In my youth, I could...
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In my youth, I could often be found at a tent meeting or a revival. There was always a flash in the pan coming through town and my friends were always excited to go. Sometimes their motive was to "shout up a storm" fellowship (euphemistic for socialize and get fresh material for their "shout imitations") and get a rush of ecstasy. On other occasions, they were seeking salvation --yet again (as if God couldn't get it right the first time).
Our pastor was constantly trying to keep the congregation from being "blown to and fro by every wind and doctrine." Always the soul of sobriety myself, I was never overcome at these meetings. I did question God's power to heal. On one occasion, I was signaled out by the evangelist and fearfully trembled toward the altar. It was only after this that I realized what it was all about. His hocus-pocus and energetic appeals didn't work too well with me and he partially denounced me.
Nevertheless, the next day I was moved to read the Scripture and there found that a sincere, believing heart and a confession in the congregation was the miracle formula. This I did and my life was dramatically and irrevocably changed that day. Things that previously enticed me held no further lure. Soon I came to know recovered drug addicts, alcoholics, and worse who made the same claim about God's miraculous transforming power. By the way, many of those revival-hopping friends from childhood still do.
Our pastor was constantly trying to keep the congregation from being "blown to and fro by every wind and doctrine." Always the soul of sobriety myself, I was never overcome at these meetings. I did question God's power to heal. On one occasion, I was signaled out by the evangelist and fearfully trembled toward the altar. It was only after this that I realized what it was all about. His hocus-pocus and energetic appeals didn't work too well with me and he partially denounced me.
Nevertheless, the next day I was moved to read the Scripture and there found that a sincere, believing heart and a confession in the congregation was the miracle formula. This I did and my life was dramatically and irrevocably changed that day. Things that previously enticed me held no further lure. Soon I came to know recovered drug addicts, alcoholics, and worse who made the same claim about God's miraculous transforming power. By the way, many of those revival-hopping friends from childhood still do.
