leader showed me dozens if not hundreds of cassette tapes from Charismatic teachers - these and not the Bible were the center of the group. They associated the Bible with the Law and the Charismatic teachers with grace. For them the Bible was Law was good to read, but needed to be interpreted through the teachings of the leaders.
After dinner one of the girls who lived in the house felt sick, so we all got around and prayed for her, after which the leader told her that God was telling him that the reason she was sick was that there was a man at her work she needed to forgive. She got concerned and told him there were no men at her work, but upon the insistance that there was a man at her work she needed to forgive, she remembered that there was a man who cleaned up the office after hours, but she didn't remember ever having anything against him. Nevertheless, she confessed her transgression before the group.
Before that day I had seen many times when God spoke to people about sin, and every time there was recognition and solution to the issue - not in this case. She had no recognition of guilt and I saw that very clearly.
From then on I stayed away from the group, but they hounded me down until I got out of the service.
UPDATE 2018
For years I have assumed that this group was unusual and more like a cult than a legitimate Christian group, but he more I am looking into the modern Charismatic movement, the more I am realizing that the group mentioned in this post is not all that unusual. More and more groups are turning away from the Bible and focusing more on new revelations by self-named apostles and prophets.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
My Friends and Not-so-Friends in Opa Locka
I had several friends and acquaintances in Opa Locka:
Al - married man who use to get on my nerves on purpose because he wanted to see how far he could push me, hoping to make me lose control - I didn't. I discovered that if I pray for Al he stopped doing that and got tender to the Gospel On one occasion while I was talking to him about faith, Al (who was married) teared up, thought for awhile and then said, "I have too many women."
Dennis - I was best man at his wedding in Atlanta, GA. He and his wife had a pet skunk.
Al - Co-worker who was an Amway fanatic. He showed me how I could make so much money by buying products with the money I had... no thanks.
The Christian Cult - Bunch of guys mentioned in a previous blog.
My roommate - Good Southern Baptist with a large stack of Playboy magazines.
Al - married man who use to get on my nerves on purpose because he wanted to see how far he could push me, hoping to make me lose control - I didn't. I discovered that if I pray for Al he stopped doing that and got tender to the Gospel On one occasion while I was talking to him about faith, Al (who was married) teared up, thought for awhile and then said, "I have too many women."
Dennis - I was best man at his wedding in Atlanta, GA. He and his wife had a pet skunk.
Al - Co-worker who was an Amway fanatic. He showed me how I could make so much money by buying products with the money I had... no thanks.
The Christian Cult - Bunch of guys mentioned in a previous blog.
My roommate - Good Southern Baptist with a large stack of Playboy magazines.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Getting into the Bible
SOMETIME IN 1974
It was late at night and I needed to get my 6 or 7 hours of sleep, but could not sleep for the life of me. I had this strong feeling it was because I didn't read my bible for a few days, so I promised to myself and to God that I would read the next day... I still couldn't sleep. I tried and tried, but I still couldn't sleep.
Finally, after about 30 minutes of this, I got up, grabbed my Bible and gently but firmly slammed my Bible on the table and said, "God, I hope your happy." As I read that night I felt blessed...like God was happy. From that day forward I could not sleep at night unless I finished my devotions.
Now there were occasional days that I wish this weren't the case, but it has done me much good - today I teach the Bible at a local college. I would never had the Bible knowledge I do without those endless hours of Bible study.
At first I started reading the Bible 45 minutes a day, which grew to an hour a day. But one day I sat down and figured out that if I memorized only one verse a day I could memorize the NT in less than 22 years. So I figured I was 21 at the time and if I started right away I would reach the old age of 43 and have the entire NT memorized. I decided that rather than going to favorite verses I should memorize books of the Bible, starting with the book of James.
Every day I memorized one verse and went over the verses I had already memorized to make sure that I didn't forget. My routine shifted around until I ended up memorizing a new verse 5 times a week and then to 4(giving myself a break a couple of days a week) and going over 60 versees already memorized.
This continued until around 1995 when I finally gave up. By that time I had memorized half of Matthew, most of John, 2 chapters in Acts, all of Paul's writings, Hebrews, 1,2,&3 John and Jude, several other chapters and Psalms were also in the bag. Despite all this I felt like I let myself down because I didn't finish the NT.
After taking a one year course in Greek I added Greek to my devotions and eventually taught myself Biblical Hebrew as well. At the height of my devotional life I was spending over 3 hours a day in devotions.
All this because one night I couldn't sleep.
It was late at night and I needed to get my 6 or 7 hours of sleep, but could not sleep for the life of me. I had this strong feeling it was because I didn't read my bible for a few days, so I promised to myself and to God that I would read the next day... I still couldn't sleep. I tried and tried, but I still couldn't sleep.
Finally, after about 30 minutes of this, I got up, grabbed my Bible and gently but firmly slammed my Bible on the table and said, "God, I hope your happy." As I read that night I felt blessed...like God was happy. From that day forward I could not sleep at night unless I finished my devotions.
Now there were occasional days that I wish this weren't the case, but it has done me much good - today I teach the Bible at a local college. I would never had the Bible knowledge I do without those endless hours of Bible study.
At first I started reading the Bible 45 minutes a day, which grew to an hour a day. But one day I sat down and figured out that if I memorized only one verse a day I could memorize the NT in less than 22 years. So I figured I was 21 at the time and if I started right away I would reach the old age of 43 and have the entire NT memorized. I decided that rather than going to favorite verses I should memorize books of the Bible, starting with the book of James.
Every day I memorized one verse and went over the verses I had already memorized to make sure that I didn't forget. My routine shifted around until I ended up memorizing a new verse 5 times a week and then to 4(giving myself a break a couple of days a week) and going over 60 versees already memorized.
This continued until around 1995 when I finally gave up. By that time I had memorized half of Matthew, most of John, 2 chapters in Acts, all of Paul's writings, Hebrews, 1,2,&3 John and Jude, several other chapters and Psalms were also in the bag. Despite all this I felt like I let myself down because I didn't finish the NT.
After taking a one year course in Greek I added Greek to my devotions and eventually taught myself Biblical Hebrew as well. At the height of my devotional life I was spending over 3 hours a day in devotions.
All this because one night I couldn't sleep.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Dee and his Marijuana Mask
My fiance Dru had a younger brother named Dee. We were always friendly with each other but never did anything together, but one day I came over to Dru's house while her brother and 2 of his friends were smoking pot through a face mask connected to a breathing apparatus. When I saw Dee and his friends I felt a deep burden for them, so I poured out my heart, "Why do you do this when Jesus cared so much for you that He died for you. He hung on that cross so you could be freed from this!"
While his two friends stayed to listen, Dee walked into his room. Later Dru told me that Dee had talked with her saying that had been witnessed to a lot from others and never paid it any mind until he heard me. He was so moved that he had to leave the room.
As long as I knew him, he never gave his life to Christ.
While his two friends stayed to listen, Dee walked into his room. Later Dru told me that Dee had talked with her saying that had been witnessed to a lot from others and never paid it any mind until he heard me. He was so moved that he had to leave the room.
As long as I knew him, he never gave his life to Christ.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Breaking Up with Dru & The Shepherding Movement
LATE 1974
I was driving to Jacksonville from Opa Locka (7 hour drive) to visit my fiance Dru and I was just thinking over and over how our relationship was going nowhere and I was pretty sure that Dru felt the same way. So when I got to her house I rang the doorbell, she answered and without going in I said, "I think we need to break up." She agreed, we hugged and ended our relationship.
There was however, one other unsolved issue between us that may have added to the break up. Dru had recently wanted to join the Shepherding Movement, in particular, she wanted Bob to be her shephard, not that she wanted to date him, but she only wanted to join his shepherding group.
The Shepherding Movement was started in Ft. Lauderdale by five Charismatic leaders that submitted to each other for accountability and Christian growth. In time the submission grew to more and more people and while it grew, it became hierarchal... people submitted and tithed to a shepherd who in turn submitted and tithed to another shepherd higher than he, and that shepherd submitted to another and on and on.
In its hayday the Shepherding Movement was very popular, especially in Florida. People were asking each other, "who's your shepherd?" and you had better have had an answer. Submission to a shepherd was absolute...even to the point of asking your shepherd if you could get a car, or if you could or who to date.
Within a few years the five leaders broke up, most of them repenting and confessing to the church that it was a huge mistake. But when it was going strong many of my friends joined or wanted to join. Dru (my fiance) wanted to; I did not want her to, because if she did, somebody else would be telling her what to do or not to do with our relationship. In the 1 1/2 years I dated her, this was the only disagreement we had.
When Dru and I broke up she went to Bob's for fellowship, but I think she lost interest shortly thereafter.
The attraction of intense discipleship:
1. The feeling that others will help me live more like I should
2. The feeling that I need hard core discipline because I am spiritually careless
3. The need for fellowship with like minded people
Why it didn't work and still doesn't:
1. Although others can help, you still have to face your own issues
2. We can only handle so much hard core discipline before we burn out
3. Intense fellowship (which this becomes) with like minded people quickly turns cultish (ex: feeling that God favors our group over others)
There are so many other reasons, but I don't have the time in this blog to get into it. Let me just say, I have seen the rise and fall of the Shepherding Movement and I have seen the rise and fall of the International Church of Christ which was based on the Shepherding Movement. In both of them the leaders gave up and repented when they realized how much damage they did to others.
EPILOGUE
I met with Dru several years later and we talked for a few minutes. No longer under a shepherd, she talked to me about her boyfriend and I told her about my new girlfriend - the one I married.
Later Ray told me Dru married a TV reporter from a Jacksonville TV station.
I was driving to Jacksonville from Opa Locka (7 hour drive) to visit my fiance Dru and I was just thinking over and over how our relationship was going nowhere and I was pretty sure that Dru felt the same way. So when I got to her house I rang the doorbell, she answered and without going in I said, "I think we need to break up." She agreed, we hugged and ended our relationship.
There was however, one other unsolved issue between us that may have added to the break up. Dru had recently wanted to join the Shepherding Movement, in particular, she wanted Bob to be her shephard, not that she wanted to date him, but she only wanted to join his shepherding group.
The Shepherding Movement was started in Ft. Lauderdale by five Charismatic leaders that submitted to each other for accountability and Christian growth. In time the submission grew to more and more people and while it grew, it became hierarchal... people submitted and tithed to a shepherd who in turn submitted and tithed to another shepherd higher than he, and that shepherd submitted to another and on and on.
In its hayday the Shepherding Movement was very popular, especially in Florida. People were asking each other, "who's your shepherd?" and you had better have had an answer. Submission to a shepherd was absolute...even to the point of asking your shepherd if you could get a car, or if you could or who to date.
Within a few years the five leaders broke up, most of them repenting and confessing to the church that it was a huge mistake. But when it was going strong many of my friends joined or wanted to join. Dru (my fiance) wanted to; I did not want her to, because if she did, somebody else would be telling her what to do or not to do with our relationship. In the 1 1/2 years I dated her, this was the only disagreement we had.
When Dru and I broke up she went to Bob's for fellowship, but I think she lost interest shortly thereafter.
The attraction of intense discipleship:
1. The feeling that others will help me live more like I should
2. The feeling that I need hard core discipline because I am spiritually careless
3. The need for fellowship with like minded people
Why it didn't work and still doesn't:
1. Although others can help, you still have to face your own issues
2. We can only handle so much hard core discipline before we burn out
3. Intense fellowship (which this becomes) with like minded people quickly turns cultish (ex: feeling that God favors our group over others)
There are so many other reasons, but I don't have the time in this blog to get into it. Let me just say, I have seen the rise and fall of the Shepherding Movement and I have seen the rise and fall of the International Church of Christ which was based on the Shepherding Movement. In both of them the leaders gave up and repented when they realized how much damage they did to others.
EPILOGUE
I met with Dru several years later and we talked for a few minutes. No longer under a shepherd, she talked to me about her boyfriend and I told her about my new girlfriend - the one I married.
Later Ray told me Dru married a TV reporter from a Jacksonville TV station.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Called to Missions
DECEMBER 31, 1974
At a New Year's Eve service I was feeling like something had been missing for some time in my life. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, so I prayed about it hoping that God would reveal it to me. I knew this feeling because every time I felt it, I knew there was something that I was missing, something that I needed to discover about myself. So I prayed and over and over my thoughts went back to the day I thought God was calling me to missions.
I had been joking around with a friend one day and he kidded about me being a missionary. The second he said it, I said, "That's it!" As I read the Bible that night the verses all directed me to follow up on it and prepare for being a missionary. But I was engaged to Dru at the time and I didn't think she was the mesions type, so I eventually dropped the idea of missions. During that watchnight service I realized God was serious about missions, so that same night I rededicated my life to missions.
At a New Year's Eve service I was feeling like something had been missing for some time in my life. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, so I prayed about it hoping that God would reveal it to me. I knew this feeling because every time I felt it, I knew there was something that I was missing, something that I needed to discover about myself. So I prayed and over and over my thoughts went back to the day I thought God was calling me to missions.
I had been joking around with a friend one day and he kidded about me being a missionary. The second he said it, I said, "That's it!" As I read the Bible that night the verses all directed me to follow up on it and prepare for being a missionary. But I was engaged to Dru at the time and I didn't think she was the mesions type, so I eventually dropped the idea of missions. During that watchnight service I realized God was serious about missions, so that same night I rededicated my life to missions.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
The Car Accident
FEBRUARY 1975
I was called to be a missionary on December 31, 1973, so a month and a half later I went to Lakeland, FL to check out the closest Assemblies of God Bible College. I went to its open house during the second weekend in February with 2 High Schoolers from the church I attended - the church where I was the sole 20+ year older. Manny and Danny were both Hispanic kids who loved to have fun and who had little interest in taking life seriously.
We took turns driving my VW up to Lakeland even though it was only 4 hours away, spending a good part of our journey traveling 88 miles per hour, because that's as fast my car went.
We arrived at South Eastern Bible College on Friday night and stayed until Sunday afternoon.
For our weekend we went to a South Eastern basketball game and a prayer service. Manny, Danny and I had a lot of fun together and even though there was 5 years difference between me and Manny and Danny, they grew on me and I began to enjoy their company and their sense of humor.
On Saturday night I had a strong conviction that I never had before. I felt very strongly that we shouldn't be speeding. I never felt that before or after. I learn the hard way, through tickets, not conviction. But that night I felt it very strongly, so I told Manny and Danny that we were going to go the speed limit on our way home.
I drove the first hour and stopped at a gas station where I made friends with the attendent joking with her and telling her that if the newspapers reported a car accident the next day, it would be us... who would have known?
Manny started driving and I took my Bible and opened it up to read it for the next part of the journey, but grew tired right away and slipped into a deep sleep.
It was light out when I woke up. I was confused wondering why I wasn't at work already. I thought it was Monday and I thought I was in my bed in Opa Locka and there was a strange man in the bed next to me. I turned to look at him; he was excited. "You were in a car accident," is all I understood him to say. I fell back to sleep.
I woke up again with a doctor next to me telling me that I had a head concussion, lung contusions, a broken leg and that I lost a third of my blood. When he left I went back to sleep until sometime later when a nurse woke me up to take me by wheelchair into another room to see my friends where she left me. I looked up and saw a man I never met before, who was apologizing, "I'm sorry." His apology was hollow and timid - he was (as I was told later) an alchoholic, who had been in several previous accidents. The nurse brought me to the other driver thinking he was my friend. I found out later that my friends had already been taken to a Miami hospital only 2 hours away.
Minutes later, the nurse came back into the room and took me back to my room, where somebody brought me the bible I had been reading shortly before the accident. It was a Living Bible completely soaked in dried blood. I was amazed anybody would think I would want to keep it. I slept the rest of the day.
On Monday morning half the town of Clewiston, FL showed up as a Coast Guard helicopter landed in the baseball field to carry me by stretcher to a hostpital in Miami. The crew had to wash the entire helicopter from top to bottom after they dropped me off because one of the cuts in my lung looked like Hepetitus on the XRays.
One week after the accident a Baptist lady walked into my hospital room with my Martin 12 string guitar. She told me a girl at the accident had kicked it into a ditch to steal it, and seeing that the lady walked over grabbed the guitar and drove it down to Miami to give it to me in person. I didn't thank her, cause I was still so out of it. In fact, it was a month before I was ready to get out of the hospital and begin working again with a large cast on my leg and crutches.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Kathryn Kuhlman - part 1
APRIL 1975
I went to Kathryn Kuhlman Crusades 3 years in a row. For the first two years I was in a 300 voice choir being blesssed as I watched dozens of people healed. But for the third year I was in the audience wondering if what I was watching was real or some sort of circus show. In other words, I had learned to question and examine everything and I wasn't so sure anymore about Kathryn Kuhlman or about many of her routines. Even though I was in such a mood, the day I went to my last KK Crusade would become one the wildest of all my experiences. But before I get into that event, I need to explain who Kathryn Kuhlman is.
Kathryn started out as a Pentecostal preacher who had a good sized church until she met a radio preacher whom she fell in love with and married. The only problem was, when she met him, he was already married and had children. It ruined both of their ministries. But after 10 years of marriage together they decided that Kathryn's ministry was more important than their marriage, so they broke up.
Kathryn had a hard time getting back into ministry because news of her illegitimate marriage followed her from city to city for several years. Eventually she was able to find peace and gained a good following. That was when the healings began. They weren't planned or expected - they just happened.
As her ministry grew, she began traveling around the country holding healing services and gaining quite a following.
Her services were carefully crafted. People who didn't look like they were true followers were removed from the front chairs and services were held in buildings that couldn't quite hold the mass of people who wanted to get in. Like the Billy Graham Crusades, KK started her meetings with music and hymns, a 300 voice choir singing (she especially loved "It Is Well with My Soul,") and a flamboyant piano player named "Dino" who in time threatened to write a book exposing KK as a fraud. The book was to be called, "The Late Great Kate," but was buried in return for a hefty but unknown amount of money paid to Dino by KK.
After quite a bit of music and hymns, KK preached from the scripture. As I remember, she one of the better preachers I heard... very solid in the Bible - but I don't remember much about her preaching. Oh yea, and she had a very dramatic style of speaking and moving around on the stage. It was like every movement was over stated and filled with drama.
During her preaching people would start getting healed - it just happened. And once it began she would have ushers find those being healed to come forward to testify about their healing. After their testimonies, Kathryn laid her hands on them and said something like, "The power of God is on you." Then the people fell backwards, "slain in the Spirit."
That was the show. Occasionally, some Pentecostal in the audience would get all excited and start praying in tongues or something else to steal the attention away from KK, but Kathryn responded very wisely to this; she would not allow it. To this day that was one of the two positive things I got from KK. The second was the fact that unlike most healers she admitted she didn't know why some were healed and some weren't - some people who had no faith were healed while others with loads of faith were not. I liked that idea. There are mysteries involved in healing.
After her death Benny Hinn had a vision of Kathryn Kuhlman telling him that he should be a healer. Yeah, sure.
When I saw her in 1975 I had no clue about Kathryn's jaded past. I just knew that I was struggling with the question of what was real and what wasn't. But oh what I was about to experience!
I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.
I went to Kathryn Kuhlman Crusades 3 years in a row. For the first two years I was in a 300 voice choir being blesssed as I watched dozens of people healed. But for the third year I was in the audience wondering if what I was watching was real or some sort of circus show. In other words, I had learned to question and examine everything and I wasn't so sure anymore about Kathryn Kuhlman or about many of her routines. Even though I was in such a mood, the day I went to my last KK Crusade would become one the wildest of all my experiences. But before I get into that event, I need to explain who Kathryn Kuhlman is.
Kathryn started out as a Pentecostal preacher who had a good sized church until she met a radio preacher whom she fell in love with and married. The only problem was, when she met him, he was already married and had children. It ruined both of their ministries. But after 10 years of marriage together they decided that Kathryn's ministry was more important than their marriage, so they broke up.
Kathryn had a hard time getting back into ministry because news of her illegitimate marriage followed her from city to city for several years. Eventually she was able to find peace and gained a good following. That was when the healings began. They weren't planned or expected - they just happened.
As her ministry grew, she began traveling around the country holding healing services and gaining quite a following.
Her services were carefully crafted. People who didn't look like they were true followers were removed from the front chairs and services were held in buildings that couldn't quite hold the mass of people who wanted to get in. Like the Billy Graham Crusades, KK started her meetings with music and hymns, a 300 voice choir singing (she especially loved "It Is Well with My Soul,") and a flamboyant piano player named "Dino" who in time threatened to write a book exposing KK as a fraud. The book was to be called, "The Late Great Kate," but was buried in return for a hefty but unknown amount of money paid to Dino by KK.
After quite a bit of music and hymns, KK preached from the scripture. As I remember, she one of the better preachers I heard... very solid in the Bible - but I don't remember much about her preaching. Oh yea, and she had a very dramatic style of speaking and moving around on the stage. It was like every movement was over stated and filled with drama.
During her preaching people would start getting healed - it just happened. And once it began she would have ushers find those being healed to come forward to testify about their healing. After their testimonies, Kathryn laid her hands on them and said something like, "The power of God is on you." Then the people fell backwards, "slain in the Spirit."
That was the show. Occasionally, some Pentecostal in the audience would get all excited and start praying in tongues or something else to steal the attention away from KK, but Kathryn responded very wisely to this; she would not allow it. To this day that was one of the two positive things I got from KK. The second was the fact that unlike most healers she admitted she didn't know why some were healed and some weren't - some people who had no faith were healed while others with loads of faith were not. I liked that idea. There are mysteries involved in healing.
After her death Benny Hinn had a vision of Kathryn Kuhlman telling him that he should be a healer. Yeah, sure.
When I saw her in 1975 I had no clue about Kathryn's jaded past. I just knew that I was struggling with the question of what was real and what wasn't. But oh what I was about to experience!
I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Kathryn Kuhlman pt 2
APRIL 1975
Manny, Danny and I were toward the back of some huge arena in Miami watching Kathryn Kuhlman. We had a car accident two months before and we looked like it. Danny's arm was in a sling because he had a broken elbow along with a shattered hip with pins and metal bars put in from our accident. I on the other hand had recovered quite well in the last 2 months. My blood level felt like it was back to normal, I was no longer dizzy from my head concussion, I could breath properly after having lung contusions (that's how I lost 1/3 of my blood), and I had become very good at walking around with crutches. My cast, due to come off in June (if everything went well), traveled from the top of my left hip to the bottom of my left toes. Manny had a few bruises and nothing else. But the 3 of us together looked like a mess.
I always felt so blessed during the 2 previous Kathryn Kuhlman services the 2 years previously, but during this service I was filled with doubts and questions.
The same routines took place - the songs, the choir and the preaching. KK told her audience that God had revealed to her that before she would die there would be a service where everybody was healed... I don't think that ever happened and when she said that, I doubted it.
According to her routine, while she preached with over the top drama in her long white gown, people began to be healed and while people were being taken to the stage to testify about their healing. Meanwhile in the audience Danny started to stretch his arm wondering if it was being healed. One of the ushers saw Danny stretching his arm still in the cast and thought for sure he was being healed, so he grabbed Danny and took him up front. Manny followed him up front, because they were best friends.
On stage they told KK about the car accident and she found out that there was another one from the accident in the audience, so I was shuttled up to the main stage as well.
On the main stage KK asked me a few questions and then told me that I was healed and that I should put aside the crutches and walk across the stage. I had a cast up to my hip, and told her that I couldn't walk because of that. She then said, "When you get your cast off you will find that you are healed." With that she reached her hand out to me so that I would be slain in the Spirit (which means I was suppose to fall backwards). I had already decided that I didn't know if this was that scriptural so was not going to let her push me down, and I wasn't going to go down just because I wanted to. I planned to stand my ground, but before her hand even reached me I fell over into the arms of one of the helpers who placed me gently on my back on the floor.
I felt awesome and praised God while trying to lift up my arms to praise him, but my arms would not move.
Fun experience, but it did nothing for my faith either way. It didn't harm it and it didn't help it. On Judgment Day God will not ask us about our spiritual experiences of falling down; He will ask us if we fed the hungry and helped the poor, clothed the naked and visited the sick and those in prison.
The service ended on the highest note - 3 young men (2 still in their teens) healed after a life threatening car accident. The only problem was, I still had a cast on so couldn't tell if I had been healed and Danny wasn't really sure he had been healed. In fact, the next day Danny told me he thought nothing had changed. Nevertheless, on the way out of the auditorium as my mind raced with conflict and more doubt, people clamored to touch us because the power of God rested on us.
I didn't feel like it.
Manny, Danny and I were toward the back of some huge arena in Miami watching Kathryn Kuhlman. We had a car accident two months before and we looked like it. Danny's arm was in a sling because he had a broken elbow along with a shattered hip with pins and metal bars put in from our accident. I on the other hand had recovered quite well in the last 2 months. My blood level felt like it was back to normal, I was no longer dizzy from my head concussion, I could breath properly after having lung contusions (that's how I lost 1/3 of my blood), and I had become very good at walking around with crutches. My cast, due to come off in June (if everything went well), traveled from the top of my left hip to the bottom of my left toes. Manny had a few bruises and nothing else. But the 3 of us together looked like a mess.
I always felt so blessed during the 2 previous Kathryn Kuhlman services the 2 years previously, but during this service I was filled with doubts and questions.
The same routines took place - the songs, the choir and the preaching. KK told her audience that God had revealed to her that before she would die there would be a service where everybody was healed... I don't think that ever happened and when she said that, I doubted it.
According to her routine, while she preached with over the top drama in her long white gown, people began to be healed and while people were being taken to the stage to testify about their healing. Meanwhile in the audience Danny started to stretch his arm wondering if it was being healed. One of the ushers saw Danny stretching his arm still in the cast and thought for sure he was being healed, so he grabbed Danny and took him up front. Manny followed him up front, because they were best friends.
On stage they told KK about the car accident and she found out that there was another one from the accident in the audience, so I was shuttled up to the main stage as well.
On the main stage KK asked me a few questions and then told me that I was healed and that I should put aside the crutches and walk across the stage. I had a cast up to my hip, and told her that I couldn't walk because of that. She then said, "When you get your cast off you will find that you are healed." With that she reached her hand out to me so that I would be slain in the Spirit (which means I was suppose to fall backwards). I had already decided that I didn't know if this was that scriptural so was not going to let her push me down, and I wasn't going to go down just because I wanted to. I planned to stand my ground, but before her hand even reached me I fell over into the arms of one of the helpers who placed me gently on my back on the floor.
I felt awesome and praised God while trying to lift up my arms to praise him, but my arms would not move.
Fun experience, but it did nothing for my faith either way. It didn't harm it and it didn't help it. On Judgment Day God will not ask us about our spiritual experiences of falling down; He will ask us if we fed the hungry and helped the poor, clothed the naked and visited the sick and those in prison.
The service ended on the highest note - 3 young men (2 still in their teens) healed after a life threatening car accident. The only problem was, I still had a cast on so couldn't tell if I had been healed and Danny wasn't really sure he had been healed. In fact, the next day Danny told me he thought nothing had changed. Nevertheless, on the way out of the auditorium as my mind raced with conflict and more doubt, people clamored to touch us because the power of God rested on us.
I didn't feel like it.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Am I Healed?
APRIL 1975
"When you get your cast off, you will find that your leg is healed," Kathryn Kuhlman told me before an audience of thousands. Those words tormented me for 2 months.
I had just been to the doctor who kept on putting more and more cast goop on my leg cast making it heavier and heavier. My next appointment was in June. I was tormented because I didn't know if I should pry the cast off with a chisel or saw thus letting the whole Coast Guard station know that God heals. But if I did that and the Doctor said I wasn't healed, I would so dishonor Christ and make myself look like a fool. I just didn't know what to do.
Past teachings I thought I had discarded came back to haunt me. I felt like my lack of faith was keeping me from ripping the cast off, showing the world that Jesus is alive! But then again, what if I ripped it off and wasn't healed? The embarrassment would know no end and I would make Christianity look so bad. These thoughts plagued me for the two remaining months I had the cast on.
JUNE 1975
The earliest possible date for complete removal of the cast (according to my Doctor) was at hand. I decided to keep the cast on until the Doctor's appointment after all, but felt like I may have done wrong.
The nurse came in to remove my cast, but it was way too thick from a constant wrapping more and more cast stuff on it, so the Doctor sawed through it and took some xrays.
I prayed that I would not have to have another cast; I had one on for four months and was tired of it.
The Doctor barely knew me (he had no idea I was a Christian) and had no idea I was struggling so much with Kathryn Kuhlman's proclamation that I had been healed, nevertheless when he came in to the room where I was after looking at the xrays he literally shouted out (not really loud), "Rise up and walk, you're healed!"
I didn't think it was funny. It took awhile for me to get my sense of humor back.
UPDATE 2018
As I talked to my daughter about this event today, I realized for the first time since 1975 that it is possible that God was saying something to me back then. All healing, even natural healing and healing with the help of medicine is a gift of God. So, maybe God was speaking through the doctor that day.
"When you get your cast off, you will find that your leg is healed," Kathryn Kuhlman told me before an audience of thousands. Those words tormented me for 2 months.
I had just been to the doctor who kept on putting more and more cast goop on my leg cast making it heavier and heavier. My next appointment was in June. I was tormented because I didn't know if I should pry the cast off with a chisel or saw thus letting the whole Coast Guard station know that God heals. But if I did that and the Doctor said I wasn't healed, I would so dishonor Christ and make myself look like a fool. I just didn't know what to do.
Past teachings I thought I had discarded came back to haunt me. I felt like my lack of faith was keeping me from ripping the cast off, showing the world that Jesus is alive! But then again, what if I ripped it off and wasn't healed? The embarrassment would know no end and I would make Christianity look so bad. These thoughts plagued me for the two remaining months I had the cast on.
JUNE 1975
The earliest possible date for complete removal of the cast (according to my Doctor) was at hand. I decided to keep the cast on until the Doctor's appointment after all, but felt like I may have done wrong.
The nurse came in to remove my cast, but it was way too thick from a constant wrapping more and more cast stuff on it, so the Doctor sawed through it and took some xrays.
I prayed that I would not have to have another cast; I had one on for four months and was tired of it.
The Doctor barely knew me (he had no idea I was a Christian) and had no idea I was struggling so much with Kathryn Kuhlman's proclamation that I had been healed, nevertheless when he came in to the room where I was after looking at the xrays he literally shouted out (not really loud), "Rise up and walk, you're healed!"
I didn't think it was funny. It took awhile for me to get my sense of humor back.
UPDATE 2018
As I talked to my daughter about this event today, I realized for the first time since 1975 that it is possible that God was saying something to me back then. All healing, even natural healing and healing with the help of medicine is a gift of God. So, maybe God was speaking through the doctor that day.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Last Day in the Coast Guard
The last day in the Coast Guard felt like the greatest day ever. I felt like I was going to be free to go where and when I wanted.
As the day began I walked into an office area and talked to the two women who had my papers ready. They asked me what I was going to do and I told them that I was going into the ministry. As we talked the conversation got around to Christ. "Jesus loves you so much," I said, "the Bible says that Jesus emptied Himself of all His power and glory so that He could live for you and die for you. As a result of his death and resurrection, we can be raised to new life with Him."
One of them told me she was a backslidden Pentecostal, "I need to go back to church and pray through," she replied. Some Pentecostal churches believe that you need to pray and pray and weep and weep and emotionally push yourself until you "feel" the breakthrough. It can be a long time before the feeling comes.
I told her, "You don't need to strive so hard to pray through. All you have to do is pray that Jesus Christ will forgive you of your sins and ask Him to come into your life, He will enter your life and forgive you so you can live for Him. It is simple faith that does all this, not some great pleading and weeping.
I then found out the other girl was a backslidden Baptist who agreed with me and likewise decided she wanted to get things right with God.
In hindsight I may have said about the same thing to the Pentecostal girl but may have added, "If you must pray through, then go as soon as your church is open and pray through, because the Bible says, 'Now is the right time, now is the day of salvation. Don't wait for later'"
As the day began I walked into an office area and talked to the two women who had my papers ready. They asked me what I was going to do and I told them that I was going into the ministry. As we talked the conversation got around to Christ. "Jesus loves you so much," I said, "the Bible says that Jesus emptied Himself of all His power and glory so that He could live for you and die for you. As a result of his death and resurrection, we can be raised to new life with Him."
One of them told me she was a backslidden Pentecostal, "I need to go back to church and pray through," she replied. Some Pentecostal churches believe that you need to pray and pray and weep and weep and emotionally push yourself until you "feel" the breakthrough. It can be a long time before the feeling comes.
I told her, "You don't need to strive so hard to pray through. All you have to do is pray that Jesus Christ will forgive you of your sins and ask Him to come into your life, He will enter your life and forgive you so you can live for Him. It is simple faith that does all this, not some great pleading and weeping.
I then found out the other girl was a backslidden Baptist who agreed with me and likewise decided she wanted to get things right with God.
In hindsight I may have said about the same thing to the Pentecostal girl but may have added, "If you must pray through, then go as soon as your church is open and pray through, because the Bible says, 'Now is the right time, now is the day of salvation. Don't wait for later'"
Monday, January 5, 2009
Out of the Coast Guard
AUGUST 1975
I went into the Coast Guard addicted to drugs and a destructive way of life. I left the Coast Guard a new person ready to go into full time ministry.
After College (4 years, 3 different schools), and 2 Masters (M.Div.) and M.A. in Cross Cultural Studies, I became a missionary teacher in Africa for 5 years and then a pastor for 10 years. After being a pastor I have been an adjunct professor for three local Christian universities.
Counting the cities in which I have established residency, I've lived in 23 cities, 4 countries and have attended dozens of churches through my journey. I've met the most amazing and gifted Christians and I have met the wierdest. But all in all, my Christian faith was formed in the Coast Guard with the help of friends and enemies. Those years and the lessons I learned were rarely easy and often came came with struggle and pain, but grateful for the people I met during the four years I spent in the Coast Guard for they were the ones who helped form my faith.
Ray - who taught me how to witness and through his honesty helped me grow even when I didn't want to.
Brian - who led me to the Lord and showed me how God can use someone.
The churches I visited - where Christ was made real through so many different kinds of ministries and personalities.
My brothers and sisters - who becoming Christian in very possitive ways went against Christian peer pressure to conform to the group.
Pastor Rentz and his wife - who invited me into their house so many times.
Manny and Danny - who loved to have fun (something I did so little back then and I needed so much during the last year and a half in the Coast Guard).
The people who prayed for me.
And so many more.
I went into the Coast Guard addicted to drugs and a destructive way of life. I left the Coast Guard a new person ready to go into full time ministry.
After College (4 years, 3 different schools), and 2 Masters (M.Div.) and M.A. in Cross Cultural Studies, I became a missionary teacher in Africa for 5 years and then a pastor for 10 years. After being a pastor I have been an adjunct professor for three local Christian universities.
Counting the cities in which I have established residency, I've lived in 23 cities, 4 countries and have attended dozens of churches through my journey. I've met the most amazing and gifted Christians and I have met the wierdest. But all in all, my Christian faith was formed in the Coast Guard with the help of friends and enemies. Those years and the lessons I learned were rarely easy and often came came with struggle and pain, but grateful for the people I met during the four years I spent in the Coast Guard for they were the ones who helped form my faith.
Ray - who taught me how to witness and through his honesty helped me grow even when I didn't want to.
Brian - who led me to the Lord and showed me how God can use someone.
The churches I visited - where Christ was made real through so many different kinds of ministries and personalities.
My brothers and sisters - who becoming Christian in very possitive ways went against Christian peer pressure to conform to the group.
Pastor Rentz and his wife - who invited me into their house so many times.
Manny and Danny - who loved to have fun (something I did so little back then and I needed so much during the last year and a half in the Coast Guard).
The people who prayed for me.
And so many more.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Healed Again
EPILOGUE #1 - HEALING
During my 3rd year in College, Dr. Yanghi Cho spoke at two of our chapels. Dr. Cho was the pastor of the largest church in the world at the time with over 750,000 members in his church in Seoul, Korea. He had a healing service on the first day and some interesting things happened...
1- He didn't like the fact that in the U.S. people would always fall down (slain in the spirit). He didn't know why people did here.
2- He had a healing service after the sermon where he gave word of knowledge about people being healed. Let me put it briefly, my sinuses were healed - totally - for one hour. Then they got unhealed. I heard other people have gone through the same experience of being healed and the next day things are right back to normal. Don't know what to make of this. I started putting these things in a place in my brain called the "I don't know what to make of it" box.
2018 FOLLOW UP
Although I didn't know what to make of this at the time, I have since learned that temporary healing like this are common. In an interview with BBC, the interviewer suggested to Benny Hinn that the the placebo effect might be the reason so many people seem to be healed. In his normal dazed look, Benny admitted that in some cases it might be so. He also admitted the placebo would explain why people get up out of their wheelchairs on stage only to return to them later.
Temporary healing is a result - not of God's trickery and not the result of losing faith - but rather, it is that fact that so much so called healing is from the body's own reactions to expectation and the trust in some authority - or in other words, "the placebo effect."
During my 3rd year in College, Dr. Yanghi Cho spoke at two of our chapels. Dr. Cho was the pastor of the largest church in the world at the time with over 750,000 members in his church in Seoul, Korea. He had a healing service on the first day and some interesting things happened...
1- He didn't like the fact that in the U.S. people would always fall down (slain in the spirit). He didn't know why people did here.
2- He had a healing service after the sermon where he gave word of knowledge about people being healed. Let me put it briefly, my sinuses were healed - totally - for one hour. Then they got unhealed. I heard other people have gone through the same experience of being healed and the next day things are right back to normal. Don't know what to make of this. I started putting these things in a place in my brain called the "I don't know what to make of it" box.
2018 FOLLOW UP
Although I didn't know what to make of this at the time, I have since learned that temporary healing like this are common. In an interview with BBC, the interviewer suggested to Benny Hinn that the the placebo effect might be the reason so many people seem to be healed. In his normal dazed look, Benny admitted that in some cases it might be so. He also admitted the placebo would explain why people get up out of their wheelchairs on stage only to return to them later.
Temporary healing is a result - not of God's trickery and not the result of losing faith - but rather, it is that fact that so much so called healing is from the body's own reactions to expectation and the trust in some authority - or in other words, "the placebo effect."
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The Problems Healing Brings
In 1981 my new wife (Kim) and I worked 3 months in an orphanage in Haiti. I had read an article about a runt of the litter kitten that got special attention and grew to be the best cat of the group, so in Haiti I chose the 1 year old kid who had the least amount of attention - I chose him to bask with attention and prayer. He had an extreme mental disability. He rocked his head back and forth all day, never cried, never laughed and never moved away from his mat rocking his head.
I hugged him, played with him and loved him for 3 months. Once when all the kids were sick at both ends and Noah (the kid I took care of) was dying, we prayed and left him alone in the back so villagers wouldn't know he was dying. All the kids who were sick got medicine, Noah didn't.
The next day Noah was completely healed while the rest of the kids began a slow recovery. From that point on Noah grew a personality. By the end of 3 months there, Noah was laughing, crying and acting like a normal healthy kid, which actually made the man who ran the orphanage angry on one occasion when Noah cried because he needed a bottle. He said in his stress, "I liked you better before."
There were some strange people who ran the orphanage... what can I say?
Years later I saw the same thing happen to a lady who had a year old girl in the hospital for ear infection. The doctors had found the infection and were on the way to do some more tests when I and some friends prayed for the girl and then talked about whatever. During our conversations, the mother was completely distracted by her girl's behavior (the girl was in bed next to us and was more active than she had ever been in her life). We left after about an hour.
In a few days the mother told me that the hospital tests showed that there was nothing wrong with the girl, furthermore the mother said, "I have never seen my girl like this, she was so quiet all her life, but in these last few days she has been all over the place...she is keeping me on my toes constantly." Unlike the guy in Haiti, this mother was happy for her girl, albeit busier and more stressed.
These two healings gave me a good lesson about spiritual health in churches: Although spiritual and mental health can bring great change but also more stress. Some churches just don't like that.
I hugged him, played with him and loved him for 3 months. Once when all the kids were sick at both ends and Noah (the kid I took care of) was dying, we prayed and left him alone in the back so villagers wouldn't know he was dying. All the kids who were sick got medicine, Noah didn't.
The next day Noah was completely healed while the rest of the kids began a slow recovery. From that point on Noah grew a personality. By the end of 3 months there, Noah was laughing, crying and acting like a normal healthy kid, which actually made the man who ran the orphanage angry on one occasion when Noah cried because he needed a bottle. He said in his stress, "I liked you better before."
There were some strange people who ran the orphanage... what can I say?
Years later I saw the same thing happen to a lady who had a year old girl in the hospital for ear infection. The doctors had found the infection and were on the way to do some more tests when I and some friends prayed for the girl and then talked about whatever. During our conversations, the mother was completely distracted by her girl's behavior (the girl was in bed next to us and was more active than she had ever been in her life). We left after about an hour.
In a few days the mother told me that the hospital tests showed that there was nothing wrong with the girl, furthermore the mother said, "I have never seen my girl like this, she was so quiet all her life, but in these last few days she has been all over the place...she is keeping me on my toes constantly." Unlike the guy in Haiti, this mother was happy for her girl, albeit busier and more stressed.
These two healings gave me a good lesson about spiritual health in churches: Although spiritual and mental health can bring great change but also more stress. Some churches just don't like that.
Friday, January 2, 2009
1:00 a.m. in the Morning
SUMMER 1976
So I was dating this girl in Milwaukee during Summer Vacation and we talked until very late in my car in front of her house. Yes we were just talking... and on the way home I went through some rough neighborhoods.
I stopped at a stop light and this guy came right up to my driver's side, opened the door and asked me for a ride to another bad section in town. I let him get in and decided that if he had the gall to hop in my car uninvited, I was going to be every bit as bold in telling him about Jesus, so I did.
To make a long story short, I took him to the place he needed to go and after he picked up some stuff he needed, I offered to drive him back to his house to the address where he hopped into my car. He gave his life to Christ and invited me up into his apartment where I met his wife and sleeping kid.
I drove home and got about 3 hours of sleep that night.
So I was dating this girl in Milwaukee during Summer Vacation and we talked until very late in my car in front of her house. Yes we were just talking... and on the way home I went through some rough neighborhoods.
I stopped at a stop light and this guy came right up to my driver's side, opened the door and asked me for a ride to another bad section in town. I let him get in and decided that if he had the gall to hop in my car uninvited, I was going to be every bit as bold in telling him about Jesus, so I did.
To make a long story short, I took him to the place he needed to go and after he picked up some stuff he needed, I offered to drive him back to his house to the address where he hopped into my car. He gave his life to Christ and invited me up into his apartment where I met his wife and sleeping kid.
I drove home and got about 3 hours of sleep that night.
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