June 1934
[Despite my parents’ enthusiasm, I did not want anything to do with anyone called an evangelist – and particularly with such a colorful character as Dr. Ham (the preacher). Just turning sixteen, I told my parents that I would not go to hear him … one day I read about his (Dr. Ham) charge regarding immoral conditions at Central High School in Charlotte. He claimed to have affidavits from certain students that a house across the street from the school, supposedly offering the boys and girls lunch during noon recess, actually gave them some additional pleasures.
When the scandalous story broke, rumors flew that a number of angry students, on a night yet to be determined, were going to march on the tabernacle and demonstrate right in front of the platform. Maybe they would even do some bodily harm to the preacher. That stirred up my curiosity, and I wanted to go just to see what would happen. But how could I save face after holding out for nearly a month? That was when Albert McMakin stepped in.
“Why don’t you come out and hear our fighting preacher?” he suggested.
“Is he a fighter?” I asked. That put a little different slant on things. “I like a fighter.”
Albert added the incentive of letting me drive his old vegetable truck into town for the meeting, loaded with as many folks, white and black, as he could get to go along. We all sat in the rear of the auditorium to see the show, with a few thousand other people – one of the largest crowds I had ever been in.
As soon as the evangelist started his sermon, he opened his Bible and talked straight from his text. He talked loudly, even though there was an amplifying system. I have no recollection of what he preached about, but I was spellbound. In some indefinable way, he was getting through to me. I was hearing another voice, as was often said of Dwight L. Moody when he preached: the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Bumping along in the truck on the way home, I was deep in thought. Later, after I stretched out on my back in bed, I stared out the window at a California moon for a long time.
The next night, all my father’s mules and horses could not have kept me from getting to that meeting. From then on, I was a faithful attendant, night after night, week after week.]
– This young man would continue to go to Dr. Ham’s revival meetings and at one such meeting would receive salvation and become a Christian. Do you guys know who this person is? It is none other than Billy Graham (Excerpt from Just as I am).
This was just a really encouraging story to me. Imagine if Albert McMakin decided he was sick and tired of young teenage boys who were stubborn in going to Church. Imagine if he didn’t invite Billy Graham that night. I had my own Albert McMakin in my life, someone who invited me to go to Church every week, when I really didn’t care about going. If he didn’t care about me, if I didn’t go to that college, if so many things that went right didn’t go right, I might not have become a Christian. But I did, and so did Billy Graham. And I’ve been realizing these days how blessed it is to know how specifically God loves you. He loves you so much that he’s sending Albert McMakins left and right in your direction so that you would be well taken care of. I hope that your eyes and ears are open to God’s wonderful grace everyday.
p.s. I know a lot of you college guys are going through finals right now, stay strong! Remember that Jesus continues to work on your behalf without ceasing. Lift up that burden, or stress, or frustration – give it to God and take heart that He is with you in your hardships.
[FONT="]6 [/FONT][FONT="]You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.[/FONT][FONT="] - Romans 5[/FONT]
[FONT="]10[/FONT][FONT="] This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. - 1 John 4[/FONT]
[Despite my parents’ enthusiasm, I did not want anything to do with anyone called an evangelist – and particularly with such a colorful character as Dr. Ham (the preacher). Just turning sixteen, I told my parents that I would not go to hear him … one day I read about his (Dr. Ham) charge regarding immoral conditions at Central High School in Charlotte. He claimed to have affidavits from certain students that a house across the street from the school, supposedly offering the boys and girls lunch during noon recess, actually gave them some additional pleasures.
When the scandalous story broke, rumors flew that a number of angry students, on a night yet to be determined, were going to march on the tabernacle and demonstrate right in front of the platform. Maybe they would even do some bodily harm to the preacher. That stirred up my curiosity, and I wanted to go just to see what would happen. But how could I save face after holding out for nearly a month? That was when Albert McMakin stepped in.
“Why don’t you come out and hear our fighting preacher?” he suggested.
“Is he a fighter?” I asked. That put a little different slant on things. “I like a fighter.”
Albert added the incentive of letting me drive his old vegetable truck into town for the meeting, loaded with as many folks, white and black, as he could get to go along. We all sat in the rear of the auditorium to see the show, with a few thousand other people – one of the largest crowds I had ever been in.
As soon as the evangelist started his sermon, he opened his Bible and talked straight from his text. He talked loudly, even though there was an amplifying system. I have no recollection of what he preached about, but I was spellbound. In some indefinable way, he was getting through to me. I was hearing another voice, as was often said of Dwight L. Moody when he preached: the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Bumping along in the truck on the way home, I was deep in thought. Later, after I stretched out on my back in bed, I stared out the window at a California moon for a long time.
The next night, all my father’s mules and horses could not have kept me from getting to that meeting. From then on, I was a faithful attendant, night after night, week after week.]
– This young man would continue to go to Dr. Ham’s revival meetings and at one such meeting would receive salvation and become a Christian. Do you guys know who this person is? It is none other than Billy Graham (Excerpt from Just as I am).
This was just a really encouraging story to me. Imagine if Albert McMakin decided he was sick and tired of young teenage boys who were stubborn in going to Church. Imagine if he didn’t invite Billy Graham that night. I had my own Albert McMakin in my life, someone who invited me to go to Church every week, when I really didn’t care about going. If he didn’t care about me, if I didn’t go to that college, if so many things that went right didn’t go right, I might not have become a Christian. But I did, and so did Billy Graham. And I’ve been realizing these days how blessed it is to know how specifically God loves you. He loves you so much that he’s sending Albert McMakins left and right in your direction so that you would be well taken care of. I hope that your eyes and ears are open to God’s wonderful grace everyday.
p.s. I know a lot of you college guys are going through finals right now, stay strong! Remember that Jesus continues to work on your behalf without ceasing. Lift up that burden, or stress, or frustration – give it to God and take heart that He is with you in your hardships.
[FONT="]6 [/FONT][FONT="]You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.[/FONT][FONT="] - Romans 5[/FONT]
[FONT="]10[/FONT][FONT="] This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. - 1 John 4[/FONT]