Testimony

I grew up in a Christian home with wonderful Christian parents.  After graduating High School, and having enrolled in school in Akron, OH, I decided it was time to “do my own thing”. I would be living in an area where nobody knew I was a Christian, and nobody would ever tell “the folks back home” that I wasn’t behaving.

I decided I could drink beer, listen to rock music (back then, this was one of the worst things a Christian could do!) and cuss and skip church.  NOBODY WOULD KNOW.  But my first week in Akron, listening to Black Sabbeth (of all things) in my basement apartment, the Holy Spirit was at work in my heart. No matter how loud I turned up the music, in my head I could hear the words to the old Hymn “Tell me the Story of Jesus, Write on my Heart every word”...   and I could not get that out of my head.  “Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard...”

A battle raged in my mind, as my “flesh” wanted to take this opportunity to get away from all the “going to church every time the doors were opened” and being a “good boy”.  But the Spirit was working, and I had a major decision to make.

I left the house, and walked out into the freezing cold night air (January in Ohio) and went for a walk. “Tell of the Cross where they nailed Him, writhing in anguish and pain...”  The music in my head would not stop.  “Tell of the grave where they laid Him - Tell how He liveth again...” 

I knew God was working on my Heart, and I also knew (because I had preached it many times) that whenever God speaks, He deserves a response.  By now, a light freezing rain was falling, and, at 2 AM under a street light staring up into a black sky, I prayed a prayer you probably won’t find in any Billy Graham training material...

I simply said, “God, I know I’ve done this a bunch of times before, but I don’t know if I was ever serious.  So, right now, Jesus, I confess my sins to you, and ask you to forgive me of my sin, and save me, and be the Lord of my life”.

There were no shooting stars or explosive emotions - but somehow, that night, I felt the love and warmth and assurance that I was HIS, and He was mine, and I have never doubted since.

It was not long after, in a Church Service in Sheffield Lake, OH, Robbie Wynn had been preaching, and “Invitation Time” had arrived.  I remember the “Invitation Hymn” was “Footprints of Jesus”.

    Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling,
    Come, follow Me!
    And we see where Thy footprints falling
    Lead us to Thee.

Again, I knew that God was dealing with my heart, and I felt for some time that God was calling me to preach.  As we got to the third verse, I found myself turning loose of the pew in front of me, and making my way forward to surrender to the Ministry.

    If they lead through the temple holy,
    Preaching the Word;
    Or in homes of the poor and lowly,
    Serving the Lord.

I was ordained to the Gospel Ministry in April of 1878 at First Baptist Church, Sheffield Lake, Ohio.

Robbie & Patsy Wynn behind Debbie and myself. I’m holding Chrissy and Debbie is holding Jenny.

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