Even Then Jimmy Swaggart Made a Difference

As the rain and the snow

 come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

    without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

    it will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

 and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 
Isaiah 55:10 - 11

His was a household name in the 80’s. Every Sunday afternoon we gathered in the living room to watch the TV Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart. I can’t imagine any tweens excited to watch an evangelist at any time of the day but we were. With Uganda Television’s (UTV) limited screen time (6pm – 10pm) almost anything went, anything except “Amawuliire” and “Habari” - news in Luganda and Swahili.



“Dad has written a powerful book about What Satan Can and Cannot Do” an enthusiastic and young Donnie Swaggart  would say. He encouraged us to write in for free copies and 4 weeks later it was in the mail.

As Swaggart held up his open bible and shook it, he shared God’s love for mankind. I sat teary eyed, convicted of my need of a savior. Remorseful for all the lies I’d told that week I asked Jesus to come into my heart.  Each Sunday I confessed and each Sunday I asked Jesus into my heart. My little head struggled to understand the difference between repentance and confession. With time I understood that repentance was a renouncing of old ways – a 180 degree turn around from ones way of life while confession was an acknowledgement of sin.

“Every head bowed and every eye closed” he said as tears run down his cheeks. We prayed. I was touched to see a man whose love for God compelled him to tears, I thought perhaps the priests at my church had missed something. When John Starnes begun the altar call song I inched closer to the TV. In my mind the heavens burst open and angels came down. My sins once red as crimson had been washed white as snow. My name was written in the Lambs book of Life. God's presence was refreshing. 

Starting out John 3:16 was the only verse I knew by heart but Swaggart quoted Roman 10:9-10 so often I mastered it too. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”.
I begun to get familiar with the bible.

His worship team made the atmosphere all the more comfortable - serving God didn’t have to be boring but fun with wonderful melodies flying off the piano keys.

The theme song  Sometimes Alleluia is a good example.

"Let Your Living Waters Flow" was a favorite especially the lines "Give your life to Jesus let Him fill your soul, Let Him take you in His arms and make you whole. As you give your life to Him He will set you free. You will live and reign with Him eternally"

 

 Jimmy Swaggart fell and what a mighty fall that was. He was caught in sin like the woman caught in adultery only a little worse – there were lights, cameras and millions of TV viewers who demanded he apologize, step down and disappear from the face of the earth. The wires that connected UTV to Jimmy Swaggart Ministries got fried. There were sparks, fizzles and lights out. His program was scrapped and his name a sort of curse word.

Through it all I still believed God’s word. Swaggart is only a human messenger. I learned not to look to the man but who he represented. Preachers are human and they do fail, falter and fall, if you put your trust in the flesh you will reap death. Leaders are ultimately accountable to God not man. Swaggart was not the first and neither is he the last minister to fall.  Philippians 2:12-13 says we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling – no preacher is going to help with that task. Our walk of faith should be hinged on Jesus blood and righteousness.

Thank God for grace, Swaggart is back in ministry even though many would not touch him with a 10 foot pole. That is his journey. How beautiful, God works things out and continues to use  willing people for His purpose. It is a wonderful reminder that when we fall we should get back up again because there is still room at the cross for each one of us.

   
Don’t be too discouraged when you or a minister you look up to falls, God’s word never returns to Him void. Its been over 20 years and I still recall that’s where I took baby steps on how to navigate the bible. Roman 10:9 - 10 is engraved in my memory. Calvary, the Cross and Salvation were slowly unpacked in front of the TV screen.

When your strength fails or if you have fallen and feel there is no other chance just say Precious Lord Take my hand. He did it for Swaggart, He can do it for you.

: