Sing, Elvis!

I grew up listening to and watching Elvis Presley's music and movies.

Even as a little boy I was aware that Elvis was one of us . . .

A Southern boy that made good, made it to the big time.

My Mother must have had an innocent crush on him (I'm sure Dad liked him, too), because we went to the drive in many times to see the newest Elvis movie. I guess that we saw them all.

Elvis was a singer, of course, not an actor. Though he could act  far better than I ever could, if asked or given the chance. So, I have never been critical of his acting abilities. Many have.

I enjoyed going to see Elvis' movies for many reasons. The hokey plot, the exciting film locations, the pretty girls, not to mention being out with the family. Buttery, greasy home-popped popcorn in a big Kroger paper grocery bag and a gallon jug of VERY sweet tea. (We never went to the concession stand, except to use the little boy's room.)

But more than all of that, I wanted to see AND hear Elvis sing. And we could do that at the movies.

From the very beginning of Elvis' career, you had to see him to get the whole effect!

Elvis first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in September of 1956. The year that I was born. I don't remember seeing him perform that night live, but I'm sure that I was propped up in front of a small black and white TV as Mom and Dad tuned him in. I have seen the video of that performance, it is historic on several levels, not the least of which is that the cameramen only shot him from the waist up!

Elvis Presley's sexy gyrations were a little too racy for American Home Viewing in 1956.

But later, we got to see the King's moves -- in the King's movies.

An amusing observation, however, is one that I made only in reflection as I looked back on those movie memories. It seems odd now that in every movie Elvis would be in a cafe, a club, on the beach, or in a parking lot -- and suddenly break into song!

For the most part, Elvis' movies would be classified as musicals (He did a few dramas that did not involve his singing talent). And, musicals always are a stretch on reality, because life is just not like that at all. But the viewer understands that, there is going to be story line and then the cast or the star will sing a song.

The actors are acting - the plot is progressing - the story is being told - and then someone says, "Sing, Elvis!" And Elvis would burst out into a fully orchestrated song and choreographed dance.

It seemed completely Hollywood to me, until I had my own Sing, Elvis moment.

In 1974 I had the amazing opportunity of traveling with two of my friends to the land of India. I was eighteen years old and had just graduated from High School. Harold Kind served at a Christian Ministry in Nashville, Tennessee and Doug Anderson was a Southern Baptist Evangelist. He was the leader of our trio of Preacher-Singers. He was only twenty at the time. We didn't realize it at the time, but we were just three kids on an adventure.

Dr. Paul Gupta, the President of the Hindustan Bible Institute in Madras (now Chennai), invited us to come to his country as his guests, and to travel all over southern India preaching and singing as Christian Missionaries and representatives of his school.

We traveled to India and visited more churches, schools, and meeting halls than I can remember. It was a tremendous opportunity for three eager boys. I am grateful for the memory of the experiences of that time, many of the things that happened shaped and changed me forever.

In the latter part of our stay there, quite frankly, we were tired, homesick, and exhausted. I had contracted a case of dysentery and had been very sick for a week or two. We all missed the rich southern food upon which we had all been raised, and we were not resting as peacefully as we might if we had been just a little closer to home.

Our mission was complete. We had met all of our engagements and fulfilled all of our commitments and obligations (as well as many stints that had not been planned and were not on the schedule). We had a few more weeks that we could stay, but we had run out of plan!

Shortly after we had arrived in Madras, Dr. and Mrs. Gupta and some of the School administrators and local pastors took us to visit the motel that Billy Graham had stayed at when he led the great Crusade there back in 1956. It was a gorgeous place and was renowned for its wonderful restaurant and dinning hall.

It was all very lavish! We felt like visiting dignitaries! Everything was beautiful and the food was served on a buffet like we had never seen before. 

Well, in our spent and bedraggled state, Harold suggested that we go back to the motel for a meal. Just the three of us for a refreshing and rejuvenating night out. It was enthusiastically received and we called a cab and headed into the city.

Everything in the dinning hall was candelabra lit and white linened. Waiting staff wore formal serving uniforms, the tables were all set with fine china and silverware. A five-piece live band was on a stage to our right, playing and singing popular songs in a variety of languages. We recognized many of the songs that they were singing.

It was all like a dream - as so much of what we had already experienced had been.

We ordered from the menu on this occasion and enjoyed the atmosphere and music as we waited for our food.

We ate as if we were starving and were finishing our desert when the band decided to take a break.

They placed down their instruments - and then came walking to our table!

Their spokesman, the lead singer, spoke to us in English as they approached us. "Are you Americans?" he asked in a friendly tone. We smiled and blushed, realizing how easily we were read by others by our speech and manners. We proudly owned the question, however, and shook hands and spoke with each member of the band. We complimented them for their music and singing and told them just a little about who we were and why we were in India.

When the band leader heard that I played the guitar and that Harold and I sang, he smiled broadly and said, "Sing, Elvis!"

Well, he didn't actually say those words, but that is what I heard.

Suddenly we were in a musical, and someone that we had just met was asking us to jump up on stage and perform.

Actually it was not a performance, but another chance for us to minster as we had so many times before. With help from the band we went to the small stage that they had been singing from, I was given use of the guitar that we had been enjoying earlier, the microphones were positioned and Harold and I sang.

The lavish dinning room was filled with some of the wealthiest travelers in the city (it appeared). It was a different time and no thought was given that we might offend one of the guests or that anyone would be angry at our music or our message.

We sang what had been our theme song all across India. We had sung it in churches, at schools, in meeting halls. In thatch-roofed huts, and open-air gatherings. In villages that was home to the poorest people that we had ever met.

And now it seemed in my mind that we were being asked to sing before Kings and Queens.

We sang "I'll Tell the World that I'm a Christian."

The members of the band all smiled and cheered for us appreciatively. (Doug, I think, was waiting to be asked to preach!). And when we concluded, every person in the dining hall applauded for us. 

We will only know in Eternity what seed might have been planted in some wealthy traveler's heart that evening. Something that led someone there to want to be able to tell someone that they were a Christian.

Our night on the town had been Harold's idea, but God sent us there that night.

Sitting at a table just behind us was a middle-aged couple. A man and his wife who were both doctors. And not only doctors, but Southern Baptist Missionaries.

They were on a layover on their way to serve at the Southern Baptist Convention Hospital in Bangalore. They had been assigned there after completing their seminary training and would be there for two years. The motel in Madras was the last stop in their journey before they would be taken by car to south India.

After our musical presentation they came to our table and introduced themselves. They invited us to their table and we had more desert and coffee. We enjoyed the sweetest fellowship, like we had all known each other for years. They talked about their faith and their journey and we shared ours.

They invited us to come down to Bangalore to see the work there and meet Dr. Rebekah Naylor, their Chief Surgeon and Director of the Hospital.

 

Dr. Rebekah Naylor, the Director of the Southern Baptist Hospital in Bangalore, India

was away on Sabbatical during our visit there in 1974. But her presence and her

influence were still strongly felt by us in her absence.

THIS was astounding -- even more surprising and glorious than our Elvis moment!

As things turned out, we DID travel to Bangalore. We stayed there for nearly two weeks. THAT story is ANOTHER adventure in itself. I will tell it later.

In 1 Peter 3:15 the Apostle says, "Always be ready to give an answer for the Hope that is in you!"

I am so glad that we were ready that night. We were in the groove. By the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit we were where we were supposed to be (thousands of miles from home), in the spot He had ordained for us. We didn't have a guitar - so He provided one. We didn't hesitate when we saw the chance to speak up and sing up.

That was a great blessing with untold Harvest, and our obedience opened up another door that we could not have found if we were looking for it. We couldn't have prayed for it by name or description, but God was leading.

I had already learned, and that night affirmed my belief, to be ready to jump when God says jump, never asking why or how high.

Believers: be ready at all times! You never know when a total stranger might look right at you and say,

"Sing, Elvis!"

I’ll Tell the World that I’m a Christian
Words and Music by Baynard L. Fox I’ll tell the world that I’m a Christian

I'm not ashamed His Name to bear
I'll tell the world that I'm a Christian 
I'll take him with me anywhere.

I’ll tell the world how Jesus saved me,
And how He gave me a life brand new;
And I know that if you trust Him,

That all He gave me He’ll give to you. 

I’ll tell the world that He’s my savior,
No other one could love me so;
My life, my all is His forever, 

And where He leads me I will go.

I’ll tell the world that He is coming
It may be near or far away;
But we must live as if His coming 

Could be tomorrow or today.   

For when He comes and life is over,
For those who love Him there’s more to be; 

Eyes have never seen the wonders 

That He’s preparing for you and me.  

O tell the world that you’re a Christian,
Be not ashamed His name to bear;
O tell the world that you’re a Christian,
And take Him with you ev’rywhere.