From my youth, I have had a vision burning in my soul – a vision of Europe won for Christ: ‘Eurovision’. This vision is God’s vision, God’s desire – my vision – to see His Power, His Glory in Europe. I cannot rest until God fulfils this vision that He has put within my heart.
On April 1st, 17 days before my 18th birthday, I entered Bible College. To my surprise, after only two months, in June 1950, I was asked to take charge of a small church in Dorking, about 35 miles from the college. They said it would be for only three weeks whilst the pastor was away, but to my delight he never returned. (Later on I got to meet him and we became good friends.) I believe that my father, as Chief Superintendent and knowing my unusual and desperate eagerness to ‘get on with the job’, may have had a hand in my appointment to Dorking. But I know it was the Lord Himself answering my desire – He knew my urgency to evangelise instead of being in college.
Two months later when the college had summer vacation I borrowed a tent, put it up in a field in Dorking and began evangelising. None of the students offered to help me, but I found a Russian ballerina and a Polish soldier who were refugees from the war and had a remarkable testimony of their salvation. They became my team, witnessing in the tent.
I eventually stayed as pastor in Dorking for a full two years, holding tent evangelism in the college vacations, as well as completing my studies to graduate from the college.
The secret of evangelism
I began preaching aged 13. I was anxious to hold a meeting in the church. Yes, I was taking part in the youth activities, but this was not enough, I wanted to use the church building to evangelise. Of course I was not allowed, I was only 13 – far too young. Looking back, I am surprised at myself with this desperate desire to evangelise. Eventually after much persuasion, it was decided that, as they did not use the church on Fridays, I could have it then. Together with the other young people we advertised, arranged a worship group, and I was the preacher.
It all went according to plan, except for one thing. That night I went home really distressed and asked my father what was wrong? I was in tears as I explained, I had preached from the Bible just like he did, and I expected someone would repent, wasn’t that the purpose of preaching? My father sat patiently with me; after all he wasn’t just a pastor, he was Superintendent in charge of all the pastors. Slowly he calmed me down and that night, aged 13, I learned the biggest lesson of my life which would change everything and show me the secret of evangelism.
In simple terms, my father said that it is not just preaching which brings people to repentance. He said you’ve not yet received the Holy Spirit; he told me, the Bible says Jesus taught His disciples the first lesson in evangelism when He said, “When the Holy Spirit is come, He (not you, David), He, will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgement.” My father said, you need the Holy Spirit. So immediately, sitting on my bed, I asked him to lay his hands on me and pray.
Turbo-charged evangelism
I want to challenge you, what are you going to do with your Christian life to reveal God’s Power on earth? I want to share something with you of what is driving me. I love sport. Aged 91, I sold my sailboat, and bought a power boat! I love cars, I love adventure! My favourite car is 15 years old; but I love that car because the engine has a turbo-charger. When I’m driving this car, I know the exact moment when the turbo kicks in! I start driving, and it’s slow. But I know the exact point when – whoosh – it’s away! I love that power!
That should be the Church! What happened at Pentecost? The Church was slow. Pentecost came, the Fire and the Power of the Holy Spirit fell – and the Turbo kicked in! Acts 1:8 – that’s the Turbo! – You will receive Turbo-Charging when the Holy Spirit is come! Church – when the Holy Spirit comes, the Turbo kicks in! And the Power of God is released! WOW! Power! I love this Book! I love the Bible. You may think that aged 93, I’m old. But the ‘Me’ inside is young!
Our God is POWER, GLORY! When His Power comes into our lives, we become Turbo-Charged! All my life I’m searching for more Power, I’m never satisfied… I want to see bigger miracles, more of God’s blessing – I want God to be glorified! It says in Daniel 11:32, ‘Those who know their God will be STRONG and DO EXPLOITS!’ Exploits – that’s doing the impossible, like climbing Everest, going to the Moon… How many of us really KNOW God, how many of us actually do exploits?
I want you to wake up and live a Turbo-Charged life! How? Paul says in Romans 12:1, ‘Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord.’ But, he says, that is only ‘reasonable service’. It’s expected of you. If you’re a servant, an employee, that’s what you do for your wage. If you want the Fire of God to burn in you, present your whole body, your whole life, as a reasonable sacrifice. Look at Leviticus 6 where God commanded the priests to put the sacrifice on the altar; He said, when you light the fire, that fire must NEVER go out! That’s the challenge in my life, even at my age: I must NOT let that Fire go out! That Fire has to burn more and more strongly! But HOW? If you want the Fire to burn, it’s not more wood – it’s more sacrifice! More sacrifice! It’s only then that the Fire will never go out.