A testimony of how Hubert Lindsey's ministry effected a former Catholic in Detroit

Looking back 22 years ago to 1988, being a 19 year old young man. I shall never forget meeting Brother Hubert Lindsey. From an infant I was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition into my teen years. I don't ever remember missing a mass except for being on vacation. Even then we often made it because of my mothers devotion to the church. Confession, Catechism, First Communion, the Rosary were all part of my experience.

From the years of five to eleven years old I can remember having a heightened awareness and sensitivity to right and wrong. And often turned to the Rosary for intercession with God. I guess it is hard for me to relate to those who were raised in and are embittered with the Catholic Church. Maybe because I don't ever recall having a hurtful experience there. In my teen years I still attended mass faithfully but that innocence, devotion and purpose left me for a life that reflected anything but Godliness and purity. Looking back now, I should have been ashamed to even mention the name of Jesus.

Then around the years of 18 or 19 yrs old I cannot describe how or why I had a desire to know the Holy Bible and it's Author. It was not a crisis but more of a curiosity. The crisis would come later. I only remember trying to read the Bible once before as a child. It seemed like a foreign language so I put it down as quick as I picked it up. But now years later I would touch it again. The difference was, I prayed this time. I distinctly remember saying,"God I don't know anything about it, help me to know it and don't let me be deceived". I had not been exposed to any other church or even heard the Gospel preached. But God would soon answer my prayer. Looking back I can see clearly how it was all orchestrated by God. I didn't realize it but the crisis was on its way.

One night around midnight it began. Turning the radio dial I heard a gruff voice of an older man, he was bawling someone out for some kind of immorality. I couldn't change the dial. It was a live call-in program, people would call in with Bible questions he would answer them and preach. His voice was rough and distinct, he was stern and intolerant of evil. He was as direct as anyone I ever heard yet there was a tenderness about him, almost as if I could actually see the tears flowing. I continued to listed for the next month every Sunday around midnight. Every time I listened I felt like I was the one he was bawling out. This is what brought the crisis about. He helped me to see the sinner I was, the righteous man I was not and the child of God I could be by Grace. For the first time I saw Jesus presented in the Gospel and it was becoming clear. He regularly gave out his phone number and the address of the church with an invitation.So I finally decided to Pay Brother Lindsey a visit.

If I had been expecting to see a powerful looking man, extremely handsome with eloquent speech or refined in appearance I was in for a shock. He was about five foot eight, slender build, thinning red hair with freckles and blind. I wasn't disappointed , I wasn't looking for a man I was looking for God. Brother Lindsey helped me to meet Him. I now realize the lack of whom he was helped him to win multitudes of people to Christ around the world. He had a way of magnifying Christ and a reliance on the Holy Spirit. His ministry was marked by an undeniable demonstration of the Spirit and Power. He was a simple man who put on no airs. He would sit with the poor or the wealthy. There was no respect of persons.

He began preaching during the Great Depression at 15 years old. He traveled this country and witnessed the kind of revivals we read about, experienced many healing's, divine judgments and multitudes were saved as a result of the Holy Spirit moving through him.I began attending the church in a borrowed warehouse with around 60 people in attendance. It had been recently formed from a living room meeting. He had a traveling ministry for many years and now settled down just outside Detroit to teach and preach out the last years of his ministry. It became more of a shaking than a settling because as usual the Holy Spirit was present in his ministry. His method was, go where the Spirit lead and get the Word out.

If you study past revivals or awakenings you will see the similarities in Brother Lindsey's ministry. During great awakenings religious leaders have often ignorantly opposed a key figure that God sends and Brother Hubert was that key man in Detroit. I was amazed at the number of pastors that opposed his message of Entire Sanctification and Holiness. If you do your homework you will see revivals didn't come without this kind of preaching. I am amazed at how far the word spread from Detroit and the ways God used to get it out. 22 years later I am still meeting people from all over who were effected from those few years in Detroit.

Some people even advised him not to stay in Detroit. This is one person who is glad he did. I finally understood the Gospel of Christ and was immediately converted, Jesus really got a hold of me. Nothing other than my address was the same. Every one I knew thought I was crazy, I knew I wasn't. For the first time all my sins were gone and I knew it, there was not a person I didn't love or couldn't. Sounds strange but I even felt some sympathy for the devil. Things were falling off me left and right. By the outward appearance I was losing everything. But the more I lost the more I gained. I lost the girl I loved but God's love intensified, I lost my friends but I found Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, I lost hobbies that I had given myself to but my hands didn't become idle in the ministry. Like Paul said "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ"

I was drawn to Brother Lindsey's love and devotion to God and had the opportunity to get to know this simple man. Because of his blindness he needed assistance where ever he went. I counted it an honor to take him for a drive, to a restaurant or to a garage sale. He liked to be around people. He visited my home on occasion to a picnic or to talk with my parents and encourage them.

I cherish the times we gathered our chairs around him to listen. I met Brother Lindsey in the last years of his ministry, he will always hold a place dear in my heart because God used him to answer that first prayer. I look forward to see him again, to thank him for sacrificing to get the word to me.

Still His,
Brother Jim Denton

We're here to make Hubert Lindsey's faithful teachings known

This Blog was started about a year and half ago. It was created to carry on a ministry that Brother Lindsey started many years ago for the cause of Christ. Churches on Trial was originally a radio broadcast in Detroit that allowed Brother Lindsey airtime to answer Biblical Questions that were called in.

I recorded a few of these radio shows and posted them on the left side of this Blog under Hubert Lindsey audios. There are other teaching recordings also that offer much learning for those who enjoy studying the Bible.

I have kept the name of Hubert T. Lindsey (Holy Hubert) alive not to glorify the man, only to glorify the presence of Christ behind that man. Hubert Lindsey reached the hearts and lives of so many people around this nation for 6o years. That legacy must live as the people still live that were effected by Brother Lindsey's ministry.

Hubert Lindsey was not only an evangelist, he was also a teacher of God's Word that clarified the knowledge of the Bible and made it simple enough for a child to understand. I have endeavored to keep that ministry alive, out of committment to God and to Brother Lindsey.

For the past months I have been slack in keeping up this Blog and been writing on other Blogs. I am asking for your input. Perhaps you have a writing or testimony that relates to this ministry or the ministry of Brother Lindsey. Contact me and we'll consider posting it! Our desire is to carry on a ministry that Brother Lindsey left behind.

As time allows there will be new audios and videos coming this fall. We need your visitation and perhaps you can pass us on to someone else that may need to learn more about God's Word. That is our desire. Please stay in touch! Much more to come. Take it to the West Coast where Hubert Lindsey touched lives with Christ 40 years ago.

Thanks for stopping by.

You can't make people believe in Christ

Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could make people believe in Christ? All of your loved ones would be saved. Everybody you come in contact would be saved. Unfortunately no matter how hard we try...we are incapable of making other people believe in Christ.

So...What causes men to believe in Christ?

Repentance.

What is repentance? Repentance is when you change your mind. Repentance is what happens when the goodness of God touches the human soul just enough...that man turns from wrong and accepts right. The right that is accepted is the actual person of Christ.

Belief is consent of the human will. Belief comes when man is enlightened and stirred by the actual presence of a living Christ. When the Gospel is heard...belief can be exercised. Belief causes men to renounce disobedience to God. Belief understands that redemption is the effect that Calvary has on a man that repents from wrongdoing.

Belief allows forgiveness for sin to flow from the Saviour on the cross into your heart. Belief allows man's conscience to be freed from guilt caused from past sinful conduct. Belief opens the floodgates of the Grace of God to morally change man from dirty living.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could make others believe? That's the Gospel's job. That's why faith comes by hearing. The Spirit of of God "ministers truth" to the heart of fallen man. Truth is heard when Christ is preached! The Gospel reveals Christ, His power, His presence, His Glory! The Gospel stirs men to conviction and repentance. The Gospel causes men to believe and give consent to the Christ of their Salvation.

When man realizes he's a sinner and don't want to live that way anymore...it's because he sees Christ. The person of Christ shows man what he really is! When man sees what Christ did for him personally...he sees a way to get away from the old life, the old misery, and the part of man that rejects Christ. The power of Gospel can "sway" man just enough to believe. When man believes in Christ he will obey God.

Belief and obedience are one in the same. You can't be disobedient to God and believe in Christ at the same time. You can't have unbelief in your heart and be obedient to God at the same time. The Bible (in the greek text) teaches that obedience "springs" from faith in Romans 1:5.

Obedience is the outflow of Calvary in the human soul.

The unsaved world must hear about Christ to have something to believe in. Christ is ministered by holy men of God that preach the Gospel. Saving faith is not "blind faith". Saving faith is directly focused on the personality of Christ. Faith is built on a person. Faith is based on what is written about that person. Christian faith is based on the Bible...the Holy Scripture. Isn't that beautiful?

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. God draws men to himself when they hear, learn, and are taught about who Christ is, what He did at Calvary, and what He's doing right now in the Throneroom.

We can't make people believe in Christ...but when men hear the Gospel being preached, and they see themselves in light of a Saviour...they will cry out, "What must we do?" What must we do? What must we do? God convicts. God sways their thinking. God stirs them to repentance. God prods fallen man just enough...that consent of the will is given through the broken-ness of seeing yourself in light of a Saviour's love. This causes belief! Glory! Belief allows Divine Grace to come in and morally change the make-up of man to a holy state of being. This is the power of the Gospel message.

Brokenness causes men to believe, accept, and trust in Christ. Brokenness puts fallen man in a place that turns from sin and reaches out for the Saviour's power and holy presence. Belief says I'm through with the old life...I'm yours Jesus. Belief says I'll never let Jesus go. Belief says sin can't have me anymore. Belief says disobedience can't have me anymore. Belief says alcohol can't have me anymore. Belief says fornication can't have me anymore. Belief in Christ says all that stuff is dirty and wrong...I'm through with it! Then the Grace of God will take the believer over...completely. Isn't that beautiful! That's Saving Grace brother!

Belief is consent of the human will to God through Christ. You can't make a man give his consent to God unless he's broken and repents. That man has to throw in the towel. He will find broken-ness when he realizes that Christ died for him personally. He will also realize personal forgiveness for his sins and freedom from the guilt of sin is found in no other place but Christ. Glory! Do you believe?

Christ doesn't save men "because" they believe...He saves them "when" they believe.

Be a faithful witness and bring honor to God. God will use you for His Glory! Dishonor and disgrace is no good in the eyes of God. He uses holy men and women of God to testify and witness for Christ. You can't make any man believe in Christ...that's the Lord's business. When Christ touches or melts that heart...fallen man will have something to believe in. Glory!

Heavenly minded or earthly minded?

There's and old traditional saying that I've heard over the years that states, "It's not good to be so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good. Heaven's response to that would be, "It's not good to be so earthly minded that you're no heavenly good."

Heavenly minded people are wrapped up in things that God does from Heaven. Earthly minded people are wrapped up in what's going on down here on Earth. That could be the problems of life, money pressures, repercussions from drug or alcohol use, sensuality, dirty living, sickness, domestic relationships gone sour, associations with the world, the pleasures of life, dining, gambling, concerts, or any of these.

These adverse conditions of life are things that can keep the child of God wrapped up and tangled up so much...they lose sight of heavenly matters. Sometimes to an extent of losing faith, throwing in the towel on Chirst, getting so frustrated that they go out and get drunk or doped up and begin blaming people. That very blame game turns into a place of blaming God. They get bitter turn their back on God and get taken over by sin and dirty living. They become so "earthly" or "carnal" they are no heavenly good. Earthly matters will take over your life and your walk with Christ if you let them. Earthly is a Biblical expression that relates to the carnal man.

James 3:15...This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

You may find this hard to believe but there is no such thing as "carnal christian". Christians walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh. The Bible says the carnal mind is an emnity against God.

Rom 8:7...Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

The carnal mind is an expression of the mental state of the Adamic nature. The flesh is the physical expression of the Adamic nature.

Gal 5:16...Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

All that written to say one thing, "Don't be to earthly minded that you can't be in heavenly good." I like what the Apostle Paul said about earth dwellers in the following...

Col 3:1-2... If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

The life of contentment is only found in Christ Jesus

I remember 23 years ago when I had that terrible void in my life. That void was an emptiness and fear that no pleasure in life could satisfy. I was miserable man deceived by sin. My intellect told me there was something out there I needed. I didn't know it was Christ. That's how foolish I was. My soul yearned and longed for something and I didn't even know what it was. I was so empty and so void of God. One night (after a drug binge) I cried out because I didn't know God and I pleaded within myself asking, "What else is there? What am I missing?" I was so empty! So void and so without Christ. Nothing could give me peace or satisfy this hungry soul. Nothing could give me contentment. My soul was yearning. I was ignorant, my heart was dirty, I lived a dirty life, and I was blinded by drugs and alcohol consumption. Contentment was something my heart yearned for. Contentment was something I could never find without God. God was revealing Himself but I didn't realize it. The heart was hardened to God's presence. The soul was empty. There was an eternal guilt and condemnation in Rick Roehm's life.

Then Christ came into this heart. Christ took away the void and emptiness that Rick Roehm experienced for 33 years. A new heart was received from the Spirit of Holiness. A new life was established according to God's standard of living. God showed me that those lost years of emptiness and void were only years without a Saviour's power and presence in my heart. Those were years without forgiveness for my sins that only be found through the shed blood of Christ at Calvary. They were years without obedience and right living given from my faith in the person of Christ. God showed me what hopelessness and helplessness really was. I could have never described peace... because I was a man so miserable. I was so lost and undone.. but then I found my Saviour. I found out what Salvation is. I found out what Salvation does. I found out that only the person of Christ filled the void in a lost soul's life.

After Christ came in...I was no longer empty and confused. I dared not cry out to myself because God was now there for me. I realized that its Christ that meets every need in my life. Christ gave me peace with God and showed me how to live right and do right. His Word of Truth became something I desired to learn and live. The Bible's holy standard became this writers holy standard. The Spirit filled me. The Holy Spirit's standard in my heart and life proved to be in one accord with truth of the New Testament records. Glory! I get happy just thinking about the Christian life! Christ restored my marriage. I became a man of God, a father to my children, and a son. I built a Church to do His service. I would never go back to the Old life. I glorify His holy name because I do not have a void or emptiness anymore. I am filled! Filled with His Spirit of Holiness! Glory! That's why I write. That's why I preach! That's why I'm content. I have it made in Christ. I will never go back!

All that written to say this one thing, "Contentment is only found in the christian life". No man without Christ can have real contentment. Contentment only comes through a life made complete by Christ Jesus. Contentment is found when you know you're His and He takes care of you. You trust Him. You delight in Him. The contented life in Christ has no desire to go back to the old life of emptiness and void. Old things are passed away and the new life took over. Contentment is found after Christ takes over your heart and life. You're a new man! Isn't that beautiful? Contentment comes from being happy in Jesus. Praising God is sign that you are contented. I'm content! I'm filled! I'm blessed! Thank You Jesus. He revived me! I'm restored! I'm content. I don't get happy to be content. I found contentment and contentment in Christ keeps me happy.

Christ will do it for you. Isn't that beautiful? Real contentment is "found" in Christ Jesus. Christ will do it for you. Contentment is only found in the person of Christ. A contented life in Christ will never desire to go back to the old life. Isn't that beautiful?

The Holy Spirit deals with the negative side of life

The ministry of the Holy Spirit was given by Christ to deal with the negative side of life and the negative side of man who is a fallen being. The Holy Spirit came to.."reprove" man of sin and righteousness. The Bible says the goodness of God leads man to repentance or to a place where sinful man changes his mind and turns to a Saviour. What causes sinful man to change his mind? The work of the Holy Spirit in the human soul. God can break the human will of a fallen man and cause him to turn to Christ for forgiveness and Salvation. When the Jews heard Peter preach in Acts 2...their hearts were "pricked" because of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit that came through the Gospel message Peter was preaching. This is how the Holy Spirit deals with the negative side of life and the negative side of man. This is the power of ministry of the Spirit that comes from the Gospel Christ commanded us to preach. This is the power of God in Salvation that "breaks" the rebellious will of sinful man and puts him in a place of godly sorrow. The Bible teaches man is morally depraved and corrupt. Scriptures teach man is evil from is youth. A baby speaks lies after they grow up to and age of accountability. David said in sin his mother conceived him. Sin dominates a man before he repents and turns to Christ. The Holy Spirit was given not only to reprove the negative side of man but also to "regenerate" his make-up into a child of God.

Regeneration is the new birth. Regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit that morally changes man into a new creature holy and right in the eyes of God. This spiritual experience follows the forgiveness of sins and gives man the power to do right in the presence of God. This new divine nature is greater than the old carnal nature because its given by the power God's Divine Grace. Divine Grace is the power of holiness and eternity given from Heaven from Christ. For this cause Christ died on the cross and the power of the Spirit of holiness that rose Christ from the grave is the same power of the Holy Spirit that gives man a desire to quit sinning with the ability to live holy and right. The work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth is among the greatest of blessings that man can ever receive in this life. For this cause Christ died at Calvary and rose the third day.

The work of the Holy Spirit "testifies" Christ to the heart of man. This ministry comes by hearing the word of faith contained in the Gospel message. The Gospel allows the Spirit of Holiness to minister to hearts of all listeners. Faith comes by hearing the Gospel message. The Holy Spirit ministers "truth" to the heart. God draws men to Him through the the Gospel message. Simply put, "Throught the Gospel message the Holy Spirit shows man what he really is in light of the supremacy of Christ that is manifested in the preaching. As the Holy Spirit makes Christ known to the mind and thinking of a believer "death to self" is also revealed in light of Calvary.

In the first work of the Spirit upon sinful man God shows this person the guilt of sin and the necessity to find forgiveness that only comes because of what Christ did for that individual personally. In the work of the Holy Spirit that testifies Christ in the life of a believer man realizes what he really is in light of Christ. When realization finally sinks in... the beleiver will die to "all" that he is. The Spirit of God deals with the negative side of mans heart and shows him how to "crucify the Old Man".

Crucifixion of self takes place when man is melted to nothingness. When man accepts the fact that he is helpless and hopeless without Christ he will die to self. Death to self will take place. Crucifixion is the Holy Spirit's power and presence that makes Christ known to the negative part of the believer's heart that still tries to rule. Simply put, "When man sees who Christ is he will realize that he himself is nothing... without the power of a resurrected Christ". Death to self allows Christ to have complete control of your actions and character. This likewise is the sanctifying work of the baptism with the Holy Spirit in your heart and life. This work of the Holy Spirit is not a process...its an experience of renewal that follows death to the Old Adam.

All said and written above to say one thing, "It's the Spirit of God that causes repentance, conviction, regeneration, crucifixion to self, and sanctification". The ministry of the Holy Spirit is why Christ commanded us to preach the Gospel. The Gospel message allows the ministry of the Holy Spirit to deal with the negative side of life. Glory! That's why Christ sent the Spirit of Truth to make Him known! Glory! The world cannot receive Christ unless the Spirit of God breaks the will of a sinful man enough to turn this man to Christ.

John 14:17...Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:

Glory! Let the name of Christ be known! The Spirit of God will testify Christ to their hearts. Tell the world about Christ! The power of the Holy Spirit is behind your preaching!

John 15:26... But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Fellowship on the Internet and at the Upper Room last night

I realize I have been slighting this Blog for a while. One reason is because I've been blogging at ChristianBlog.com publicizing a message of truth that was left to us by Brother Lindsey before he passed. Most of those Blogs were about the Kingdom Message to Israel and were posted at both Blogs for future reference. Brother Lindsey left us so much learning material about the Bible that it takes vast time to put this all into order. God has blessed this writer with a system of writing, blogging, order to help other people study God's Word. That system I am publicizing over the Internet and I didn't develope it. It came from Brother Lindsey's vast archive of teaching material that was left behind for us. It's simply a systematic theology for those who desire to go the extra mile..studying God's Word. More info will be posted about this subject in the future. So please check out our future Blogs! Anyway here's whats been happening at our Church that God built...

Our Church in Williamsburg Ohio is such a blessing! Our fellowship is in the Spirit and based on love and unity. The crowd is getting bigger. The Word always comes forth and helps us grow our faith in Jesus. Jimmy Allen quoted scripture. Deanna memorized a verse and brought us a couple of songs learned at Vacation Bible School. Chasity had her glasses so she read our passage of Scripture. Casey Smith brought us some nice guitar music to meditate on Christ with. Our prayers went out to the one who answers them. It's just such a blessing to know God is behind us with great power and authority! Glory to His name!