Miracles.....and J D Sumner

     I have been often asked if I have seen certifiable miracles in my ministry. There is no question in my mind that I have witnessed the miraculous intervention of God in such supernatural manifestations of His power that I could only come to the conclusion that I had been blessed as a witness to occurrences that can only be defined as miracles. Ordinarily, we have tendencies to associate miracles to medically unexplainable recoveries from terminal illnesses or injuries. However, our Lord moves among us with His "still small  voice" more often than with thunderous proclamations, and His equally miraculous acts may be so camouflaged as coincidences that they are simply overlooked by us. Someone has said that coincidences are God's miracles when He wants to stay anonymous.

     The greatest miracles I have been blessed to see on a regular basis take place during altar calls when people move down the aisles burdened with sin but leave the service delivered and free; they are facing eternal death when they awaken in the morning before their decision for Christ but go to sleep that night resting peacefully with eternal life as their pillow; they do indeed become new creatures in Christ.

     I love talking to people about Jesus, especially those who do not know Him. I certainly am embarrassed that during my ministry I have not led more to a saving knowledge of Him. Nevertheless, I can say with neither apology not boast, that the primary goal of all I do is to lead souls to Christ and my second goal is to enrich the lives of those already saved with a deeper study of Scriptures. 

     The great Methodist evangelist, Samuel Porter Jones, is my pulpit hero and I have patterned much of my evangelistic endeavors and methods after him. His best-known person he influenced for Christ was Capt. Tom Ryman who was converted at a Sam Jones meeting in Nashville in 1885 and later built the Union Gospel Tabernacle for Jones' use for meetings each year in Nashville. Upon Ryman's death, it was renamed the Ryman Auditorium.

     Similarly, the person whose name is most recognizable in association with mine is J D Sumner, the long time bass singer for the famous Blackwood Brothers Quartet, Stamps Quartet and close friend of Elvis Presley. A few days ago I watched an old video recording of the Stamps Quartet at North Jacksonville Baptist Church in 1989.  Most touching and precious to me was when J D stood alone at a microphone with tears flowing and told the congregation about my influence in his life for Christ. Suddenly, tears filled my eyes, too. My dear friend, 

J D Sumner, is with Jesus but I will see him again. I'm humbled that he felt in some way I had helped him. 

     J D is known far and wide. His name transcends southern gospel music. Stories of his legendary life are plentiful, but I want to share a few things about him from my perspective. 

     The last conversation that I had with him before he left for his final series of concerts in Myrtle Beach, during which he passed away, J D hugged me and whispered, "It's such a miracle to me to know that Jesus loves me like he does. Before I got right with God, I just stood on the stage and sang or said something funny; but now that I've found the Lord's love for me, I want to talk about Him instead of singing but I usually just bust out crying."

     Even when J D by his own admission wasn't living as close to to the Lord as he might have done, he was a very generous, caring person. On one occasion, when I was living in Jacksonville, I needed to see my father who was very ill about an hour from Nashville but the plane would arrive so late that I could not get a rental car. When I arrived, there was J D with his car waiting for me, full tank of gas and sack of food and drinks in the front seat. Then, he asked me if either I or my parents needed some money during this time. We didn't but I was overwhelmed with his kindness.

     Although J D is widely-remembered for his straight-from-the-hip honesty, I was truly impressed to hear him defend fellow singers, musicians, pastors or evangelists who may have fallen into sin. On one occasion, I mentioned the name of someone who had actually done him wrong, but he never said a negative word . Instead, he told about a funny experience they had shared one time.

     Somehow, the miracle of miracles is that when I looked at the body of this man who was larger than life lying in a casket, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would see him again. He wrote many, many great songs. One of my favorites is "Inside The Gate." It starts out "Oh how I happy I will be when life's journey here is run, when I look upon His face and I hear Him say well done; you have fought a faithful fight and my child you kept the faith. Enter now my joys are yours so just step inside the gate!" That, my friend, will be the greatest of miracles that we can all experience because of Christ!