by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001)
THEY COULDN'T GO TO THE MOVIE
In a former pastorate we visited the same home week after week after week. A different couple from our church went by each week. Finally it was decided the Pastor should go by. I took with me a soul-winning partner; we knocked on the door and waited for a response.
To my surprise, the man came to the door dressed up, and all the family appeared prepared to go out for the evening. They were sitting on the sofa and chairs in the living room.
"Come on in," he said. "I have been expecting you." Then he proceeded to tell me the following story:
"We have been visited by your church every Thursday night for weeks and weeks and weeks. We gave up watching our favorite television programs. Tonight we had decided to go to a movie to avoid having to listen to someone else from your church. We got dressed and began to go out to get in the car and go to a movie when I said to my wife, 'I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it!'
"You can't do what?" she asked.
"I can't leave home to go to a movie. I won't enjoy it. All I will do is sit in the movie wondering which nut from that church came by to see me tonight!' (Little did he realize that nut was the Pastor.) 'My curiosity would kill me if we went. Let's just get out of the car, go back in the living room, sit there with our good clothes on, and see who it is.'
"So come on in. I have been expecting you! I know what you are going to say. I have heard it over and over and over again. Now that my curiosity is satisfied, get it over with."
I told him the same thing he had heard before, but this time God spoke to his heart. He, his wife, and his family received Christ as Saviour; and the next Sunday morning they walked the aisle professing their faith publicly.
He was baptized that night, as I remember, and became one of the finest members of our church. The last I heard of him, he was president of a school board for a Christian school, and a successful businessman. He and his family are still busy for God in their church.
