There is this Pentecostal college near Eastern College where I teach. Now I am not Pentecostal, but I talk so fast that I think they think I'm speaking in tongues, so it works out okay. One day they invited me to speak at a chapel service. I like speaking there because they're a dynamic, happy people, and I enjoy being with them. Just before I spoke, eight guys took me into a back room of the chapel and got me down on my knees. Then they laid their hands on my head and prayed for me. That was good. I need all the prayer I can get.
There was only one problem. These guys prayed a long time. That's usually okay too, but the longer they prayed, the more tired they got. The more tired they got, the more they leaned on my head. I want to tell you, when eight Pentecostals are leaning on your head, it doesn't feel so good.
One guy wasn't even praying for me. Instead, he went on and on praying for somebody named Charlie Stoltzfis. He shouted, `Dear Lord, you know Charlie Stoltzfis. He lives in that silver trailer down the road about a mile. You know the trailer, Lord. It's just down the road on the right-hand side.'
I felt like saying, “Knock it off. You think God is saying, ‘What's that address again?’” Anyway, he went on, “Lord, Charlie told me this today he has decided to leave his wife and three kids. He told me he was walking out on his family. Lord, step in and do something. Bring the people of the family back together again.”
All the while, I'm kneeling there with eight guys leaning on my head. I'm asking myself, “When is he going to knock it off so I can get these Pentecostal preachers off my head?” He kept going on about Charlie Stoltzfis leaving his wife and his kids, giving God reminders that he lived in this silver trailer a mile down the road on the right-hand side.
Finally, the prayers were over, and I went to the pulpit and preached. After I finished I got in my car, drove to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and headed for home. As I drove onto the turnpike, I noticed a hitchhiker. Now, I know you're not supposed to pick them up, but hey, I'm a preacher. Whenever I can get anybody locked in as a captive audience, I do it. I stopped and picked him up.
We drove a few minutes, and I said, “Hi, my name is Tony Campolo. What's yours?” He said, “My name is Charlie Stoltzfis.” I couldn't believe it. I got off the turnpike at the next exit and headed back. He got a bit uneasy with that. After a few minutes, he said, “Hey, mister! Where are you taking me?” I said, “I'm taking you home, Charlie.”
He narrowed his eyes and asked, “Why?” I said, “It's because you just left your wife and three children, right?” That blew him away — “Yes! Yes! That's right” — with shock written over his face. He plastered himself against the car door and never took his eyes off me.
I drove off the turnpike at the next exit. Then I really did him in, as I drove right to his silver trailer. When I pulled up, his eyes seemed to bulge as he asked, “How did you know I live here?” I said, “God told me.” Well, I believe God did tell me.
We got out of the car, and I ordered him to get in the trailer. Half shaking, he answered, “Right, mister. Sure! Sure, I'm going in.” When he opened the trailer door, his wife exclaimed, “You're back, you're back.”
He whispered in her ear, and the more he talked the bigger her eyes got. Then I said with real authority, “The two of you sit down. I'm going to talk, and you two are going to listen.” Man, did they listen! That afternoon, I led those two young people to Jesus Christ. Today, that guy is a preacher of out in California.
We believe that God is active and working in His people today, right? We really do believe that “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective,” right? We say that God still works in mysterious ways, correct? And we firmly believe that God answers prayers, true? Then why do we so often act so very surprised when God does just that?
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