His Powerful Presence

I can't remember what year exactly, but it was in the late nineteen eighties that I experienced a most wonderful event at the the Wheeling Vineyard. Todd had worked on his first church plant for about five years by now and the Wheeling Vineyard had grown to around 400 people that met on Sunday at the Wheeling Day School gymnasium. I had no idea what was about to happen with my next visit but it was an amazing day to say the least.

I often helped Allstate in recruiting agents by allowing new candidates to visit my office to learn about the fundamentals of starting your own business. One fellow came to my office one day named Tom. We got along great and soon began to realize that we both knew the Lord and both had similar experiences coming to Christ in the early 1970's. Tom and I would meet regularly after he started with Allstate and it turned out to be more for fellowship than business. Tom yearned for the same things that I had on my heart and it just so happened that He and I made the trip together to the Wheeling Vineyard on this special day. I wanted Tom to experience the worship and the laid back feeling of the church. My friend John played in the worship band and so I felt right at home there.

It just so happened that the day that Tom and I chose to visit was Todd's farewell to the Wheeling Vineyard. The minute that we walked into the gymnasium you could feel something. There was a presence that is difficult to describe. It didn't take long to figure it all out because the worship was long and intense with tears being shed by so many and then folks one by one would go up front and tell stories about how Todd came and loved them and encouraged them and that he would never be forgotten. Such raw emotion was hard to watch without having it affect you down deep inside. My buddy Tom was sitting right beside me and he kept gripping his chair seat tightly while tears were running down his face. He had never been there before but what he was witnessing was clearly touching him deeply. Testimony after testimony giving glory to the Lord and thanking Him for sending Todd. It was more than emotion, however. There was a powerful presence there. It was as if an invisible maestro of this great orchestra was leading the chorus. The Lord was there. It was the most powerful outpouring that I had felt since I came to Jesus back at Windfall.

Todd finally spoke. He brought his family to the front with him and said his goodbyes. He encouraged them all to fight the good fight and to continue on with what the Lord started in Wheeling. It was real life drama. These were young people devoted to the Lord and to their young apostle. After the service Tom had to call his wife. He was visibly shaken. He was crying and he couldn't stop shivering with joy and laughter. We rode home together wondering what all that meant. What were we to do now? How do we continue?

Next up........

Is this for me?