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A daily program powered by the Truth Network. This is kind of a great thing, and I'll tell you what. Where pop culture, current events, and theology all come together. Speak your mind. And now, here's today's Truth Talk Live host.
Welcome to Truth Talk Live. I'm Dwayne Carson. Our ministry is Date the Word, and we have the joy today to be your host for this episode of Truth Talk Live. And I've got a question as we're headed toward Thanksgiving, as we are reflecting one week away. I've got a question for you.
What pastor, preacher, evangelist Did you get to hear that you look back on and say, I am so glad I was able to hear him preach. And why? 1866-348-7884. This is a live talk show where you call in and you participate and I want to hear from you today what pastor, preacher, evangelist, Uh any one of those categories, as you think about it, Uh did you get to hear at least once One time. And it could have been live, it may have been on radio, it may have been on TV.
It may be a podcast. But did you look right now and you look back and you go, boy, I am really glad I got to hear this person preach, teach. Um I was uh Kind of scrolling through X not long ago when the Baja League baseball. Uh threw a question out there. What baseball player Are you glad you got to see play?
And uh I look back, I'm almost 65 years of age now, and so I've seen a lot of different baseball players through the years and um It got me thinking, but then immediately I'm thinking, what's more important now? Just hang on a moment. There's something more important. Uh what preachers did I get to hear That I am really glad I got to hear preach. And I was blessed, make no mistake, by being the campus pastor at Liberty University for nearly 25 years and hosting chapels.
I've heard so many incredible men of God and so many incredible messages. Topping them off will be Dr. Jerry Falwell. But I want to hear from you. Uh And think Back for a moment.
What preacher? Did you get to hear? that you are really glad. You've got to hear them preach. And we already have a call.
We have Chris. From Ohio. Chris, welcome to Truth Talk Live. Thanks, Dwayne. Thanks for having me.
Yeah, man. Tell us about a preacher or two. that uh really uh you're glad you got to hear them preach.
Well, I can think of so many, like you said, Jerry Falwell. all the years down at Liberty, hearing him. my home pastor, doctor Harold Henninger, they were great. But I I'll tell you two that really have stuck with me in the ministry I have been pastoring here in Ohio for twenty six years at our church. And there are two that just come back over and over again.
One is Doctor Paul Fink. I had the privilege of yeah, I had the privilege of of of going I He was my mentor, my homiletics professor.
So I went up to see him do it in person to see. how you're supposed to preach a sermon. It was Mother's Day. The sermon was okay. It was a Mother's Day sermon.
But that wasn't the part of the sermon that stuck. As he was closing the sermon giving the invitation, there was a woman in the church who was angry about things. and came up and began to level all kind of accusations against The church. They weren't doing this, they weren't doing that. And they were unfair accusations.
They were untrue, obviously. And I watched The gracious humility of Dr. Fink. As He asked for her forgiveness, asked her. Um to please allow them to minister to her.
and took what could have been just a very ugly thing on a Mother's Day. and turned it into just such a sweet picture of what it means to walk in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. And um That was just incredible. Um Yeah, I'll never forget that. He You know, his all of his kids were there obviously for Mother's Day.
And they're bristling and they're They're they're wondering what what's that gonna do? And he was just so gracious. And and I know the number of times, you know, ministry criticism comes whether it's fair or unfair. and you have to figure out how you're going to respond. I I learned that day, and that was back in nineteen Ninety-three.
Yeah. How to answer graciously. in the midst of criticism. Yeah, that's really stuck with me. This question sure stirred something in your soul.
Full disclosure for our listeners. Chris was a student at Liberty when I was campus pastor. And he pastors a church in Dover, Ohio, Dover Temple, Dover Baptist Temple. And um So you can Chris, you may not know this about me. But I would say one of my uh preachers, pastors that I'm glad I got to hear.
is doctor Paul Fink. And for our listeners, Dr. Paul Fink did teach homiletics at Liberty University. And when I came to Liberty in 1984, 1984, My cousin had heard that I was moving back to Lynchburg, movi going to Liberty. And he told me, he said, Duane, I'm telling you, you need to come to my church And here, a guy by the name of Dr.
Paul Fink, he teaches at Liberty, and he is. Excellent. And so I got permission. In 1984, you had to get permission to go to a different church other than Thomas Road Baptist Church. I got permission to drive out to hear Dr.
Fink preach and uh And immediately, I wanted to be a part of that church. And I did, like you, sat under him. and watch him handle the difficult passages. But also handle difficult situations. And then I'd have him for homiletics, but seeing him in action, listening to him in action.
That that was the sharpening. Oh, it was. Dr. Paul Fink. He's in heaven now.
But there's no telling how many preachers he sharpened. And I don't know if you know this, Chris, but I had Dr. Fink speak in chapel at Liberty. And He preached on Romans 12, 1 and 2. And as only he could do it with his prepositions and propositions, he laid it out as best anyone I've ever heard on Romans twelve, one and two.
Now, I think you said you may have had another person that impacted you. I do. I do. Before I do, let me give you another Dr. Fing story.
You know, I worked in the spiritual life office. And I don't know if you remember, we had the young man who went around the bend up on Liberty Mountain. And crashed, and we were in the hospital with him all night long waiting for his family to move. Yes, I was supposed to preach the next morning in homiletics class. And I came in expecting Dr.
Fink to be like, oh, you've been ministering all night. This is great. No, you can preach next time. And he looked me in the eye. And he said, what are you going to do when you're in your church and you're in the hospital all night long, the church still needs fed.
you're going to preach. That's Dr. Fink. He got me through that. You know, back then they talked to you while you preached in your ear the mic or the headset.
You heard the whole time. And he was so encouraging. Chris, we're going to need to go to a quick break, and I want to get other people to be calling in now: 866-348-7884. Chris, you hang on. We'll be right back.
Truth Talk Live. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Ah Major League Baseball on X wants to know which baseball player in the past. Did you get to see, and you're really glad you got to see them play in action?
Well, that's a great question, and you can sure do a lot of reflecting. If you like baseball, and I do, but I'll tell you, that got me thinking. Uh what pastor, what preacher? that I get to hear at some point in my life That I am really glad I got to hear. I got invited one time to go and hear Billy Graham preach at the Washington, D.C., Greater Billy Graham Evangelistic Outreach.
And I still remember being in that building. I got to hear this guy preach. about champions. Here at Liberty University, We talk about championship status. We often say if it is Christian, it ought to be better.
We don't think anyone should cut us slack. because we name the name of Christ. We ought to expect to achieve in whatever we do. And we're training some of you to be educators, some. to go into business, others into government.
Summoned to the ministry of the gospel. Others into the sciences, the arts. Athletics. We want that when you graduate from Liberty University, with a bachelor's or a master's or a doctorate. that you'll be ready to go on to another university, a professional school.
or into your vocation for life. Trained. to be a champion for Christ. Train to be a A champion for Christ. I heard that message.
I am so glad I got to hear Dr. Jerry Falwell. And we're asking you today to call into our show, Live Talk Show, Truth Talk Live, 866-348-7884. I want to hear a preacher, a pastor that made an impact on your life that you're able to look back now and say, I am so glad I got to hear them. We've got Chris Rhodes, he's up in Dover.
Ohio, not Dover at Delaware, Dover, Ohio. And we've been talking about him having an opportunity to. Hear Dr. Paul Fink, more than that, see Dr. Paul Fink in action.
He was the homiletics professor at Liberty University. He was my homiletics professor. And I've let Chris know he was also my pastor at one point.
So, Chris, welcome back to Truth Talk Live. And you were telling us about a time. The Doctor Fink Told you, even though you came in from ministering all night long. I remember that situation. You still had to preach in chapel.
Continue with that story, what Dr. Fink told you.
So Dr. Fink reminded me that In the ministry you don't get to choose when when tragedies hit. but yet be ready to preach in season and out of season. And you know, That's right, no matter what. And He was talking through the headset in my ear the entire time I was preaching.
And just keeping me going. My eyes were so tired I I could barely keep them open. And he he just brought me through. And I'll always remember that many times late night calls. And I hear his voice going, You have to preach tomorrow.
Yep. Always remember that. Yep. Yeah. And you say you had somebody else that impacted your life.
Yeah, um The Evangelist Junior Hill. Over health. Yeah. I'll tell you a great story. I was at a conference, a young pastor.
Um Small rural church. And It was a difficult season in ministry. We all have those. And I had gone to the conference really looking to be encouraged. And I'll be honest, I wasn't being encouraged.
There were a lot of mega pastors there, and I won't say their names. But they were telling us how great they were and how they did things right. And if we did them like they did them, that we would we would have the same success they had. And Junior Hill got up to preach. And as Junior Hill got to the microphone, he asked, He said, I want every pastor in here.
who passes less than one hundred fifty people to stand up. And so we're standing up and we're expecting to get the the treatment we've got so far, you know, you guys need to get with it. He looked, he said, I want you to understand that every one of these guys up here today aren't telling you the truth. They're not telling you about all the little churches that they pastored that didn't go right. They're just telling you about the one that did.
And many of you are pastoring out in the wilderness, just like the apostles whose names were never heard of again. and you're pastoring churches that Jesus Christ was pastoring that church. they would give him as many problems as they're giving you. And then he proceeded to preach the passage. or Paul reminds Timothy.
Could be a Be a testimony, regardless of his youth. Don't let anyone look down on him, but be the example. He's 2412. Yes. And it was I tell you what, I walked out that night Uh uh walking on clouds.
It felt so good to be lifted up and be told Uh You just have to be faithful. it it's God's not looking to see how many people you have this week, how big the offering was this week. He wants to know. R U. Yeah.
What a great word. Yeah. And Junior Hill, what a great evangelist. He did. He had the ability to stir people up.
No question about that. Hey, listeners, 866-348-7884. I want to hear your story: a preacher, a pastor that you look back on and you say, I am so glad I got to hear them preach. Chris, I got to hear a guy by the name of Vance Hafner. Oh, yes.
He was good. You would have may have heard him or read one of his books. I believe he died in 1984. I got to hear him in 1982. And I came to Criswell Bible College.
And oh my word, I didn't know who this guy was. I'm just getting started in ministry. And he preached out of the book of Amos. And uh to this day, I have never forgotten That man said Your salvation is secure. Your testimony is not.
And he said, I'm praying, I pray every day, Lord, help me to get home before it gets dark. I don't want to make a mess. of a great life lived for you in the last minute of the game of life. And I'm like, wow. Uh that was nineteen eighty two for me.
Yeah. Yeah. Well, Chris, thank you for your call today. Great memories of two great men. And we're looking for other callers: 866-348-7884.
And I'm going to go now to David, who's in Lynchburg. And Chris, again, thank you. David, you're on Truth Talk Live. How are you today? I'm blessed and just very, very thankful.
You know, I've been thinking. Since I heard your topic, and just listening, thinking back of all those amazing preachers I've heard over the years And I'm a Chuck Swindoll fan, a D. James Kennedy. Uh you know, I can name them over and over and over. But if I am could be really thankful I I gotta tell you, I was in Okinawa, Japan.
serving in the military and lost. I was serving her at a deployment. And my wife was invited to church. to hear an evangelist named Tim Lee. How about that?
She got saved, Dwayne. Hearing this evangelist Come all the way over to speak to a bunch of. American military in Japan and my wife got saved. A week later. I'm back home.
She invites me. I went to the same church. And Pastor Chuck Trullett preached, and I got saved.
Now I can tell you about the amazing Ed Heinsens and all the others I've heard over the years. But those two men instrumental in our lives Preaching the gospel. with clarity. And we got saved. Hey, Dave, can you hang on for just a minute?
We're going to take a quick break. I want to hear more from you. This is Proof Talk Live. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live.
I'm Dwayne Carson and today we are talking about Reflecting on preachers, pastors, even evangelists who would have impacted our lives in a special way that we look back and say, I am so glad I got to hear them preach. Inspired by a post on Twitter X, where they wanted to know what kind of what baseball player was I glad I got to see play. And I look back and I thought I saw Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves play. I got to see Clayton Kershaw pitch. But that pales.
in uh with absolutely no comparison. To the preachers that I've been able to hear that impacted my life and my ministry. And I just thought I'd pitch this question to our listeners today. We're at 866-348-7884. This is a live talk show.
We want you to call in. Tell us about a pastor or preacher you got to hear, and you're so glad you got to hear this person preach. We've got on the phone right now on the line Dave from Lynchburg. And Dave, you were telling us before we had to go to a break about a guy named Tim Hill, Tim Lee, Tim Lee, coming all the way to Japan. Tell us a little bit more about that evangelist.
Well, Tim Lee is a is a Marine. uh he had his legs blown off in uh in um Vietnam. Uh yeah actually I had just about a week left in the country. And he asked to walk point, which is the lead man in his The sergeant wanted him to stay safe. Go home safe, didn't want him to do it.
Tim wanted specifically asked for that position to lead his men. And he got his legs blown off. He said that years later that he ran from God's call and now he couldn't run anymore. And he surrendered to God's call to preach, and just an amazing evangelist. And um uh loves serving military and preaching the military.
He is he is A modern day um Um One of the great evangelists, especially. such an encouragement to so many military Um Of course, I gotta tell you, Dwayne. I met him years later in 2000. It was 87, I gotta say, 13 years later. I had surrendered to preach.
When I got out of the military, went to a small college, then came to Liberty in 2000. I was in a restaurant here in Lynchburg. And here comes a guy wheeled into this restaurant by his wife. and he's missing his legs and I looked at him, I thought, is that Tim Lee? It'd been a few years, 13 years.
I walked over, apologized, introduced myself. And I I asked him if he was the evangelist Tim Lee. Stuck as ENF said definitely is. And I told him that he led my wife to Christ. 13 years earlier in Okinawa.
He's at Okinawa. Were you a Marine? I said, no, sir, I was Air Force. He said, Well, I'm sure God had a plan for you guys too. And he kind of laughed.
And every time I've talked to him, He's asked me, were you a Marine? No, sir, I was Air Force.
Well, I guess God's got plans for them, too. And he just made me laugh. But just so down to earth, but when it comes to preaching the word of God without hesitation or reservation, He was just simply preached the The truth of the Bible. And like I said, my wife got saved. A week later, I got saved.
A few years later, God called me into ministry. And um I am so thankful God allowed us to hear Tim Lee preach. Yes, yes. And I had the same privilege many times because he would come to Liberty and I'd get the chance to introduce him, to speak to our students. And he's one of the modern day heroes of the faith.
No question about that. And uh uh then you had another gentleman. that you heard preach that c Caused you to decide to follow Jesus. And what was his name again? His name is Chuck Truitt.
He was a former Marine. Um he was uh disabled. And when the ministry, after thirteen years in the Marine Corps, uh went to Tennessee Temple. came back to Okinawa and he was my pastor over there. He's the one that actually led me to the Lord and discipled me.
He lives in Florida. I know right now he's in Europe. uh still has a retired 78-year-old man still preaches. Every chance he can. He's in Europe.
Uh as a former missionary. He fills in while missionaries come home on furlough. And um Chuck Truitt is just one of those. Those men that stuck with it uh in the tough, tough situations. And uh Uh you know, all these big name preachers Um Get the glory.
But it's the guys that are in the trenches That um It's going to be interesting to see them receive their rewards. That's exactly right. That's exactly right. Uh they're they're they're those that are getting I got one more and I'll let you go. There's a guy named Dwayne Carson.
Now move on, Dave. that we preach is whenever and wherever to get the glory of God out. And I am so honored to call you my friend.
Well, I'm honored that I get to call you my friend and thank you for that compliment. Dave, thanks for your call. We're looking for other callers: 866-348-7884. We've got Brian. He's calling today from Fayetteville, Georgia.
Brian, welcome to Truth Talk Live. I got to believe you've had some preachers you've heard preach that have impacted your life. Tell us about a couple of them. Thank you, Pastor Carson, man. I can't think of a better question this time of year than talking about men that God has used to to change our lives and that liberty.
I got to hear the greatest preachers in the world, but. There was one that stands out head and shoulders above everybody else.
So when I got saved in two thousand one, And I was hungry for the Word of God. I was at Walmart late one night and I was walking through the book section. I saw this book. And it says, basically, the title was What You Have When You Have Jesus. And um and I've you know, I bought it and I read the book, and in the back of it, there was the C D of the sermon that the book came from.
And I listen to that sermon every single time. That I drove from a little town in South Georgia to Lynchburg, Virginia, 576 miles. And I would listen to that sermon every time I went home and every time I came back to Liberty and And I listen to it so often that I memorize it. I could quote it to you right now. And my senior year I looked on the preaching schedule and right there in the middle of it.
Was Pastor E.B. Hill. Wow. And I was so excited. I remember just, I saw you in one of our meetings, and I thanked you for bringing him.
And Pastor E.B. Hill came and he preached. And afterwards, I got to meet him, and he signed the book. or sign his book. And I just got to spend just a few minutes with him, and I thank him for the impact that he made in my life.
From a book that he wrote and a sermon that he preached way back in the 80s at Moody Bible College. And, you know, the three points of that sermon were: you know, when you have Jesus, you have. You have peace with God. You have the peace of God. And at any moment, God can reach in and he gives you exactly what you need for life.
And I found that to be true. You know, there's a lot of people you want to have peace with in this life, but man, when you've got peace with God, you can stand anywhere and you can stand before anybody, knowing not that God's got your back, but that you're serving the king of glory. And it was just really awesome. And, you know, what the crazy thing is. Pastor E.B.
Hill passed away probably a month after he was at Liberty.
So I always think of that as a gift the Lord gave me, but I got to meet. One of my giants. Um they're they're on the mountain. Mm. That's awesome.
E. V. Hill, he was one of the favorites when he came to Liberty to Preach. No question about that. He impacted Dr.
Falwell's life. And I'll tell you somebody else he impacted that you may not know about. He impacted Dr. W.A. Criswell.
I was at the Crystal Bible College and got to hear Dr. Hill preach. And Dr. Hill started asking Dr. Criswell about different ministries that he did not haif in Dallas.
That he had in Los Angeles. And Dr. Criswell, I just want to know: what is your ministry to the drug addicts? What is your ministry to the prostitutes? And Chris Wolf started weeping and just went down to his knees.
And he got up and then he said, I confess. to all of you. We are not doing enough for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I dedicate myself tonight. We're going to do more to reach the lost here in Dallas. That was the impact of a Dr.
E. V. Hill. And dancing.
Well, Brian, thank you for your call today. I've got other callers that we want to go to, but thank you for calling in from Fayetteville, Georgia. And I know you want to say go dogs. Yes, sir. We're speaking at the right time.
We'll bring on the world. Go, Bucks. You have a good one, my friend. You just Thank you. We've got Edward from Shelby, North Carolina.
Edward, you're on Truth Talk Live. Thanks for your call. Oh, you're certainly welcome. My name is Everett instead of Everett. My fault is Everett.
Yeah, you got it close. But I was a student at Liberty from 1976 to 1981. Yes, sir. There were two men that came to preach together and Uh doctor uh John R. Rice and Dr.
Curtis Hudson. And I know that Dr Dr. John R. Rice was in his stating years. He could that Dr.
Curtis Hutson had to ask him had to encourage him to preach. He was standing at the pulpit And his mind, you know, it's not what it used to be. And he said, What am I doing here? And Dr. Kerry said, Preach, Dr.
Rice, preach. And Dr. Rice priest And when he finished that message, there's probably 100 students at the altars weeping and crying. But doctor John R. Rice and Dr.
Curtis Hudson They instilled in me soul winning. And uh, I never was a soul winner until I heard these two men talk, and they both preach on soul winning. And since that time, I've led a lot of people to Jesus. Uh I pastured for forty one years. But I felt like that people getting saved in my church are not the same thing as going to knocking on doors.
And I encourage my people. And we had uh a lot of people go out and knock on doors. But God was so good because He gave me a love and a burden to lost those through these two men. They preach soul winning. Dr.
John La Rice preached no soul winning. Dr. Curtis Hudson preached soul winning. And oh how that this broke my heart. It spoke to me.
And I'm now 82 years old. And I'm still liking old doors because I I I love doing that and going to the beach. Hey Everett, we've got to go to a break. You hang on. I want to talk to you some more.
Bye. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Yeah. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live. I'm Dwayne Carson, and today, It's my joy to ask you.
What preacher? What evangelist, pastor? Do you look back on and you say, I'm so glad I was able to hear them preach? As we reflect, headed into Thanksgiving. Who are those pastors that have really shaped your life?
866-348-7884, we've got Everett on the line. He's 82 and he's telling us about a time at Liberty Baptist College. Where he got to hear Dr. John R. Rice and Curtis Hudson.
And Everett, I'm glad you stayed on the line with us because I just wanted to tell you: the moment you mentioned John R. Rice and you mentioned Curtis Hudson, the two words that popped into my mind was.
Soul winners. Absolutely. Yeah. So I weep now. My my I weep when I think about it.
I bet Dr. Curtis Rice, Dr. John L. Rice, and Curtis Hudson. Uh, they instilled in me and I know it's the Holy Spirit working, the Holy Spirit just instilled in me a love for lost souls and And I've been uh Chasing people ever since then, and I love knocking on doors.
Sometimes, you know, I get the door to close in my face. But I want a lot of people doing that. And as a pastor, we had many people saved in our church. But I never considered it the same thing as going out knocking on doors because I I believe when Jesus sent them after seventy She sent them out to go knock on doors and they did. I believe when the Apostle Paul, for three years, warning people about the coming of Christ.
So I feel like that That pastor should go out and knock on doors, but they're not doing it today, Brother Duane. And that breaks my heart. It breaks my heart. But the Holy Spirit put love in my heart for souls. I don't discern whether they're white, black, yellow, whatever.
I think we have one church, and that one church has no. uh dissemination between race and color or whatever. God made us all equal. And we shouldn't go and win them all. I uh my church I had as many black people as I had white people in my churches and um but God um He instilled that love, but he used Dr.
John R. Rice and Dr. Curtis Hudson to do that in my heart. And I'll never forget those men, but John L. Rice was fading into years.
It wasn't too long after that he went to heaven. But I've heard him preach to even years uh before that at Liberty. He came there cuffed several times when I was there. But um This man loved the souls. Yes.
Dr. Church Hussain, they love souls. It seemed like almost every time they preach in churches, they preach on flow with him. Yep. Thank God for them teaching me and inspiring me.
And God used those men. And like I said, I made it to it, and I still knock on doors. I'm not able to pastor anymore. I wish there was. But I'm out of church that I went to that God sent me there because they were not knocking on doors.
They had no soul winning program. And now we've got a soul waiting program and then we've got people going to knock on doors. And to so bless my heart that he's still using me at that age and getting other people encouraged to go out and bring them in. And God's using you right now, speaking to our listeners. Let's knock on doors for Jesus.
And Dr. Hudson, all the way back in the 70s, is still having an impact. Dr. Rice, Everett, thank you for your call. And I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and may the Lord continue to give you souls as you knock on doors.
Thank you. I heard you say something about baseball, too. I want to tell you two of my favorite men that played baseball, and one of them needed Jesus. I don't know about the other one, but it was Mika Manlo and Roger Maris when they were both shooting for the home run title. When Roger Marris won, it was 62 home runs, and I think Mickey Mantle had 58.
That's right.
Well, you know, Bobby Richardson won Mickey Mantle to the Lord before he died. I'm so glad to hear that. I know he ran a, I think, a rear joint. Yep. Vicky Mann said.
Before he died, obviously before he died, he said, I'm telling you, I am not an example. Do not live like I lived. And Bobby Richardson played second base for the Yankees. His wife, Betsy, they got to minister to him as he was at the hospital in Dallas, and they led him to the Lord.
Well, I got things like that program. I've got it recorded on my T V, the life of Bobby Richardson right now. And I'll start looking at that a little bit the other night. I haven't finished it yet. But I hope something like that may come up.
He might mention that. But yeah, I'm glad you told me that because I always worried about Nikki Mano feeling like he was in hell. I didn't know somebody let him be Jesus. But Robbie Richardson has a great testimony. Yes, sir, he does.
Well, thank you again for the call. We're going to go now to Bobby. In Beaufort, South Carolina. Bobby, welcome to Truth Talk Live. Oh, thank you for having me, sir.
Tell me about a pastor that's impacted your life. Um I have I I can't say that I've I've listened to or I've uh witness any big name preacher first hand Um I think the biggest uh Biggest named preacher I've ever heard. Speak in person. Uh before he unfortunately fell from grace was Johnny Hunt, Um But I wanted to make on to say that the men that have inspired me the most, that have had the most impact upon me has been every single Church pastor that I sat under. I probably have had more.
I really appreciate you making that statement. That is that's just Precious for a lot of men of God. Yeah yeah. These men have gone, these men will always go unsung. You know, uh Like that story about Junior Hill earlier.
I don't think I've ever been a member of a church that had more than 200 members. My current church has uh on average, about forty in attendance. But every single pastor I've ever sat under Whether good or bad. Uh has impacted me in some way. Mm.
Bobby, I grew up going to a church that if we had 25 on Sunday morning, It was a big crowd. And um I had a pastor Who, uh said to me one time, Duane, I'm telling you God's got his hand on you. and you're going to be a pastor. And it scared the daylights out of me. Later on, I went to a church and they had for a high Sunday, high Sunday was 155.
And that pastor Marvin Suit, Oakdale Baptist Church, loved on me and helped me, and sure enough. What that pastor had said to me earlier when I was at this church of about 25 was coming true, and I needed a pastor who could help me make the biggest decision I would ever make in my life, other than later on getting married. He helped me make that decision to answer the call to preach. It was scary as all get out, but that pastor, Marvin Suit, helped me. And I liked, again, what Chris said about how many churches are out there being faithfully pastored.
And they're not these big-name pastors, but they are big names in God's book. It's one of his angels speaking for him. Absolutely. Bobby, thank you for your call today. And may pastors be pure.
I'm sorry? I was saying glad you could have me. If there are any small pastors listening out there, know that your ministry touches more than you think. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir. We're going to go to Dan right now in Lynchburg, Virginia. Dan, welcome to Truth Talk Live. Thanks, Duane. Good to hear your voice.
Yeah, talk to us about somebody that impacted your life. And I've got another call I want to get in real quick, too.
So. Talk to us about somebody that you just were blown away with.
Well, I think you and I talked about this the other day. But I've got two, and one will kind of tie in with what we were just talking about. But one was Adrian Rogers.
Someone's probably already mentioned him on the show, but I'm grateful that I got to hear him. But Not only obviously was he an amazing preacher, but he preached a message that Really impacted me so deeply from Exodus 13 and 14 on called Detours, Dead Ends, and Dry Holes. When I was really struggling with what God was doing in my life and comparing it to what God was doing in other people's lives and really feeling it it wasn't fair. And God used that message very powerfully. And so I'm grateful for that.
The other one would be my childhood pastor. His name was Luther Nelson. He's one of those guys that. The world does not know about other than the church he pastored. We pastored in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Just a faithful, godly man who made a big impact on my life. And he wrote, he traveled to Israel often. Bought me a little New Testament when I was seven years old. And he wrote a note inside of it. And in that note, he said, I believe God has a special plan and a call on your life.
Um and I still have that uh in my uh in my study. And I look at it often.
So just kind of echoing what you were just talking about. Just the impact of a faithful, godly pastor is that pastor relatively small churches that the world doesn't know about. But are making a huge impact. And I'm grateful I got to know him and hear his preaching as a child. It had a great impact on the direction of my life.
Well, my desire of this show today is that it would stir up in a lot of people the thoughts of how their pastors through the years. have impacted them. And just stir up gratitude for these faithful men of God. Regardless of the size, that they were faithful. And Dan, your story, I believe, helped stir people up to do that, to think back to that pastor when you were a child, who made a difference in your life.
Um I'm hearing music and um Mike In Ohio. Mike, I am not going to be able to get you on today. I am so sorry. But this has been Truth Talk Live, and I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving as you think about people who made an impact in your life, especially pastors. Tell them you appreciate them.
