“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free…” Galatians 5:1 NKJV
God puts special people in specific places at strategic times.
In the book “Young Man on Fire,” Mel Larson wrote: “In his one year at [Chicago’s Messiah Baptist Church] his calls for meetings had increased so rapidly that it was a question of being one or the other. During these months Torrey accepted each and every speaking engagement offered him. … Finally the deacons at Messiah called him in and asked him what he was going to be – an evangelist or a pastor. Torrey admitted he hardly knew the difference between the two.”
July 20, 1931, after serving one year as pastor of Messiah Church, Torrey Johnson resigned to work in evangelism with song leader Ray Schulenburg for two years.
Larson wrote: “They held hundreds of meetings together, in campaigns ranging from one to four weeks. They were privileged to pray with hundreds … They had the fire of youth, two winning personalities and an unbounding zeal and passion to see souls won to the Lord Jesus Christ. … and they were happy and cheerful Christians … Souls were won to the Lord in every campaign they held together” – in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois.
In the Nelson NKJV Study Bible, Earl Radmacher wrote: “Evangelists are gospel preachers who help bring people into the body of Christ. They do so by presenting Christ’s offer of free salvation by grace through faith … evangelists may also train other believers to share their faith effectively.”
In the Wiersbe Study Bible, Warren Wiersbe said: “Evangelists. ‘Bearers of the Good News.’ These men traveled from place to place to preach the gospel and win the lost (Acts 8:26-40). All ministers should ‘work at telling others the Good News,’ but this does not mean that all ministers are evangelists.”
From the time I was two weeks old, my parents took me to a local Bible-believing church. At age 8, during an evangelistic campaign, the blind singer of the two-man team asked me to read John 3:16 to him. That evening, I responded to the invitation and was born again when I decided to personally “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The next month, our congregation had a new name: “Grace Memorial,” and made Scripture Press Publications – “The whole Word for the whole world –available. I learned about Torrey Johnson, “Young Man on Fire.” I saw ads and read stories about the name change of Bob Jones College to Bob Jones University. I learned about George Beverly Shea, “Singing I Go.”
I discovered that Torrey Johnson had turned his Sunday night “Songs in the Night” radio program over to Billy Graham, who had recruited George Beverly Shea as soloist.
And I became aware of the founding of Chicagoland Youth for Christ, May 27, 1944, by Torrey Johnson, who invited George Beverly Shea to sing and Billy Graham to be the first speaker.
In February 1948, my mother brought me a copy of Youth for Christ magazine she had obtained at the Moody Bible Institute Founders Week conference. That fall, my pastor, Charles Pedersen, enlisted pastors of other local Bible-believing churches to appoint students to put together Mt. Carmel Youth for Christ rallies, which began that December.
A family friend saw my high school senior picture at my aunt and uncle’s home, and seeing me soon after, said, “George, you look like an evangelist.”
That was a shocking statement, and I did not yet realize I would soon “discover my destiny”: “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5 NKJV
It was an honor handling advertising for over 100 evangelists, alphabetically from Hyman Appleman to T.W. Wilson. When I graduated from Bob Jones University in 1954, T.W. invited me to meet him at the Youth for Christ convention. He introduced me to Youth for Christ evangelists, including Torrey Johnson. Torrey asked us to handle his crusade advertising. We developed a lasting friendship.
As TTT Christian Youth Ministries moves through Fair Share (July 7 – August 1), endeavoring to reach students with the Gospel in all three states; and as school resumes in the fall; moving toward February 7, 2026, God willing, to celebrate and commemorate 60 years and counting, Telling The TRUTH to / through teenagers … every Saturday and between Saturdays, we’re continually using multiple means and methods to communicate Christianity creatively.
The invitation to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” is for you to consider now. If you have made that decision, congratulations! You are headed for eternity, to receive the gift of God eternal life. With whom will you share this available freedom in Christ Jesus?