I had met Harold King in 1973 when he came to our church as a part of a Christian Youth Ministry that was based in Nashville, Tennessee. He was the associate to the Evangelist that was leading our church in Revival Services and he brought a bus load of Nashville teens who were all very enthusiastic young Christians. It was a great revival and Harold and I became friends from that first meeting.
After that, our church young people went to Nashville several times for Youth Rally events, so I had a chance to work with Harold on those occasions.
Later in the Winter of that same year (1973) our pastor invited a young Evangelist named Doug Anderson to come to our church to lead us in a week long revival. I remember that Friday was to be the last night of the revival and that I was going to have to miss the service because I was in the hospital after having my wisdom teeth removed.
I really hated missing any of the revival, because Doug was the most dynamic and powerful preacher that I had ever heard. We had immediately become good friends upon his arrival for the week-long meeting and God blessed our church through his preaching. I had been licensed into the Gospel ministry earlier that year and was at that time serving as the Youth Director of my home church.
I became a Christian in 1970 through the ministry of the Flint Baptist Church in Flint City, Alabama. A very short time after my conversion I began to receive invitations from my church and churches and other Christian organizations in the surrounding area to tell the story of my conversion and to lead in evangelistic meetings. Upon later reflection I came to believe that I had been chosen by God to be a minister for Him at the same time that I was saved.
Flint Baptist pastors, members, and leadership had always encouraged my growth in the Faith and gave me wonderful opportunities to practice becoming what God wanted me to be for Him. In 1973 the church formally recognized my call into Christian Service and issued a License in the Ministry of the Gospel to me. They immediately gave me my first church staff job by calling me to work as the Youth Director of the Church.
On the Friday night in 1973 that I lay in a hospital bed, wishing that instead I might be in a revival service at my church, I was alone in my room and feeling sore and groggy from the surgery and medication, but also sad and left out. Before the gloom could completely overcome me, Doug Anderson slipped into my room and sat down in a chair next to my bed.
It hurt to smile, but I smiled broadly, anyway.
I was thrilled that he took the time to come see me after the conclusion of our church revival and honored that he thought enough of me to take the time. He was on his way back to Hendersonville, Tennessee where he lived.
He told me everything about the service that I had missed, and the exciting conclusion. God had really moved during the final invitation and a number of people made important decisions before the night was over.
Before Doug left, he told me that he was about to embark upon one of the greatest adventures of his life. He couldn't tell me much about it because everything was still in the beginning stages. But he said that when he knew more, he would tell me.
Before he left my hospital room he told me that whatever God was planning for him, he believed that He wanted ME to be a part of the adventure!
I was astounded and speechless.
He had prayer with me and left.
The adventure to which he was referring (I later found out) was that he had been preaching in a Conference with several other preachers when he met a Dr. Paul Gupta. Dr. Gupta was touring the United States telling Americans about the great work that he was doing through his school, The Hindustan Bible Institute in Madras, India.
Dr. Gupta had spoken at the Conference where he and Doug met. Doug was one of the speakers at the meeting, too, and Dr. Gupta was very impressed with his preaching and ministry.
Dr. and Mrs. Gupta, Daniel, Sam and Sally
He told Doug that he would like to invite him to come to India as the guest of the Institute and to preach all over southern India. He could arrange for Doug to preach in dozens of cities, towns, and villages all across the Andrha Pradesh.
And -- if he had a support team that he could bring with him -- they would be welcome as well.
Doug began praying about the invitation -- when he accepted, he then asked Harold King and me to join him as his team. Doug would preach and Harold and I would sing at every meeting and preach as we were needed.
We departed on our journey in the Fall of 1974.
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One of the most memorable places that we were able to minister was in the city of Nellore. We got to sing and preach at the historic Lone Star Telugu Baptist Church.
I have included a link to a written history of that great church if you wish to read it. What an honor it was to stand and serve in a place where God had worked so mightily in the past.
I hope that you will read it (the link is below).
The Lone Star Telugu Baptist Church
in Nellore, India
The Nellore Town Hall where we held a public meeting
Town Hall Seating and Stage Platform
The History of the Telugu Mission by Dr. David Downie, D.D.
1 comment:
Great post! Yes, this is the India I know as well. Actually it looks like it had not changed much from the time you were there until I came later in the early 90s. I am pretty sure I have also been to Nellore. But I don't recognize any of the nationals in your photos. The first time I went, we were in and around Bangalore. Later I went to the Hyderabad area. That was what I was discussing at lunch. I also went to attent the "William Carey Bicentennial" in Serampore up near Calcutta in 1993.
Just another instance of how our lives have intersected! Fun stuff. I love India. It is so very different and interesting. Very challenging but also very interesting. The need for the Gospel is great there. Thanks for sharing these memories.
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