Meeting with Dr. Ruckman
Dr. Ruckman flew into Midland, Texas March 25th, to meet me for an appearance on God's Learning Channel's program Light of the Southwest. It is a two hour program that is a combination of interviews, music and ministry. My wife, Gayle Meier played on the piano, while Matthew Fournier, our music minister and bus minister sang two solos and I bellered another. Then Dr. Ruckman taught a deep, deep lesson on the King James Bible. I am sorry, but the pictures on the set did not turn out focused. I think it was the lighting on the set.
The next day, Friday the 27th we arrived at the Odessa, Texas Youth Detention Center, where Dr. Ruckman preached The Gospel Punchboard, and drew the picture. There were six youth saved at that meeting that professed that it was the first time they had sincerely prayed to receive the Saviour in this manner. That evening, Dr. Ruckman preached at Bethel Baptist Church in Monahans, Texas. The sermon there was Body, Soul, and Spirit.
Saturday, the 28th Dr. and Mrs. Ruckman flew into Amarillo, arriving by plane about the same time I arrived driving up from Odessa. (Don't ask me to expalin) After enjoying a steak at The Big Texan Steak Ranch, and a few minutes to rest, the services started at Liberty Baptist. We had a packed house with many visitors. Some were T.V. fans of his and others were visiting from other churches. Almost all of the people that have been visiting our church the past few Sundays were there. After all was said and done, however, not all were so glad they came. The sermon was Sins of the Saints. A hard hitting, convicting sermon on sin. Many came to the altar, and the rest were trapped between a rock and a hard place in the invitation.
Sunday, Dr. Ruckman taught a lesson on the Last Few Remaining Minutes of the Church Age. Teaching the political ramifications of recent events in the news, compared with what the Bible says about it. The morning preaching was The Passion of Christ, which was named Love Story in years past. Again, we had a full house. There was one soul saved in that service, a young man who had been coming for about two weeks.
Sunday afternoon saw us at the Randall County Youth Detention Center where Bro. Ruckman preached on The Four Judgments. There were 10 saved in this service under the worst conditions I've ever seen. I've been in maximum security prisons in several states, but never saw anything harder than there. There were 10 teens praying the "sinners prayer" out loud with other teens sitting around them laughing. That's as bad as I've ever seen it for young people. I was told by the assistant director, that the youth insisted that the picture be mounted. A workman made a frame for it the next day, and it was covered with a sheet of plexi-glass and hung in a prominent place. He says that the teens that were in the service use it as a witnessing tool to the others.
Sunday evening saw us back in church again with a full house. Dr. Ruckman preached on Genesis 22.
That is a total of 17 souls saved, and Liberty Baptist is still revived from the meeting, and souls have been saved in the services and by the soul winners since the meeting.
Thank you Dr. Ruckman for the meeting, you've been a blessing to us.
