Tag Archives: Herald of Truth

The Power of Story

2 Replies

While eating lunch with friends the other day, I was reminded of the power of story. People listen to stories and remember them. They often impact us in a way that other forms of teaching don’t. Maybe that’s why such a large part of the Bible is in narrative form.

At Herald of Truth, Steve Ridgell has developed a seminar called Sharing Our Story. It emphasizes the use of stories in teaching others about Jesus, both stories from the Bible and stories of our own experience with God. It’s a powerful seminar; this isn’t really meant to be a promo, but I would highly recommend it to any congregation.

On our HopeForLife.org website, we use videos of people telling their story to help introduce people to the gospel message. Again, I have to say that there is a power in those testimonials that a step-by-step presentation could never have.

Preachers have long complained that their listeners remember the stories and not the points. One of my professors at ACU tried to teach us to use stories to our advantage, making the point with the stories. Jesus didn’t explain most of his parables; the story was the message.

In what ways have you seen the power of story in your own life?

Tulsa Workshop

7 Replies

I was in Tulsa, Oklahoma last week for the Tulsa Workshop (formerly the International Soul-Winning Workshop). I was sent by Herald of Truth and spent most of my time manning the Herald of Truth booth in the exhibit area. We were talking to people about the evangelism seminars we are offering now, promoting our book, talking with people about the TV spots and video testimonials we have available, and signing people up to receive our newsletter for more information in the future.

Being in an exhibit like that is always an interesting experience. When people walk by the booth of a non-profit, they often avoid making eye contact, afraid of being pressured for some kind of commitment (at least that’s my perception). We were actually more successful in making contacts than were several of the non-profits I talked to. However, the real benefit for non-profits is visibility. People see that your organization is still working, is still  creating new projects and doing new things. If a group is absent, the question goes around: Does (Organization X) still exist?

I got to do a few things as an author. I met with the booksellers that were carrying our books (there were three that I found), and I even did a book signing for one of them. I also got flagged down by someone as I walked through the exhibit area, asking, “Did you write this book? Would you sign it for me?”

The workshop was really enjoyable on a personal level. I got to meet lots of people that I’ve only known on the Internet. I’ll be brave and try to list some of them: Trent Tanaro, Al Maxey, Brian Nicklaus, Paula Harrington, Chris Gallagher, John Dobbs, Edward Fudge, Royce Ogle, Victor Knowles, Steve Tucker, Trey Morgan, Carl Feril, Doug Young, James Jones, Dusty Rush, Janice Garrison, Amanda Sanders, Darin Hamm, Gerry Parker, Wade Tannehill, Jamie Riley. I saw Bobby and Tamie Ross again, although I told them that it was more fun meeting them this time since I’ve gotten to know them on the Internet. I got to visit with friends from other non-profits that I often see at workshops: James Satcher, Jerry Hill, Calvin and Linda Henry, Jo Gower, Omar Corpus, Truitt Adair. I also saw a few people that I’ve known in the past but don’t see often: Sal and Margie Urrabazo, Kent Marcum, Diana Teel, Carlos Gonzales.

I’m sure I left out some people. Somebody might point out some I missed. I did want to say that the highlight of the workshop had to be Friday lunch. Some of us went to Casa Bonita (now I can say I’ve been there and never have to do that again). We had a group of about 20, and we had a lot of fun laughing and joking with our waitress. As we got ready to leave, Steve Tucker asked her if we could do anything for her. She laughingly said, “Pray for me,” then got serious as people pressed her as to what specific things needed prayer in her life. We had a great chance to pray for her and minister to her.

I didn’t get much of a chance to hear speakers or attend classes, but I still had a great workshop. I know that many people were blessed by their time there.

Blessed by giving

5 Replies

This is the third March that I want to tell you the story of a certain woman in Cuba. Two years ago, I got to tell you the story of her baptism. Last year, I told you about seeing her again and learning of her need for a wheelchair. That thought weighed on me for a year, especially as we shared her story with many people as we talked about the work in Cuba.

Early this year, Bill Brant, president of Herald of Truth, got up from a meeting about Cuba, walked to the phone and called his friend Ed Enzor, head of Global Samaritan Resources. The conversation was short, but important. Yes, Global Samaritan had a wheelchair that we could take to Cuba.

Lots of questions remained to be answered. How would we transport it? What would the airlines charge us if we carried it with us? Could we even get it through customs? Since we were spending the night in Cancun on our way to Cuba, how difficult would it be to carry the wheelchair with us to the hotel and back?

As we thought about complications, we knew that any hassles we might have would be nothing compared to what this woman went through on a regular basis. We asked for and received many prayers all along the way.

Everything went smoothly. Neither American nor Mexicana gave us any problems about carrying the wheelchair, nor did they charge us for it. The hotel shuttle in Cancun helped us take the chair back and forth from the airport. Neither Mexican customs nor Cuban customs took a second look at the wheelchair.

Sunday night, when we got to surprise this Christian lady with her new wheelchair, we knew that we were the ones that were blessed by this gift. What a wonderful experience.

Passing The Torch: Steve Ridgell

4 Replies

Having written about Randy Mayeux yesterday, it’s only appropriate that I also write about Steve Ridgell, because the two of them were influencing my life at about the same time. Steve came to the University Church of Christ in Abilene as Campus Minister about my senior year at ACU. Since I stayed around to do graduate work, I had time to get to know Steve. He had preached in Winnsboro, Texas, the hometown of my roommate, so I was around Steve even though I wasn’t attending University at that time. I even went to some informal classes that Steve gave for some of us who were looking to become ministers, and I got to join a group of twelve that worked with Steve in leading the campus ministry.

It was good for me that I got to be around Randy and Steve about the same time because they were almost total opposites. Randy strictly followed the guidelines from Dress For Success. Steve wore blue jeans almost constantly. Randy believed in doing what it took to be invited to speak; he told me, “I have something to say, and I don’t mind shaking the right hands to get to say it.” Steve took the opposite tack, saying, “If I really have something to say, I’ll get the chance to say it.”

While Randy was all about mining the text for deeper meanings, Steve was focused on making the text practical. His speaking style naturally appealed to college students, and more than a thousand of them would come to hear him on Wednesday nights. But Steve especially taught me about dealing with people on a personal basis. He gave me advice about life and career when I really needed it. And he gave me the freedom to use some of my gifts in ministry.

It’s interesting to write this now, because life has led me to work with Steve again. He is Director of Ministry at Herald of Truth and was responsible for my coming to work here. We travel the world together, preaching and teaching, and now we’ve written a book together. Life takes interesting turns.

I’m enjoying this series of Passing The Torch which John Dobbs began. Be sure and read some of the other stories. And bless us all by writing your own.

To Tegucigalpa and back

2 Replies

I got to make a quick trip to Tegucigalpa last week, traveling for Herald of Truth, along with Steve Ridgell, our director of ministry. In 2008, we sponsored a TV program there, so we went back to talk to some of the local Christians about their impression of what was done there.

Turned out that getting out of town was the hardest part. Abilene got a nice round of snow on Tuesday; we flew out on the 5:50 a.m. flight, which actually left at 1 p.m. From there the travel went smoothly. Abilene-Dallas, Dallas-Miami, Miami-Tegucigalpa.

A week after my last trip to Honduras, in May 2008, there was a nasty crash at the Tegucigalpa airport. That crash convinced them to redo the main runway. Much safer, but the landing isn’t nearly as exciting as it used to be. When it comes to airplanes, however, I guess boring is good.

We got to spend a couple of days with Rigoberto Vargas, Herald of Truth representative in Central America. It’s always good to be with him.

It was a quick trip, but we got to see a lot of other nice people along the way:

  • Larry Musick and Buck James from ACU who were flying out of the Abilene airport on their way to Atlanta.
  • Bill Smith, Abilene resident who is a tenured professor at Pepperdine. He was on his way to Las Vegas to give a speech, but had his plans changed by the snow.
  • Tim Hines, president of Torch Ministries in Honduras, who was at the airport in Tegucigalpa when we arrived.
  • Howard Norton, head of the Baxter Institute in Tegucigalpa; we went by the school to visit with him.
  • A group of preachers from Tegucigalpa who spent time with us evaluating the TV program and talking about future possibilities.
  • I got to speak with Marc Tindall, missionary in Tegucigalpa, by phone. I hope to get to meet him in person on a future trip.
  • Cameron Hartsell, ACU grad who works with Mission Lazarus. He was at the Tegucigalpa airport as we left, sending one group off and welcoming another.
  • Andy Baker, who we know from World Christian Broadcasting, but who was in Honduras on a mission trip with the Berry’s Chapel Church of Christ. Bryan Dill and other members of the Holly Hill Church of Christ in Frankfort, Kentucky, were also with them.
  • John Tyson, Kevin Roberts and several others from ACU who were in the airport in Dallas as we returned home.

Lots of good people. God blessed us all along this trip.