Real change comes from God...

Where to begin after 11 days? This has been an event filled time for me. My friend and former college roommate was visiting in our home from Tennessee. His visit was more business than pleasure. David is a man of God. His calling is to restore our Nation to its former condition, namely, "Under God." His ministry, Restore America, is to members of the body of Christ and has been growing and changing over the three years since we reconnected, after some 40 years, at a conference that his organization sponsored at my church.

The ministry for some time had concentrated on encouraging Christians to register and vote. More recently, though, since the national election of 2008, David has changed his focus. During his visit, I traveled with David to Bend, OR. He had an engagement there to speak at the Cascade Praise Christian Center. And speak he did...

When we arrived at this charismatic church, the congregation was engaged in prayer. If you are familiar with the charismatic movement in the protestant church, you will know that we did not find a bunch of people sitting quietly in the pews with heads bowed. The place was alive. The pastor's wife was pacing back and forth, hands raised, praying fervently and aloud. The congregation was standing and praying...fervently and aloud. I had never seen such a moving scene of God's people pouring our their hearts to Him, even in the charismatic church I attended in college.

Having ended their prayer session, the congregation greeted David and me warmly. Some of them filed out; others stayed. Within minutes the worship center was filled; people greeting people, greeting me, greeting David. The atmosphere was electric. Pastor Randy introduced David, and he stood and gave as moving a message as I have heard from the pulpit. Click here to hear David's message, "Real Change Comes From God."

The trip to and from Bend was a marvelous time of fellowship. David and I were able, for the first time since we found each other again, to learn about each other's spiritual journeys spanning 40 years. It was a time of revelation and encouragement for me. I will treasure it.