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When God’s on the Other Channel
By Christina Quick | March 5, 2008
On the closing day of the 2008 Assemblies of God Prayer Summit, AG General Superintendent George O. Wood talked about the birth of Teen Challenge.
It all started in 1958 when a young preacher named David Wilkerson sensed God urging him to sell the family television set and pray during the time he normally spent viewing. Wanting to be sure God had really spoken (and perhaps reluctant to let go of their electronic entertainment), the Wilkersons agreed to place an ad and sell the television only if they received a response within 30 minutes of the newspaper hitting the streets. As it turned out, the phone rang one minute before their predetermined deadline expired.
Not long after Wilkerson traded TV for prayer, he read a magazine article about teenage gang members murdering another teen in New York City. The preacher was brokenhearted and felt God leading him to do something to help other lost youth. That desire eventually led Wilkerson to establish Teen Challenge — a worldwide ministry that has transformed the lives of thousands of gang members and addicts over the past 50 years.
The story reminded me there is so much more to life than personal entertainment. I shudder to think how many lives might have been lost if Wilkerson had clung to his TV and ignored God’s call to prayer. And I can’t help but wonder what would happen if every Christian family in America turned off the TV for even one hour a week and spent that time talking with God.
Could it be that muting outside distractions and tuning in to God would allow others to see His image more clearly in our lives?
Topics: Faith |
March 6th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Amen, and amen. We cannot possibly hear God’s voice if our senses are constantly being assaulted with other noises and distractions. The Scripture admonishes us to BE STILL, and know that He is God.