Redford

I guess since i am not going out to West Texas then i might just talk about some of my fav assorted stories from there like this one
called " the day the Babtists from Odessa came to minister to the Town of Redford" sumer 1999

speeking of evanglist one of the redford stories, when i was out there in 99, well these two babtist missionary types came down from Odessa to have a open tent revival, it was funny cause the only church in the area for ???? years was Catholic. It was Hispanic comunity, but these two guys from this church wanted to have a tent meeting and someone in Redford was a Babtist and let them in, it was held at the old fort there,. I was living at Enrique's house and we went over there, cause the two guys brought free hotdogs, and let me tell ya there was a ton of hotdogs, something like two coolers full of wieners, two bakers rack of buns a palet of Sams sodas, condiments and boxs of chips. I thought that must have the impression they were feeding the huddled masses of the border or something like an Africa hunger crusade, Redfords population barly hit 100 , and most of them are children and old people.
Well as the evening went on i meet the two guys , they looked aprehencive, sorta paniced like they wanted to testify to some one quick, . the problem was that i was the only one there who spoke english, everybody else, convenetly spoke spanish, . so this tall skinny geeky older guy started in on me. Real nice then it switched geers real fast "son what do you belive, " kinda like he was calling me out , here in the old west , Jesus vs George "hunn I don't know " i said, letting him ramble on about stuff,. . One of the problems over that sumer was i was reading all of Enrique's zen books he had a ton of them, so i was in a differnt mindset, less confertational, more like ahhh let anything happen,,. He tryed to ask me if i was miserable, the typical approach, with out Jesus you are, I was like " ahhh the only thing i am in tooo, well you see that dog over there panting away , well thats what i am i want to be like that ." After a while they guy just thought i was kooky and said well listen to brother @#%&^% and we will have a alter call, .
I suppose after some good'ol preaching i might change my mind, So the evening was set, and man! it was beautiful the place sits up on a hill and the sky was amazing sorta breazy, and these two guys were gonna let it lose with the Lord!. a stampped of preaching!
The first guy got up on stage on this old cement slab, half the town was there, and they had an interpiter there to translate his sermon
so the firts thing out of his mouth was
"people would say I hate Mexicans"
which cast a confused look over the interpiter, and he went to echoing out what he said and the audiance started to raise some brow, "and i used to love money i was rich and had lots of expencive things!"
(a side note your typical West Texas folk, hate, i mean hate rich folks)
and i was cheeted with on my girlfriend and has lots of sex,., (long pause) ,.with every body!" as his voice peeked or broke
" I was a pervet and explored a Homosexual lifestyle in San Antonio"
By this time my jaw had dropped to the floor, i couldn't fucking belive this guy, . He was one of those kinda short fat high-pitched, breaded, whinny, emotional happy guys , that if you didn't hear him talk about the Lord you would swear he was gay or something, . loud too.
I watched the crowd look on in discust and amazement, . the the evanglist came back "but as soon as i was saved i didnt want any of that" the odd thing about his sermon was , right after talking about how sinful he was before Jesus, he went on to why his life crashed, he lost his job! couldn't afford the outta control decadance lifestyle of clubs and shopping and he hit rock bottem cause he was broke, and then found the lord which got him a new job in Odessa!, . The puzzleing thing was what about his Racism and homosexuality??? he never revisted that subject ,. it was the most confusing sermon or rambling bable i ever heard any one say, shocking statements backed up with the fussy outcrys about how much Jesus loved him and it was alright, i almost felt like taking him off the stage and slapping him around about, ,what the fuck ! you you need to keep this private and work things out , evanglism is not group therapy you idiot!
The tall skinny guy got up and it was less emothinal trying to mop up with a more reasonable approach to why he came to the Lord, , his testimony.
but afterwards
both of the guys came up to me with their Teen Christian workers asking me what i thought, .
I spoke to the short fat one i said "Brother!"
have you ever heard of Brother Lester Roloft?" he hadn't but the tall one had,.
"Well he is my idea of a Christian, that insain emotional dribble you pulled on this Catholic comunity proved why they would never belong to your chuch you should be givin a gag order! to not embarris your organisation any longer,."
needles to say the guy was shocked i would crittque his style,. and sorta turned his nose up and started to walk away, so i ask the skinny one ,
"so your friend is he still Gay, what about his racism, he never cleared that up with the audiance ,. it seem to me that the only time he need the lord was when he was broke, who does this guy think he is ? comming here talking to us about being saved, he is a mess."
the skiiny guy knowing the bright eyed Christian teens were there soaking all it up sorta stopped the converstaion and broke and hit the hotdog table!,
"hotdogs are free want another brother?" he said.
"sure why not its my sixth so far"
Afterward, they left all the hogdogs mess to the elemntaryschool which ate hotdogs for lunch and evenings, it was such a small town that they came to eat at the school like a hotdog party after school , it lasted about two or three nights till they were all gone,.
but i will never forget them guys, and the standards that good ol Brother Rolof has left for all would be Christians to live up to.

Posted by chickengeorge at April 26, 2005 9:10 AM