“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 NKJV
Victory does not always come when we expect, nor through whom we anticipate, or even in the location we thought.
Serving with Youth for Christ International in 1960, all staff were required to attend the Holiday Teen Convention in Chicago between Christmas and New Year’s. I met John McCarty, photographer for the event, learning he was from Fort Branch, Indiana, directing Tri-State Youth for Christ.
John invited me to speak at a Saturday night rally in Evansville, meeting at David Ingle, Jr’s residence.
Following God’s leading, I launched Impact International and laid the groundwork to bring Splendor of Sacred Song to the Evansville Coliseum February 14, 1963, working with John McCarty, who suggested that following Splendor, he step aside and I become the director of Tri-State Youth for Christ.
Prayerfully looking for a place from which to operate, I stopped at a property on US 41 at Boonville New Harmony Road, met the owner, and asked if it was for sale. He responded: “Nope, not now, and probably never will be.”
Because of the success of Splendor of Sacred Song, John McCarty decided not to resign but to continue directing Tri-State Youth for Christ. So I was faced with a dilemma.
Jarrell McCracken, president of Word Records, asked me to meet with him in Chicago. Soon I was invited to fly to Waco to discuss possibilities.
Joining Word, I designed album covers, wrote back-liner copy, and put together record promotions with Youth for Christ International called “Sing with Young America” and “Teen to Teen Around the World.”
Meanwhile, we learned that Mary was expecting, and we were thrilled. Friends from across America prayed diligently for Mary and the baby on the way.
The winning rally for “Teen to Teen Around the World” was Denver Youth for Christ, and I presented the award. Following lunch with YFC Director Jim Groen and our friend Paul Cedar (in Denver directing the forthcoming Billy Graham crusade), I was scheduled to speak at a church, but was canceled due to a snowstorm. Mary sent a message that I should return to Waco as soon as possible, because there were signs the baby was coming early. I made connecting flights and returned as quickly as possible. But our daughter decided to wait 9 more days to be born. What a wonderful welcome we were able to give to Tami Leigh Dooms.
As my two years with Word was ending, I planned to reactivate Impact International. Jarrell McCracken asked me to represent Word Records and Books for 6 months, contacting Christian bookstores in Illinois, Wisconsin, and the St. Louis area.
At a bookstore near O’Hare Airport, the owner asked me, “Are you an evangelist?” I replied that I was representing Word, and yes, I had conducted evangelistic campaigns.” A scheduled evangelist had canceled, and an evangelist was needed for an upcoming crusade. We met the next day to put an evangelistic crusade together, saturating the nearest two high schools with promotional materials. The result: a number of teenagers decided to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
After these meetings, John McCarty asked if I would consider becoming director of Tri-State Youth for Christ, because he was “throwing in the towel.”
What happened next is now history. Returning to that house along US 41, there was a for sale sign. I went immediately to Camp Reveal where I had prayed with Dr. Reveal at Old Bethel, and paced and prayed and claimed, reading Joshua chapter 1. God miraculously provided the down payment, and we opened the doors to TTT February 5, 1966. Two teenagers and several adults attended.
God willing, February 7, 2026 will be TTT’s 60th birthday and counting, with a “Rendezvous” celebrating God’s faithfulness.
The ongoing vision: Every youth, before turning 20, to hear the Gospel with an invitation to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The TTT Christian Communication Center, now located on 30 acres, will ultimately include telling the story of Christian communications across the centuries, and youth evangelism in America, with visual and interactive illustrations.
“And the Word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.” Acts 13:49 NKJV
Johannes Gutenberg‘s movable type press was used to print the Bible. Samuel F.B. Morse’ initial telegraph message “What hath God wrought” paved the way for telephone, radio, airplanes, and internet. November 17, 2025, YouVersion Bible apps celebrated 1 billion installs and counting.
Give thanks to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ – perhaps when we least expect it and through whom we would not anticipate.
Celebrating Jesus on Saturday, December 6 – Family Night at TTT – let’s give God thanks for every victory.