Ministry Moments:
Reading the Score Sheet
by Lynn Ridenhour
While ministering at The Upper Room, the world was
our pulpit. We shared Christ in the marketplace, in pool halls, taverns, in
bowling alleys, at pot parties, rock concerts, and at county fairs and parks.
As I said, the world was our pulpit. We went anywhere & everywhere.
One evening we were in a bowling alley. You must know—we looked like
hippies. The long hair, the leather, boots & sandals. The van was painted
psychedelic colors. More than a few times we were pulled over by the cops and
searched. Our van was searched for drugs and we were spread-eagled. Cops
typically went away scratching their heads. The only things they ever found
were Bibles lying on the shag carpet with bundles of Jesus Tracts &
newspapers on the floor—along with our musical instruments.
We had recently formed a Jesus Band—a drummer, saxophone player, lead
& bass guitarists, and three vocalists. We named our band "The
Voice." One of its members, our saxophone player, used to play for Ike
& Tina Turner before they split up. Man, could he make that sax yak. We
would play along the roadside, in RV parks and in pool halls. Just about
anywhere.
One evening we were out handing out Jesus Tracts & newspapers. We ended
up in a small Missouri town in a bowling alley. We had actually gone inside to
take a break. I was sitting in a soda fountain booth sipping a rootbeer with
three other brothers. The place was packed with young people. Lanes were
hopping and you could hear the pins falling. I noticed in the booth next to me
three teenage girls who were giggling and talking. One of the girls had
"coke bottle" eyes. That is, she wore coke bottle thick glasses.
"…If you’ll go over there and pray for her I’ll heal her
eyes," says the Lord.
I responded, "…Lord, we’re in a bowling alley…"
He responds, "…I know it. You don’t have to embarrass her…"
Then He said it again, "…if you’ll go over there and pray for
her I’ll heal her…"
I finally excused myself.
"…Girls, may I sit down?"
Looking up, they didn’t say a word—just stared at me--so I sat down. I
broke the ice and got right to the point.
"…Look, my name is Lynn and while I was sitting over there, the Lord
spoke to me about you (I was looking at the girl with the thick glasses).
He said if you will let me pray for you He’ll heal your eyesight."
I could tell, all three were getting nervous.
"…Don’t worry, I’m not going to embarrass any of you. In fact,
we can pray just like we’re doing right now. As if we’re talking to one
another. I won’t bow my head. I’ll say a short prayer while looking at you
as if we were talking to each other. May I?…"
The young girl paused a moment. I could tell she was thinking it over. She
wasn’t sure she wanted any part of this. She looked me straight in the eye,
a total stranger, then nodded ok. The other two girls were sitting in the
booth. I was sitting across from the girl I was about to pray for.
"…Lord," I said, as I kept my eyes on her. "…You
said if I would pray for her, you would heal her eyes. I’m asking you to
heal her eyesight in Jesus name."
That’s all I said.
I noticed in front of her, lying on the tabletop, was a scoresheet.
Probably the sheet they used to keep score with while bowling. I asked her, "…take
off your glasses and see if you can’t read the scoresheet."
She took off her thick glasses and began reading. I was a little shocked.
The girls were really shocked. You could see it on their faces.
"…Betty, read some more!" said one of the girls. Betty
began to read perfectly the fine print with her glasses lying on the table.
That was more than they could take. I never heard such giggling. Betty was
crying. She got up and gave me a hug there in the bowling alley.
Sometimes the supernatural can be so natural.
We piled in our van and went home.
