by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001)
SHE WALKED THE AISLE DURING THE OFFERTORY
A Catholic lady was saved in her home. She was asked if she would be willing to make a public profession of her faith in Christ. She inquired as to what this meant. We told her that she should come forward in the public invitation the next Sunday morning at our church. This she agreed to do, but never having been in a Baptist (or even a Protestant) service before, she was confused about when to come forward. We simply told her, "When the other people come forward, you come forward too."
She understood this. She said, "When do the other people come forward?"
We explained to her that every Sunday many people come forward professing their faith in Christ and that she would see them coming down the aisle. We told her that when she noticed others coming to the altar, she should come to the altar too.
Sure enough, the next Sunday morning she was sitting back in the back of the building next to the aisle and waiting for the opportunity to present herself as a new convert and follow the Lord in believers' baptism. She had remembered very carefully that she was to walk the aisle when the others walked the aisle. However, never having been in a Baptist church before, she had no idea when this would be in the service.
The service progressed as usual until offering time. On the last stanza of the offertory, sixteen ushers came down the aisles. Her mind began to click: "When the others come forward, I am to come forward," she thought. Hence, she stepped into the aisle and followed the ushers to the front.
Our ushers were trained to line up across the front; she lined up with them, sixteen ushers and one lady. They placed their hands behind their backs waiting for the prayer; she placed her hands behind her back. (I guess she thought this was "Men's Sunday" as far as being saved was concerned.)
In many churches this would have ruined the service. In our church it made the service. To the glory of God, we stopped the offering and told the people that the lady was making her public profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
