Wow! I ran across some pictures from way back in ancient history. These are from a parking lot meeting in Norfolk, Virginia in October 2002 I believe.
The vintage pictures are part of a much larger story, probably too large to tell here, but since when has that stopped me.
In 1999, our first year in Wichita, we some how decided to have a few nights of service in a park. I had never participated in anything like that at all. We had sang and preached in jails, prisons, nursing homes and all manner of churches, but I had never ministered to the public outdoors that I can recall.
The park was in a little town north of the church. We carried some music to a gazebo, sang and then I preached some Gospel. I do not think we had much tangible results from the services, but I am still personally reaping results today.
Every time I put the tent up, step behind the little Bible stand, read the scripture and begin to preach, I am reaping the results of those two or three nights of revival in a park north of Wichita. It started a fire in me to win souls to Christ that still burns in my heart. Praise God for that little gazebo revival!
The next year I had a green army tent and we set it up next to the church in Wichita for two weeks. We did that every spring I was pastor there.
One of those years I brought in Bro. Paul Blanton to preach part of the tent revival. He was an old pro at outdoor services and I learned a lot from him. I learn a bunch of things that worked and I also learned that some of his strengths were not my strengths. I found out that I had to discover how to surrender to the hand of God for myself. Bro. Blanton was a huge help.
At Bro. Blanton's invitation we traveled from Wichita, Kansas to Norfolk, Virginia to preach a parking lot meeting. I believe it was in October 2002.
We had a wonderful revival. I hope I never forget the woman that was sitting on her porch when I gave the invitation to the altar. She stood up, walked down the steps of her porch, looked both ways, crossed the street, made her way across the parking lot, walked straight to the altar and knelt down to pray! Wow!
I am more than ready for our next tent revival. I want to see more of that and I want to see it bad!
I found a few pictures from that week of the services and of Bro. Blanton's family. I hope you enjoy.
Davy
