April 1972
Pam stood in the choir week after week and I never noticed her, until one day her deep blue eyes fell upon me and mine upon hers'; we were dating shortly after. Most of our dates were exciting Sunday mornings holding hands in the back of the church, but after a month or two of dating I showed up at church and Pam was not sitting in the back of the church awaiting my presence, she was sitting in the front of the church with her parents. My heart sank.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Hitching a Ride to Tampa
May 1972
My sister Cindy was visiting a friend in Tampa, so I hitched a ride to Tampa in order to visit her. I was getting better with witnessing (telling people about Jesus) because from time to time Ray and I use to go out witnessing together so I was quickly getting the hang of it.
Hitchhiking in the early 70s was not too difficult and a lot of young people did it. It usually took about 15 minutes to an hour before somebody would pick me up. On my ride to Tampa I was picked up by a guy my age who seemed to be a nice enough fellow, so as our conversation went, I looked for opportunity to talk about Jesus. The opportunity hit and when he realized the subject we were on he said, "I don't need that stuff." In return I asked him what he was looking for in life. He said, "Peace." Now most of you will know where this goes. "Jesus can give that to you," I told him.
In witnessing there is something far more important and far deeper than being good at talking and answering. That something is the Holy Spirit drawing one to Christ. One writer called God the Hound of Heaven because the Holy Spirit of God pursues and draws people to Christ. I cannot for the life of me do the work the Holy Spirit does. I cannot give people the conviction and the hunger needed to bring somebody to a new life in Christ. Only God can do that.
With the few words I shared with the driver, I saw the transformation - his combative defense turned immediately. He was hungry to know all about Jesus... so much so that he drove me to my sister's place and hung out for awhile.
The problem was this: Even though he was hungry I didn't ask him the basic question, "Would you like to give your life to Christ?" Why not? I had not yet learned when people are ready to be asked that question. In fact, it was only after I reflected on that night that I realized that he was ready and willing, and all I had to do is ask him if he would like to make that decision.
Are you ready?
My sister Cindy was visiting a friend in Tampa, so I hitched a ride to Tampa in order to visit her. I was getting better with witnessing (telling people about Jesus) because from time to time Ray and I use to go out witnessing together so I was quickly getting the hang of it.
Hitchhiking in the early 70s was not too difficult and a lot of young people did it. It usually took about 15 minutes to an hour before somebody would pick me up. On my ride to Tampa I was picked up by a guy my age who seemed to be a nice enough fellow, so as our conversation went, I looked for opportunity to talk about Jesus. The opportunity hit and when he realized the subject we were on he said, "I don't need that stuff." In return I asked him what he was looking for in life. He said, "Peace." Now most of you will know where this goes. "Jesus can give that to you," I told him.
In witnessing there is something far more important and far deeper than being good at talking and answering. That something is the Holy Spirit drawing one to Christ. One writer called God the Hound of Heaven because the Holy Spirit of God pursues and draws people to Christ. I cannot for the life of me do the work the Holy Spirit does. I cannot give people the conviction and the hunger needed to bring somebody to a new life in Christ. Only God can do that.
With the few words I shared with the driver, I saw the transformation - his combative defense turned immediately. He was hungry to know all about Jesus... so much so that he drove me to my sister's place and hung out for awhile.
The problem was this: Even though he was hungry I didn't ask him the basic question, "Would you like to give your life to Christ?" Why not? I had not yet learned when people are ready to be asked that question. In fact, it was only after I reflected on that night that I realized that he was ready and willing, and all I had to do is ask him if he would like to make that decision.
Are you ready?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The People You Meet Hitchhiking
With my thumb out I got all types of drivers to pick me up and drive my to whatever destination I was going to. The Coast Guard Station was very close to the Navy Station in Jacksonville, so from time to time Navy men stopped to give me rides. However, on one occasion two very lonely and not so pretty Navy wives stopped their car. As the one got out of the car to fit me in-between them in the front I saw the set up, but hopped in without worry - maybe I was naive or maybe I just felt invincible, I don't know, I just didn't feel threatened. Sandwiched in they were looking at each other anticipating what they would do next.
Then the driver turned to me and asked, "Is that a Bible in your hand?" I assured her it was. With resignation she admitted, "You know what we was gonna do to you?" I played stupid even though I knew exactly what they were up to. "We was gonna rape you." Within the 20 minute drive home I told them about Jesus, prayed with them and got them to commit to going to church.
As a single guy I use to wish good looking girls would pick me up, but it was always guys or as in the one case lonely Navy wives. One day as I bemoaned my lot I mentioned to the Lord, "Why can't I ever get any good looking girls to pick me up?" Seconds later a car full of 10 girls stopped and drove me the next leg of the way. I jammed into a the car with all of the girls singing Christian songs - they were on their way to the local Church of God (another Pentecostal church). I felt like this was God's humor on my behalf. I prayed for one and he gave me ten.
Then the driver turned to me and asked, "Is that a Bible in your hand?" I assured her it was. With resignation she admitted, "You know what we was gonna do to you?" I played stupid even though I knew exactly what they were up to. "We was gonna rape you." Within the 20 minute drive home I told them about Jesus, prayed with them and got them to commit to going to church.
As a single guy I use to wish good looking girls would pick me up, but it was always guys or as in the one case lonely Navy wives. One day as I bemoaned my lot I mentioned to the Lord, "Why can't I ever get any good looking girls to pick me up?" Seconds later a car full of 10 girls stopped and drove me the next leg of the way. I jammed into a the car with all of the girls singing Christian songs - they were on their way to the local Church of God (another Pentecostal church). I felt like this was God's humor on my behalf. I prayed for one and he gave me ten.
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Night of Fear
June 1972
Our ship stayed for a few nights in Miami, FL which meant I couldn't go to visit my friends and church. So I decided to take my bible and my thumb with me and check out Miami. I was really good with directions and had no idea where anything was so I thought I would just go aimlessly and explore...oh my, what a mistake I made. I should have stayed at the ship, but I was hoping to discover something special in Miami.
After catching a ride downtown I somehow ended up walking through the poorest and the most dangerous place in Miami (a few short years before riots ruled the streets). Tension was in the air, a lot of people were out in the streets at night and I was walking through the streets like a fish out of water. Up until then, I had been in many different and sometimes scary situations that somehow didn't faze me much, but walking by myself through the streets with people staring at me like I didn't belong scared me. I picked up my pace and walked as fast as I could trying to find my way out of the neighborhood I got into. As I was speed walking down the street hoping the end was close somebody said, "That bible isn't going to save him here."
Several blocks later I was out safely on a highway ready to go home. Whether it was the bible or not, I made it out without any problems and got back on the highway where I hitched a ride back to the ship.
A very expensive foreign sports car with 2 seats stopped in front of me so I ran up to it, opened the door and as I was sitting down I saw the driver. She was an amazingly beautiful girl with a very short skirt who lived in the Bahamas and asked me what there was to do in Miami and if I would like to show her the town.
What was I going to show her, the streets I had just been on?
I told her I didn't know of anything and when we came to the dock, I got out of the car, thanked her for the ride and went to bed.
Our ship stayed for a few nights in Miami, FL which meant I couldn't go to visit my friends and church. So I decided to take my bible and my thumb with me and check out Miami. I was really good with directions and had no idea where anything was so I thought I would just go aimlessly and explore...oh my, what a mistake I made. I should have stayed at the ship, but I was hoping to discover something special in Miami.
After catching a ride downtown I somehow ended up walking through the poorest and the most dangerous place in Miami (a few short years before riots ruled the streets). Tension was in the air, a lot of people were out in the streets at night and I was walking through the streets like a fish out of water. Up until then, I had been in many different and sometimes scary situations that somehow didn't faze me much, but walking by myself through the streets with people staring at me like I didn't belong scared me. I picked up my pace and walked as fast as I could trying to find my way out of the neighborhood I got into. As I was speed walking down the street hoping the end was close somebody said, "That bible isn't going to save him here."
Several blocks later I was out safely on a highway ready to go home. Whether it was the bible or not, I made it out without any problems and got back on the highway where I hitched a ride back to the ship.
A very expensive foreign sports car with 2 seats stopped in front of me so I ran up to it, opened the door and as I was sitting down I saw the driver. She was an amazingly beautiful girl with a very short skirt who lived in the Bahamas and asked me what there was to do in Miami and if I would like to show her the town.
What was I going to show her, the streets I had just been on?
I told her I didn't know of anything and when we came to the dock, I got out of the car, thanked her for the ride and went to bed.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Jethro Tull in 1972 with Ray
August 1972
Looking for stuff to do Ray and I decided to talk to people outside a Jethro Tull concert. So we drove down and found people to talk to. Usually, when we witnessed we would split for different reasons. I preferred talking to people alone rather than with another Christian. As best as I can figure, it was because I didn't like ganging up on somebody else... and there was another reason - I was competitive and Ray (unacknowledged to me at the time) was as good as me if not better at witnessing.
Even though I had a success or two in helping others pray to become Christian, my great victories that night were overshadowed by Ray's.
The night was winding down and it was time for me to meet up with Ray again, but when I found him he was with 10 guys praying to become Christian. Before they left they all gave Ray their drugs to destroy.
Now don't go thinking Ray kept those drugs; he did get rid of them.
Looking for stuff to do Ray and I decided to talk to people outside a Jethro Tull concert. So we drove down and found people to talk to. Usually, when we witnessed we would split for different reasons. I preferred talking to people alone rather than with another Christian. As best as I can figure, it was because I didn't like ganging up on somebody else... and there was another reason - I was competitive and Ray (unacknowledged to me at the time) was as good as me if not better at witnessing.
Even though I had a success or two in helping others pray to become Christian, my great victories that night were overshadowed by Ray's.
The night was winding down and it was time for me to meet up with Ray again, but when I found him he was with 10 guys praying to become Christian. Before they left they all gave Ray their drugs to destroy.
Now don't go thinking Ray kept those drugs; he did get rid of them.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Charismatics
May 1972
Most people do not differenciate between Pentecostals and Charismatics. Even if somebody belongs to one of these groups, chances are, that somebody has no clue there is a difference, but there is.
The Pentecostals began at the turn of the Century 110 years ago (1900) and grew among poorer and seemingly less educated until 50 years later they rose through the economic ranks and became acceptable among other evangelicals in the 60s and 70s.
Pentecostals said that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes after conversion and is always evidenced by the speaking in tongues. If you don't speak in tongues, you are not baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Traveling evangelists coming from the Pentecostals held tent meetings in different states who made amazing claims of healings and even raising people from the dead. The Assemblies of God (Pentecostal denomination) decided back in the 40s and 50s that these people were not on the up and up - they were false prophets, phony, illegitimate...you get the picture.
The Charismatics started in 1960 by an Episcopal priest - Father Dennis Bennett who led his congregation into the pentecostal experience. The movement grew to millions within a few short years reaching almost every Protestant and then even Catholic denomination.
Like the Pentecostals, the Charismatics teach that there is a 2nd experience called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but unlike the Pentecostals the Charismatics believe one can be baptized with the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues. To be sure the gifts are taught and practiced, but tongues are not necessary.
Those Charismatics who were not associated with or those coming out of a denomination started their own churches, every one having the names "Word of..." in it - just kidding, kind of....
Whereas Pentecostal denominational leaders didn't like those traveling evangelists making wild assertions of raising the dead and the like, the Charismatics loved them and promoted their writings and their teachings.
Even though churches like the AG even now try to keep some of the Charismatic teachings out, a lot of the Pentecostal pastors promote and accept the Charismatic teachings and influences, thus many Pentecostal do not even know there is a difference between the two groups.
Ok if that didn't confuse you, you are doing pretty good. The point of the whole thing is this - there is a difference between the Charismatics and the Pentecostals. In 1972 I was smack dab in the middle of both camps, going to a Pentecostal church and listening and attending meetings of Charismatic teachers, of whom Derek Prince was my favorite.
Most people do not differenciate between Pentecostals and Charismatics. Even if somebody belongs to one of these groups, chances are, that somebody has no clue there is a difference, but there is.
The Pentecostals began at the turn of the Century 110 years ago (1900) and grew among poorer and seemingly less educated until 50 years later they rose through the economic ranks and became acceptable among other evangelicals in the 60s and 70s.
Pentecostals said that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes after conversion and is always evidenced by the speaking in tongues. If you don't speak in tongues, you are not baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Traveling evangelists coming from the Pentecostals held tent meetings in different states who made amazing claims of healings and even raising people from the dead. The Assemblies of God (Pentecostal denomination) decided back in the 40s and 50s that these people were not on the up and up - they were false prophets, phony, illegitimate...you get the picture.
The Charismatics started in 1960 by an Episcopal priest - Father Dennis Bennett who led his congregation into the pentecostal experience. The movement grew to millions within a few short years reaching almost every Protestant and then even Catholic denomination.
Like the Pentecostals, the Charismatics teach that there is a 2nd experience called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but unlike the Pentecostals the Charismatics believe one can be baptized with the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues. To be sure the gifts are taught and practiced, but tongues are not necessary.
Those Charismatics who were not associated with or those coming out of a denomination started their own churches, every one having the names "Word of..." in it - just kidding, kind of....
Whereas Pentecostal denominational leaders didn't like those traveling evangelists making wild assertions of raising the dead and the like, the Charismatics loved them and promoted their writings and their teachings.
Even though churches like the AG even now try to keep some of the Charismatic teachings out, a lot of the Pentecostal pastors promote and accept the Charismatic teachings and influences, thus many Pentecostal do not even know there is a difference between the two groups.
Ok if that didn't confuse you, you are doing pretty good. The point of the whole thing is this - there is a difference between the Charismatics and the Pentecostals. In 1972 I was smack dab in the middle of both camps, going to a Pentecostal church and listening and attending meetings of Charismatic teachers, of whom Derek Prince was my favorite.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Derek Prince and Healing
May 1972
One night Brian took me and some others on the ship to a large arena with a Charismatic speaker named Derek Prince. From the moment he began, I idolized him. He had an English accent and unlike most Pentecostal preachers of that time he spoke from the intellectual side of Christianity. Pentecostals that I knew focused so much on the emotional that I really had no clue there was an intellectual side to my faith. Prince was educated at Cambridge University and was an expert in Biblical Greek and Hebrew.
I learned so much from him the two or three nights I went to see him. On the first night he taught about the Word of Faith and claiming. He told us that our words are important and can actually make or break healing. If I have a disease, I should never accept it, but by faith speak it out of my life. WOW! I loved it.
So at the end of his talk he invited people up for healing - the easy ones first (as he stated). The easy ones were people like you and me who have one arm or one leg that is about 1/16 of an inch shorter than the other. Oh my gosh, we all had a short arm and a short leg. Before long the entire audience was practicing healing with each others' arms and legs. I got it so that I could tell every time, which of the two arms or legs was getting healed / lengthened and tell that to the person getting healed- and Shazam - they agreed, "You're right it was that arm / leg." I was floating in heaven.
After that tremendous outpouring of really not so needed healing, Derek invited the bigger needs for healing to come forward. A man in a wheelchair went on stage. Derek layed his hands on him and prayed for him and while we all waited for a great working of God, nothing happened. Derek prayed some more and still nothing happened.
Before things got uneasy in the audience Derek told the man in the wheelchair before the entire audience, "Go home and read more of the Bible so your faith can grow, then come back." That was so amazing - he needed more faith! I learned so much from Derek. Jesus met people who lacked faith and made up the difference never turning them away unhealed, but this was Derek Prince - the most amazing speaker of Christianity I ever heard until that time. Best of all, Derek quoted Greek words from the Bible. I was truly blown away - this guy was so educated.
I learned from Derek that I could claim power over sickness every time and that only a lack of faith could keep me or anybody else from being healed.
Several months later I was on the ship being tossed around by waves on the Atlantic Ocean. I was so seasick I really longed for death. But I learned from Derek Prince that I could claim healing from sea sickness if I spoke the words. So I claimed and claimed. I spoke and spoke, "I am healed, in Jesus name I am...." I threw up.
As the vomit came out all over the ship's deck everything I learned about naming and claiming came out with it. In that moment I discovered what many others have: in most cases, naming and claiming just doesn't work in real life.
But Derek Prince had a second night with even cooler stuff to learn.
One night Brian took me and some others on the ship to a large arena with a Charismatic speaker named Derek Prince. From the moment he began, I idolized him. He had an English accent and unlike most Pentecostal preachers of that time he spoke from the intellectual side of Christianity. Pentecostals that I knew focused so much on the emotional that I really had no clue there was an intellectual side to my faith. Prince was educated at Cambridge University and was an expert in Biblical Greek and Hebrew.
I learned so much from him the two or three nights I went to see him. On the first night he taught about the Word of Faith and claiming. He told us that our words are important and can actually make or break healing. If I have a disease, I should never accept it, but by faith speak it out of my life. WOW! I loved it.
So at the end of his talk he invited people up for healing - the easy ones first (as he stated). The easy ones were people like you and me who have one arm or one leg that is about 1/16 of an inch shorter than the other. Oh my gosh, we all had a short arm and a short leg. Before long the entire audience was practicing healing with each others' arms and legs. I got it so that I could tell every time, which of the two arms or legs was getting healed / lengthened and tell that to the person getting healed- and Shazam - they agreed, "You're right it was that arm / leg." I was floating in heaven.
After that tremendous outpouring of really not so needed healing, Derek invited the bigger needs for healing to come forward. A man in a wheelchair went on stage. Derek layed his hands on him and prayed for him and while we all waited for a great working of God, nothing happened. Derek prayed some more and still nothing happened.
Before things got uneasy in the audience Derek told the man in the wheelchair before the entire audience, "Go home and read more of the Bible so your faith can grow, then come back." That was so amazing - he needed more faith! I learned so much from Derek. Jesus met people who lacked faith and made up the difference never turning them away unhealed, but this was Derek Prince - the most amazing speaker of Christianity I ever heard until that time. Best of all, Derek quoted Greek words from the Bible. I was truly blown away - this guy was so educated.
I learned from Derek that I could claim power over sickness every time and that only a lack of faith could keep me or anybody else from being healed.
Several months later I was on the ship being tossed around by waves on the Atlantic Ocean. I was so seasick I really longed for death. But I learned from Derek Prince that I could claim healing from sea sickness if I spoke the words. So I claimed and claimed. I spoke and spoke, "I am healed, in Jesus name I am...." I threw up.
As the vomit came out all over the ship's deck everything I learned about naming and claiming came out with it. In that moment I discovered what many others have: in most cases, naming and claiming just doesn't work in real life.
But Derek Prince had a second night with even cooler stuff to learn.
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