You know, when I was a young
boy, I was converted at eight years old, but when I was a young
boy, I began to read about God visitations here in America. I read about the Wesley brothers
and Whitfield and Spurgeon and so many others that experienced
God. Listen, if all you got is dry,
dead churchism, you don't have much. I want to experience God. I want to be able to say my God
is real. I don't want to offend him. So early on, I began to feel
that God had called me to preach. I think I probably knew that
by the time I was 15. I had experiences with God at
the oddest times. I can remember once I was going
on a date, sorry Miss Pam, but I was 16 years old and I was
taking a shower and I remember sensing God speak to me. I can
remember being on the football field at Lincoln High School
in a four-plant stance with a few hundred people in the stands
and God speak to me about preaching the gospel. I was experiencing
God. And then at 18, I left and went
to the cemetery, seminary. There's no death like being in
seminary. They're always talking about
God. There I learned, I tried to learn a little Greek and a
little Hebrew. And now I know a little Greek. He runs a Greek restaurant and
a little Hebrew runs a cleaning, cleaners. But at any rate, it
didn't get better. in seminary, things got really
worse. There was a general, what I would
call a deadness. I was blessed of God to have
opportunities to preach all across this country. innumerable churches
I preached in and I cannot remember going into a church that I could
say was alive and desperately the Holy Spirit was there in
power. You know the truth is that the
only spirit that can deal with the spirit of this age is the
Holy Spirit. I would come back from preaching
at churches on Sunday evening late at night and go up to that
little room, a widow lady, Miss Scott, owned the house, and I
rented that room for $25 a month. And me and Hoffman, the rent,
the rat, there was a big rat in my room. He and I shared that
little room. But I can remember oftentimes
lying on the floor with my hands pounding the floor and saying,
there's got to be more than this. I want to experience God. Do
you think about where we are? We're in downtown Pontiac. This
place has been bankrupt since I've been here for 33 years.
This whole city is turning around. I saw in the Detroit News this
week, an article about Pontiac revival. It wasn't talking about
a spiritual revival, but a business revival that's taking place. The silver dome is gone and a
huge monstrous business is moving in. There's some great things
happening. And I'm going to tell you, nobody
did that but God. And I'm gonna tell you something
else. I believe little old grace gospel fellowship had something
to do with that. We've seen the miracles here.
Look at us sitting in this saloon, praising God. Look at what's
happening all around us. Think about, I've never been
in a church that owned 52 houses in a city. Where people are getting
married and getting their children back and wonderful, happy things
are happening. Where you're getting your life
back. Where once you sought a high through a chemical, now you know
there's no high like the most high. Here's what I've noticed
over 75 years. I've been praying for awakening.
And you know what I realized yesterday? Kent, you're in one. Do you think all that stuff happens
without me? God said that to me. You think
all of that happens without my presence? So what we do here
is we say to him, you are welcome here. In fact, come and take
over this place. Move into our hearts and lives. Make yourself known. And here's
what we promise you. We will give you all the glory
and praise. You know what I believe? I believe
this. I want to give hell more trouble
than hell gives me.