REFLECTIONS ON A CRUSADE by Jack 9t. Spiegel
O ut of curiosity, I looked up the word crusade in the dictionary. Two unique definitions are given: The first has to do with the Crusades in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to recover the Holy Land from the Moslems and the second and more common usage relating to vigorous, concerted action for some cause or against some abuse. The latter was exemplified to me in the total effort and achieve ment of the 1969 Billy Graham Southern California Crusade in Anaheim. Never had there been greater need for the display of such action for the cause of Jesus Christ. The entire panorama of the Crusade truly depicted a concerted effort of many Christians. The total planning which took place twelve months prior to the first day of the Crusade fulfilled the sym bolism of Romans 12:4-5: “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” On Thursday, Sept. 25, 1969, a final briefing was planned and details of the daily program dis cussed. Such a ministry of many churches requires multi-action endeavor. As in a ball game, there must be both the players and the spectators. A sense of spiritual expectation was evident in that “ball game,” the Crusade personnel consisting of staff, choir, ush ers and counsellors. The Bible says, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). With love and concern for the lost, with faith and eagerness to work, we prepared for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Billy Graham stated at the Ministers’ Breakfast prior to the start of the Crusade: “Everything is in readiness for the Crusade to begin; all we need is the Breath of God.” The excitement, the lights and the thousands of
eyes gazing down upon us as we made our way across the Angels' infield caused me to reflect upon the early New Testament Church. I thought of the great Apostle Paul as he stood atop Mars Hill. The gaze of the wisest intellects in the world was upon him as he preached the simple, yet pungent message of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:16-21). Peter experienced this power when he preached on the Day of Pentecost and three thousand souls were saved (Acts 2:41). That same miracle-producing energy was present at the Crusade. Moreover, it is available to all who claim the name of Christ, “for His Word was with power” (Luke 4:32). This power of the Spirit is expressed in action and believers who gather together radiate it. The magnitude of the Crusade reflected conviction and expectation. Over sixty per cent were under twenty-five years of age. The atmosphere in that infield section radiated with the electrifying power of the Spirit. The need was evident and the Lord Jesus Christ was present to meet it. TEARS AND TRANSFORMATIONS Naturally, the highlights of the Crusade were those who came forward and whose lives were changed by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. As I counselled with people of all denomi nations, I found they all had one thing in common— heartache and spiritual need. A nineteen-year-old lad came forward one evening with tears running down his cheeks. He kept ex claiming: " I want to be a preacher! I want to be a preacher!” As he began to sob, I asked him what decision he wanted to make and he said he came to be saved. We prayed the sinner’s prayer and together
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JUNE, 1970
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