“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” Genesis 1:3 NKJV
Three couples stood on the barren stage of Chicago’s McCormick Place Arie Crown Theater, looking out at 5,000 empty seats. Dave and Carol Breese, Thurlow and Noran Spurr, and my wife Mary and I asked God to give us the concept, program, and promotional capabilities to fill those seats to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music and message.
God gave me the name “Splendor of Sacred Song.” Special guests were invited to “give the light” of God’s glorious gospel. A series of concerts followed, featuring Miss Illinois Suzanne Johnson; Ethel Waters, Mahalia Jackson, others, and George Beverly Shea. The 5,000 seats were filled, and those attending were invited to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” responding to His light.
Sitting alone in a dark ballroom awaiting the 1962 Youth for Christ International midwinter convention in Minneapolis to begin, I asked God to show me His will. I wrote on a 4 x 6 card: “My major purpose in life is to communicate Christianity. I intend to give the opportunity to receive God’s gift of eternal life to my contemporaries. I intend to use mass media and publicly present the plan of salvation and the challenge of complete surrender to as many persons as possible, and to build a Christian communication center in God’s timing.”
Following the convention, the decision was made to take Splendor of Sacred Song to Youth for Christ rallies across the nation, and for me to conduct youth rallies, present the Gospel, encourage youth leaders to recruit teenagers for a chorale, and provide effective materials to advertise the forthcoming “Splendor” evangelistic concert / rally in their communities.
The Saturday after the convention, I was privileged to speak at the Eau Claire, Wisconsin Youth for Christ rally. Doors quickly opened for me to travel nearly every weekend. Mary would take me to O’Hare airport every Friday afternoon and pick me up the following Monday. Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, I met with local pastors and youth leaders. Every Saturday evening, I presented the Gospel at Youth for Christ rallies, inviting those attending to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” and encouraging Christian teenagers to form a chorale to sing with Thurlow Spurr and the Spurrlows at the forthcoming Splendor of Sacred Song.
Nearly every weekend in February, March, April, and May, it was a privilege to take the Gospel and the Splendor concept to Ontario Canada and to several states across America.
In May, Dr. Ted Engstrom, YFCI president, asked me to prayerfully make a decision to either continue as director of promotion for all of Youth for Christ International except the music department, or to handle promotion only for the music department. After much agonizing prayer and scripture searching, I made the decision to resign from Youth for Christ International and pursue my major purpose in life: to communicate Christianity creatively.
After attending the climactic Billy Graham Chicagoland Crusade at Soldier Field, Mary and I returned to our home area of the tri-state. Following evangelistic meetings in Posey County, Indiana at a small church pastored by Leroy Blackburn (who had become my pastor when I was two weeks old in Mt. Carmel, Illinois). Hosting us at his home in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, he gave me the book “A Man Spoke, A World Listened,” the story of Walter Maier, founder of “The Lutheran Hour,” including a photograph of a Lutheran Hour rally in a packed Chicago stadium.
Contacting pastors and leaders across the tri-state and working with John McCarty (who was directing Tri-State Youth for Christ from Fort Branch, Indiana), after much prayer, counsel and checking possibilities, we conducted rallies across the area, building toward “Splendor of Sacred Song” at the Evansville Coliseum on Valentines night, February 14.
John McCarthy had approached me earlier about our working together to re-organize and my ultimately becoming director of Tri-State Youth for Christb. But after having an attendance of over 1,000, he decided not to resign.
But while considering his suggestion earlier, I located a piece of property at the corner of US 41 and Boonville New Harmony Road and asked the owner if it was for sale. He answered, “Nope, not now, and probably never will be.”
We continued praying for God to open doors and provide opportunities to give the light of the Gospel, where and when He directed.
In a very personal way, prayer and reading God’s Word illuminated our way.
God said, “let there be light, and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).
As we prayerfully think ahead into 2025, you are urged to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ personally, and to give the light to every person possible. Will you?