Most everyone that lived in the USA was involved in worshiping God. We had just come out of World War 2, and this historical event made us aware of asking for help from a Supreme Being. America had lost many young men and women who were our fighting soldiers in the wars with Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Thus, everyone had a high respect for every religion, especially Christianity. Our churches were packed out every Sunday. The wars ended in 1945. I was five years old and was active in the First Baptist Church in Pampa, Texas. I walked the aisle, was baptized at the age of nine, and practiced my faith diligently, bringing me to my story!
In April of 1954, the Harvester Basketball Team had just won their second state championship, Jim Bond, E Jay McIlvain, and me, Gary Griffin, had won “All-State” honors, which made us hometown heroes! Jim had already committed to becoming a minister of the Gospel at age 15. He preached in the Nazarene church from time to time.
That’s when the First Assembly of God Church on South Cuyler Street invited Jim to help with a youth revival on an April Sunday night.
Jim asked if he could bring two other teammates to give their testimonies and thus started our Youth Revival Team!
When we arrived that evening, we were informed that we were totally in charge of the service! So Jim said, “Grif, you lead the singing. And Jay, you do the praying… at the proper time.”
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let’s discuss this situation! This surprising addition to our night reminded me of the time we were playing Amarillo for the district championship, and they were giving us fits…So at half time, Coach McNeely told us to run a defense we had NEVER PRACTICED! In so doing it…we won the game because they didn’t know what offense to run! That was the one and only time our team ran this plan!
That’s how Jay and I felt about Jim’s “game plan.” I had never led the singing before, and Jay had never prayed in front of an audience…Jim said, “Hey, it’s easy. Just like riding a bike. You learn as you go!”
About that time, in walks the pianist, and she asked me for my list of songs we were about to sing…” Oh-my-gosh,” what to do…what to do…So, since this is a youth revival, let’s sing songs I like! So I said, “Onward Christian Soldiers,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” and two camp songs, “V Is For Victory” and “This World is Not My Home.” “And for the alter-call, I chose “Just as I Am.” Wellsir, I could see this frown on my pianist’s face, so I said,” Which song don’t cha-know?” She said, “The victory song.” So I hummed the tune, then sang the music, and she said, “Okay, I’ve got it.” I told her we would sing the song three times since the song only had five lines and a shout! Looking back, what a blessing she was to me to be able to pick up a new piece that quickly.
Jay had been busy writing down things to pray about, and then we came together, and Jim prayed for us that the Lord would honor our efforts!
The pastor called us to follow him, and we headed out to the sanctuary and our seats on the platform. I assumed the huge area in front of us was the kneeling bench, which I hoped would be used at the end of the service.
I had taken a liking to their pianist, an elderly lady, and I was in awe at her piano playing. Hilda used no sheet music or hymn book to play the songs we were about to sing, but she could play them like a concert pianist.
This church held 500 folks in their sanctuary, and it was packed out with the youth of Pampa in the front rows and the adults sitting in the back. The service was excellent (Jim was fantastic.), and many young people came to the front to make big decisions in their hearts and lives. The only “hic-up” came at my first hymn when I moved my hands with a grand flourish movement over my head. I meant for the congregation to get ready to sing, and they thought it meant for them to stand up and Hilda to start the song on the piano…I went into a moment of total shock, but Hilda saved me again as she quickly introduced the music, and everybody started singing!
Wellsir, the word got out to other churches, and our team did several invites. We even did one in Colorado. Jim went on to make his life serving the Lord all over the World. I think he kinda’ became famous… While in college, he played on the 1960 USA Olympic Basketball Team.
Jay and I played ball at Rice and ended up in the insurance business, but we continued to live our lives being busy for the Lord!
Yes, those were the days. Happy Easter, everyone!
