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.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)