People know what you are by what they see, not what they hear.
When Wycliffe translator Doug Meland and his wife moved into a village of Brazil’s Fulnio Indians, he was referred to simply as “the white man.” The term was by no means complimentary, since other white men had exploited them of their lands.
But after the Melands learned the Fulnio language and began to help the people with medicine and in other ways, they began calling Doug “the respectable white man.”
When the Melands began adapting the customs of the people, the Fulnio gave them greater acceptance and spoke of Doug “the white Indian.”
Then one day, as Doug was washing the dirty blood-caked foot of an injured Fulnio boy, he overheard a by-stander say to another: “Whoever heard of a white man washing an Indian’s foot before? Certainly this man is from God!” From that day on, whenever Doug would go into an Indian home, it would be announced: “Here comes the man God sent us.”
St. Francis of Assisi one day said to several of his followers, “Let us go to the village over the way and preach.” As they went, they met a humble pedestrian who was greatly burdened. Francis was in no hurry and listened carefully to his tale of woe.
When the village was reached, Francis talked with the shopkeepers, spent time with the farmers at their fruit and vegetable stalls, and played with the children in the streets. On the way back they met a farmer with a load of hay, and Francis spent time with him.
The morning gone, the group reached the monastery from where they had set out in the early morning.
One of the followers, who was greatly disappointed, said to Francis, “Brother Francis, you said you were going to preach. The morning is spent and no sermon has been given.”
And the saintly Francis replied, “But we have been preaching all the way.”
– Prairie Overcomer
Power Principles for Power Living by Dwight Thompson
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Dwight Thompson has become one of the most powerful evangelists of our time. Known worldwide for his legendary ability to captivate and move an audience, he has devoted his ministry to touching the lives of all those who are lost and hurting with a message of hope, found through salvation and deliverance in Jesus Christ.
The elements that make his message unforgettable include humor, compassion, deeply rooted Biblical convictions, and unique ways of illustrating the meaning of Scriptural phrases, parables, and promises.
Dwight has traveled around the world as an evangelist, preaching to millions and leading thousands of lost souls to Jesus Christ. His crusades frequently launch long-lasting revivals. With his ability to communicate the Gospel with power and charisma, he touches countless lives.
Dwight and Zonelle have been married for 51 years and have two children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Zonelle travels nation-wide with Dwight, and she is the founder of Operation STITCHES (Saving The Inner-city Through Christ’s Hope: Eternal Salvation), an outreach to inner-city children and their families.
God has given both Dwight and Zonelle a divine love for souls. He has created within the two of them an obsession for helping people transform their very existence.
Dwight and Zonelle know the worth of just one soul and are committed to continue being obedient to the calling God placed on them over 49 years ago.
Truly, Dwight Thompson is a man with a call on his life and a commitment in his heart to reach lost souls for Jesus Christ.