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A trombone; courtesy of Esolomon, Wikipedia
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Journey Into The Unknown. What made Hanneke van Dam quit her well-paid job in Amsterdam and move to Mongolia--a country she couldn't even find on the map?
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e all know that people look harder at our
lives than they listen to our words. The conversion of Jack Wyrtzen offers
a real life example of that principle. If a buddy named George had not
lived out his faith, Jack Wyrtzen probably would not have become a Christian
who touched thousands of lives through his preaching and through the organization
he founded, Word of Life.
Jack was born at Long Island, New York, on April 22, 1913. Raised in
a Unitarian church, Jack at least learned the song, "Jesus Loves Me, This
I Know." The years saw him switch churches--Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist.
In none of them did he come to the knowledge of "Christ in you, the hope
of glory."
He entered young manhood as an insurance salesman and played in his own
dance band on weekends. Love of music led him to join a U.S. Army Mounted
Band, where he played trombone. George also played in that military band.
One day he surprised Jack by handing him a red booklet--a Gospel of
John. Angry that George thought he needed salvation, Jack tore up
the gospel after he was out of George's sight. He had all the religion
he needed!
But the two were thrown together in an army camp. Jack knew that George
had formerly dipped deep into sin. He set himself to watch George, expecting
camp life to expose George's true colors. It did.
And those colors showed a life transformed. George courageously stepped
forward and asked men not to misuse Christ's name. "Listen, guys, the
name you are dragging down is the name that is taking me up to Heaven."
In spite of himself, Jack was impressed.
He was even more impressed when George pulled out his Bible in the evening
and attempted to read it, despite jeers and thrown boots.
Jack knew he wanted what George had and knelt and asked Christ to take
over his life. After that, there was no holding him back. For nine years
he preached at every opportunity he got, in jails, on street corners,
over the radio. With a deep thirst for God's word, he gathered friends
into a Bible study. In 1940, he quit his day job, stepped out on faith
and founded the Word of Life ministry. Untold thousands have led a deeper
life with Christ because Word of Life has trained them to be disciples
of Christ.
Resources:
- Biographical Chronology from Wheaton's Archive. http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/ 446.htm#3
- Holden, David. Select Seed from the Granary. # 98-43. Privately
circulated.
- "Jack Wyrtzen Biographical Sketch." Word of Life. http://www.wol.org/about/jack/
- Rusten, E. Michael and Rusten, Sharon. One Year Book of Christian
History. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1984.
- Shuster, Robert. Transcript of Interview with Jack Wyrtzen. Billy
Graham Archives. http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/trans/ 446t04a.htm
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