Introduction
In this post, Dana and I look back
to our Bible school days and to various guest speakers that filled the pulpit,
and one particular professor. At that time, Chapel was mandatory, every day.
Some students and faculty felt it was a burden, but to many of us, we eagerly
anticipated what the Holy Spirit would say to us each day through whomever the
speaker might be.
At the beginning of each semester,
we had the option of choosing whatever seat we wanted. On ‘choice day’ I would
be in Chapel as early as 5 AM to make sure I got a seat as close to front row
center as possible. (I was never first in Chapel on that morning.) I didn’t
want to miss anything. And if God moved on a particular morning, I wanted to
not just see it but be one of the first to participate in it. And when the
speakers teared up, I wanted to know it.
So those listeners who were looking
for God and wanting Him to move in their lives and who were wanting to be a
part of anything that He might do, eagerly anticipated the Chapel speakers.
Many of the guest speakers were unknowns to us. But once they opened their
Bibles and began their messages, God often showed up. And in our lives and on
our minds, He stamped indelible images and memories.
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Background
from John:
In a letter from a number of years
ago, when I was overwhelmed with the thought of Dana as a friend. I looked
through the Bible for an appropriate introduction to my letter to him. The
Apostle Paul has a number of great introductions, for example, how about this
from 2 Corinthians 1:1 and 2 in The Message:
1-2 I, Paul,
have been sent on a special mission by the Messiah, Jesus, planned by God
himself. I write this to God’s congregation in Corinth, and to believers all
over Achaia province. May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our
Father and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours! Timothy, someone you know and
trust, joins me in this greeting.
Wouldn’t
you like to open a letter or an email and read those words, but
directed to you?
However,
below, when Dana refers to “3 Eyed John,” he is referring to the introduction
that I borrowed and tweaked from 3 John (Msg). From the Bible it says:
1-4 The Pastor,
to my good friend Gaius: How truly I love you! We’re the best of friends, and I
pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good health—that your
everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul! I was most happy when some
friends arrived and brought the news that you persist in following the way of
Truth.
My introduction
in my email to Dana borrowed on the above: To my good friend Dana. How truly I love you! We’re
the best of friends, and I pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good
health—that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul! I am most
happy to know that you persist in following the way of Truth.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Dana Answered
Good
to hear from you--and such a nice thought using "3 Eyed John."
Thank you. Do you remember (how could you forget???) Brother Charles
Greenaway, the Springfield Missions guy? I remember him fondly, with all
his gruff, in your face, but brilliantly spiritual ways of saying things.
One time I remember him talking about his youth, growing up in a tough Irish
neighborhood, where [one]"...had to be ready for fight, fun, funeral or
frolic, whichever came first." When talking about his early
Christian teaching, he was taught about "One Eyed, Two Eyed and Three
Eyed John." But I appreciate the application nonetheless.
Wow, old Bro. Greenaway. Talk about a trip down memory lane. He's one of
the guys I would like to touch base with in Heaven. He's one of the
speakers/preachers I always looked forward to coming to Chapel. Del
Tarr was another of my favorites.
Bro. Greenaway had a couple of other
sayings that always stuck with me. He
once advised, “If you don’t know what to do, take over.”
And, another time he told us, “If they’re
running you out of town on a rail, get to the head of the line and make it a
parade.”
(Note:
from another letter Dana wrote)
I may be just a bit rusty in
the book learning department, but I did drive a Ford Pinto for a
great many years, as I spent most of my money on a good library instead of
sexier automobiles (or at least more dependable ones). I remember old
Bro. Lundstrom saying (loudly—he said everything loudly) that he was believing
God for a half million miles on his old car that he travelled in from church to
church preaching the Gospel. I shut my eyes and it's like I'm there--I can
just hear him saying that, and it brings a warm smile. He was a loveable
old soul, and I feel quite confident he is enjoying his eternal reward—singing
with the angels—and if I know Bro. Lundstrom, he’s witnessing to them, even
when they don’t need it—that’s just what he does. He was a witnessing machine.
There was a fellow, older, late 60's maybe
early 70's even back then, who came and preached there for one or a series
of sermons. He was a kindly gentleman, tall and thin, with a deep voice,
white hair and glasses. I remember him telling about how
when he was a young minister, he came down with a terrible
illness, and just couldn't get well. Doctors were in short supply in that
part of the west, and any who had treated him had all but given up on
treating him further. Not only that, but every travelling evangelist/faith
healer who heard of his malady, made it a point of dropping by his desert home
(and I'm guessing that this had to be in the 1930's or there abouts, back when
the west was still somewhat wild). Everybody and his brother who had a
healing ministry prayed for his healing, anointed him with oil, everything, but
to no avail
The illness drug on, and his conditioned worsened, to where almost all hope of
recovery was gone. He was completely bed ridden. One day an old
pickup truck pulled up to his house, and out got a man of crude appearance and
dress, wearing dirty bibbed overalls, and an old floppy hat. The man was
a missionary to an Indian tribe up in the mountains near there, and
he said God had told him to come and pray for the sick
minister. The rough looking fellow prayed, then left without
even leaving his name. Brother XXXX (whatever his name is, God knows) was
healed. I remember him saying he felt better immediately and every
day he got better and better, and in a couple of days was back to his old self
once again. Man, I wish I could remember his name. Great
story. Great illustration of the point that God will work out His
purposes through whomever He chooses. That gives me hope!
John,
weren't we blessed of the LORD to have access to all those people up
at VFCC? It was a gift better than gold or silver, and I am so thankful
for that opportunity and experience. Having met you and our ensuing
friendship was a gift as well. You're right--God is so good!
++++++++++++++++++
More
Background from John:
When we were in Bible school, the
new president, Owen Carr, tried to invite a different, guest, Assembly of God
minister, missionary, or evangelist at least weekly, whenever possible. Del
Tarr, Alice Flowers, Willard Cantelon, Charles Greenaway, and many others
challenged us to draw ever closer to Jesus. They shared their times in the
pastorate or on the mission field, events and experiences that had many of
us almost on the edge of our seats,
straining to hear it all and not miss anything that God was trying to say to us
through those dedicated, weathered, sold out men and women of God. One of the
more colorful characters was Brother Charles Greenaway. Messages such as “Ask
for Bread, Get a Stone” or “Lengthen Your Tent Pegs” or “You’ve Got to Know
Somebody” still stick in my mind.
I remember the first time I saw and
heard Bro. Greenaway. He was an old fashioned Pentecostal preacher. He wore a
black suit with a tie. He had plenty of white hair. After he was introduced he took his place on
the platform to preach. The massive red leather arm chairs behind him. (Valley
Forge Christian College had been a U. S. Army hospital prior to the college
buying it. So when the Army moved out, they left everything and it became
college property. Otherwise, we couldn’t have afforded chairs that nice. ) Then
as he began to preach (he needed no amplification system) he shouted up to the
balcony in the rear of the chapel where the sound booth was located. “Can you
hear me?! Turn it up!” And then he shifted his suit jacket to fall half off his
shoulders.
I thought he was drunk.
I think the Apostle Peter might have
faced a similar situation on the day of Pentecost. It is written in Acts 2:14-17a
(NASB)
14 But Peter, taking
his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea
and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my
words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as
you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is
what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind....
The first message I remember was Ask
For Bread, Get a Stone. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt+7%3A7-12&version=NIV Most of this readership knows that if we
ask our Heavenly Father for bread, scripture tells us God will not give us a
stone. But Bro. Greenaway looked at this differently. He asked us if we knew
who Joni Eareckson (this was back in the 1970s) was. He asked the approximately
475 Bible school students if we thought that Joni had asked for bread, multiple
times. But each time she asked, she got what looked to the world like a
stone—i.e. no healing. But now, in light of time, do you think her stone was
really bread?
Another Greenaway message dealt with
the importance of knowing someone. At various times and for various purposes, I
have used ‘the old boy network.’ Applying for a job. Going to the bank for a
loan. Getting an introduction to just the right person. Because Greenaway had a position of authority
in the Assemblies of God, he knew a number of people, people who could help
someone with a situation or a problem, or even to help find someone a job or
ministry position.
He told of the time a young Bible
school graduate came to him and said, “Brother Greenaway, I don’t know anybody.
I’m not married to a district superintendent’s daughter. My father is not a well
known minister. How will I get a good position?”
He answered, “Oh son, it’s too bad
you don’t know Somebody. Since you don’t have any influence or have influential
friends, you’re right, you really do need to know Somebody (each time his
booming voice emphasizing the SOMEBODY.)”
Yes, the young graduate parroted,
“You’re so right. I don’t know anybody.” Finally, since the student just wasn’t getting
it, Greenaway reminded Him that he was a part of the Greatest Old Boy Network
known to mankind,
15 The Son is
the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For
in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have
been created through him and for him. 17 He
is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is
the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he
might have the supremacy. Col 1:15-18 (NIV)
Isaiah 41:13 (Amp) “For
I the Lord your God keep hold of your right hand; [I am the Lord], who says to
you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
Another of the missionaries who, in
time, became a somewhat frequent speaker was Del Tarr, missionary to Africa. As
I recall, he was younger than Brother Greenaway. He was kind of tall and thin.
One of his messages dealt with the following passage,
Psalm 126:5,
6 (Amp) They who sow in tears shall reap with joyful singing. 6He
who goes back and forth weeping, carrying his bag of seed [for planting], will
indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
This is, or rather used to be, an
often used scripture spoken by evangelists or others when giving a salvation
message. (How often is one of those given in Christian churches today, let
alone evangelical churches?) But Brother Tarr had lived this verse on the
mission field. One of his stations had been in a long term drought. He knew the
people of the region who had to plant their own food to barely survive. Those
people were down to their last seeds. They had the choice of eating the seeds,
and putting off starvation for a little while longer, or, trusting God to
provide, somehow, and using the seeds for a hoped for crop, crying while planting
those seeds knowing that death might be near, but in the hope of a future crop
to eat at harvest time.
Hope.
Hope in what, or in whom? Hope in the Lord. Lamentations 3:20-24 (NASB) says it
better than I can,
20 Surely my soul remembers and is
bowed down within me. 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. 22 The
Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. 23 They
are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my
portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
Finally,
both Dana and I fondly remember a pastor who was also a professor. He was
Brother Lundstrom. He was a kind of goofy
looking guy. Thinning hair, glasses, and his eyes were bit off, if I recall
correctly. And I think he had hearing aides. Among other things, he taught
Personal Evangelism. His church was in one of the south New Jersey towns. He
would get a number of ladies in the church to fix a sloppy Joe lunch for a bus
load of his students. But first we had to go out into the town and walk the
streets and knock on doors and share the Gospel of the risen Christ as the way
of salvation. (Some time I’ll tell you about the old, African American woman
who got healed.) He taught me how to
share the Gospel in the amount of time it takes to light a match and have it
burn out. When might someone need that skill? Say, for example, if you’re on an
elevator and you don’t have much time.
But
there was something about Brother Lundstrom that cannot be manufactured. He
loved God. He served God. And God knew it. All kinds of things might be going
on before he walked into the classroom. But when Bro. Lundstrom entered the
room, God showed up. And when he’d open in prayer, God’s presence would fill
the room. I don’t know if being Pentecostal makes a difference in what I’m
about to say. Perhaps it’s because we’re more open to the things of the Spirit.
While the Word is ironclad, we’re (generally) more sensitive to feelings, such
as literally feeling the presence of
God. Some might say sensing His presence. But Brother Lundstrom so pleased God
that He graced the classroom with His presence.
David, the psalm writer in Psalm 51:11(NASB), says it this way, 11 Do not cast
me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” I think I know how David felt when I don’t
have God’s presence.
For
several reasons, my wife and I been to a number of churches over the past 18 or
so years. I would venture to say they’ve all been evangelical, claiming
Biblical primacy. While they sing Christian choruses, and maybe sometimes a
hymn, and while the pastor or teacher gives a message from the Bible, God’s
presence has been, sadly, usually missing. Yes, I know that Matt 18:20 tells us
that if two or more gather in Jesus name, He’s there in their midst. But there
is something about the literal presence of God that is generally missing in the
majority of the churches we’ve attended.
I
so want to be like goofy old Brother Lundstrum that God feels I’m worthy of His
presence. That He shows up. Can any
Christian ask for more than that?
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