It is not my purpose to lecture on how to have a perennial revival. But, what I can do, is give an account of what I was privileged to be a part of over 70 yrs ago, at the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas, where J. Frank Norris was pastor for over 44 yrs.
Sunday after Sunday, I witnessed of upwards of 100 people walk the saw-dust trail and entered into the baptismal waters, new converts drawn from all parts of the city, and many fresh from the lesser desired parts of the city. From this vantage point of 2011, I believe that I have a clear understanding which explains this phenomena.
The pattern is laid out in the book of Acts which records the facts of 3000 souls being added to the church in such a short period of time. The method never changes. What is seen on the surface is not always an accurate picture of the real story.
I try to relate the inside story of the ministry of J. Frank Norris with whom I had the privilege of observing up front. Twenty-five years to be exact. The force of his personality was indeed overpowering, but as I will show in a later video, J. Frank Norris had the unique ability in a timely fashion to defer to others when the situation called for such act of deference.
In a later video, I will be relating a fascinating experience Norris had in 1911 in Owensboro, Kentucky, the account of which revealed much about the man, most people have never heard of.
The electrifying stories you may have heard of J. Frank Norris comes out of the charged atmosphere prevalent at the Wednesday night prayer services. Every sermon preached had at it’s core, what Norris had heard from a whole host of fervent soul winners.
His spirit was buoyed from testimonies like that of Mr. Masters (a real life person) who never failed to win a soul each and every week. He was only a lowly paid street sweeper, but it was men like Mr. Masters whose every word and actions brought nothing but hardy amens. It was workers like Mr. Masters that super-charged these Wednesday night prayer services, not by a lot of small-talk, but reports of successful soul-winning efforts.
It was from the book of Acts, Chapter 5, which lay at the root of whatever success may have been the outcome. Individual soul winning will change the atmosphere of an otherwise lukewarm church. Experiences that a soul winner encounters will make for Godly conversations, when the assembly comes together. Soul-winning reports will give an up-lift to any congregation and when bathed in tears will touch the heart of the entire church.
Friends, America needs a genuine, spiritual revival.
It all begins with each one of us.
Pray that God will condition us and give us a desire to reap the harvest.
Jesus said the harvest is ripe, but the laborers are few.
The simple story of salvation begins when the seeking soul is driven to pray the sinner’s prayer……………..LORD, be merciful to me a sinner…..tell it to your friends, over and over.
We are thankful to be hearing from friends in
Russia Africa Philippines Canada, as well as many from the USA
Roy Falls at Norris' gravesite
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
What J Frank Norris Believed About Judgment to Come
It is of little use to try and refute the many false concepts of life after death. That is why God has chosen the vehicle of faith as the means by which we please God, and have some knowledge of future events.
To please God, it takes faith to receive favor in His sight. Revelation and conscience, both teach us this underlying well-established doctrine. This is a basic tenet of those who call themselves “Fundamentalists”. Among the army of Fundamentalists of the past was J. Frank Norris, whose ministry and content are the focal point of this website.
Fundamentalists believe in a literal heaven and a literal hell. Details of their descriptive nature are irrelevant until the priority issues can first be addressed. Fundamentalist cannot prove by any materialistic method whether heaven or hell really exists. But driven by faith, Fundamentalists believe that over-whelming evidence offers proof of an eternal existence either in heaven or an eternal torment.
If, at the conclusion of time, their faith turns out to be an illusionary fable, they have not lost anything. But if, on the other hand, and after death, the mystery is settled once and for all, we will know at that point who made the right choice.
The question of life after death presents for us a sobering thought and should suffice to arouse the inquisitive interest of every human being. To you who are watching this video, if you miss heaven, who are you going to blame to an irreversible decision? You will not be blaming God, but rather the perpetrators of a most vicious lie. Your destiny will not be at the hand of a vengeful God, but rather the sad mistake of listening to the voices of darkness. Honesty demands straight-forward answers to life’s perplexing mysteries. Fundamentalists pass the test of honesty when they assert their beliefs are based on faith.
Honesty should also compel the skeptics and liberals to approach life’s mysteries by admitting their lack of scientific certainty. In the final analysis, the simple conclusion is that faith surpasses the insufficient knowledge of finite human beings which just might lead to a gut-wrenching end.
My appeal to all who review this video is this; listen to that still, small voice that speaks words of wisdom and the God of all grace, will honor your simple faith and seal your destiny forever. As a believer, I don’t dwell on the aspect of God as revengeful, for that is not the most noble attribute of His nature.
But I do dwell and marvel at His greatest attribute. There is no more charming sound than the thought of God’s redeeming grace. In spite of our moments of despair, it is a thought of God’s redeeming grace reaching down to every sinful soul. It is the broken heart of a dying Savior that brings us to the place of
1. True confession
2. To the place of repentance
3. To a time of submission
4. To the place of receiving Salvation
Wonderful hymns sometimes tell the story better than a spoken word. I am grateful for all of our viewers, including many from Russia. May this song bless your heart.
Roy Falls
“Marvelous Grace of our Loving Lord”
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary’s mount out-poured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe;
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
To please God, it takes faith to receive favor in His sight. Revelation and conscience, both teach us this underlying well-established doctrine. This is a basic tenet of those who call themselves “Fundamentalists”. Among the army of Fundamentalists of the past was J. Frank Norris, whose ministry and content are the focal point of this website.
Fundamentalists believe in a literal heaven and a literal hell. Details of their descriptive nature are irrelevant until the priority issues can first be addressed. Fundamentalist cannot prove by any materialistic method whether heaven or hell really exists. But driven by faith, Fundamentalists believe that over-whelming evidence offers proof of an eternal existence either in heaven or an eternal torment.
If, at the conclusion of time, their faith turns out to be an illusionary fable, they have not lost anything. But if, on the other hand, and after death, the mystery is settled once and for all, we will know at that point who made the right choice.
The question of life after death presents for us a sobering thought and should suffice to arouse the inquisitive interest of every human being. To you who are watching this video, if you miss heaven, who are you going to blame to an irreversible decision? You will not be blaming God, but rather the perpetrators of a most vicious lie. Your destiny will not be at the hand of a vengeful God, but rather the sad mistake of listening to the voices of darkness. Honesty demands straight-forward answers to life’s perplexing mysteries. Fundamentalists pass the test of honesty when they assert their beliefs are based on faith.
Honesty should also compel the skeptics and liberals to approach life’s mysteries by admitting their lack of scientific certainty. In the final analysis, the simple conclusion is that faith surpasses the insufficient knowledge of finite human beings which just might lead to a gut-wrenching end.
My appeal to all who review this video is this; listen to that still, small voice that speaks words of wisdom and the God of all grace, will honor your simple faith and seal your destiny forever. As a believer, I don’t dwell on the aspect of God as revengeful, for that is not the most noble attribute of His nature.
But I do dwell and marvel at His greatest attribute. There is no more charming sound than the thought of God’s redeeming grace. In spite of our moments of despair, it is a thought of God’s redeeming grace reaching down to every sinful soul. It is the broken heart of a dying Savior that brings us to the place of
1. True confession
2. To the place of repentance
3. To a time of submission
4. To the place of receiving Salvation
Wonderful hymns sometimes tell the story better than a spoken word. I am grateful for all of our viewers, including many from Russia. May this song bless your heart.
Roy Falls
“Marvelous Grace of our Loving Lord”
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary’s mount out-poured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe;
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Dissent, the Anvil of Truth
Fundamentalism was born out of the hot furnace of dissent against the inherent flaws of denominationalism. The one man at the center of that dissent was none other than J. Frank Norris, the acknowledged founder of the so-called Fundamentalist Movement. Dissent is not of itself a bad connotation. It’s constructive value or disruptive capability must be looked at from an objective standpoint. Any ill-conceived idea is a reproach upon humanity and must be countered only by dissent.
Likewise, the great Protestant reformation came to fruition through the voice of dissent. It only takes a cursory review of church history to reach this conclusion. Most noteworthy of all dissenters was Martin Luther, famous for his posting of the “Ninety-Five Thesis”. But more riveting than the life of Luther, was the account of England’s most honored martyred saints.
On October 16, 1555, the lives of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were consumed in flames, at the ruthless hand of Queen Mary Tudor. The same fate awaited Thomas Cranmer just six months later. As the flames rose, Latimer called out to his companion, “Be of good cheer, Mr. Ridley, and play the man, for we shall this day light a candle in England as I trust, by God’s grace, shall never be put out”. This event happened in Oxford, England, where now stands a memorial in honor of these three saints.
Thankfully, American culture has never stooped to the low of burning dissenters at the stake, based on the offense of dissent. Dissent characterized the ministry of J. Frank Norris without question, but never without a rational reason for which history now agrees. Search his record, and almost without exception, time and consensus have proven him to be a man ahead of his time. Such is the conclusion of friend and foe alike.
Sadly, the negative “Johnnie-come-lately” gainsayers seem totally unable to render fair judgment. Until credible researchers are forthcoming, the real J. Frank Norris will never be known. You who view this video, I request that you share with me, any documented information which will be helpful in my quest.
Likewise, the great Protestant reformation came to fruition through the voice of dissent. It only takes a cursory review of church history to reach this conclusion. Most noteworthy of all dissenters was Martin Luther, famous for his posting of the “Ninety-Five Thesis”. But more riveting than the life of Luther, was the account of England’s most honored martyred saints.
On October 16, 1555, the lives of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were consumed in flames, at the ruthless hand of Queen Mary Tudor. The same fate awaited Thomas Cranmer just six months later. As the flames rose, Latimer called out to his companion, “Be of good cheer, Mr. Ridley, and play the man, for we shall this day light a candle in England as I trust, by God’s grace, shall never be put out”. This event happened in Oxford, England, where now stands a memorial in honor of these three saints.
Thankfully, American culture has never stooped to the low of burning dissenters at the stake, based on the offense of dissent. Dissent characterized the ministry of J. Frank Norris without question, but never without a rational reason for which history now agrees. Search his record, and almost without exception, time and consensus have proven him to be a man ahead of his time. Such is the conclusion of friend and foe alike.
Sadly, the negative “Johnnie-come-lately” gainsayers seem totally unable to render fair judgment. Until credible researchers are forthcoming, the real J. Frank Norris will never be known. You who view this video, I request that you share with me, any documented information which will be helpful in my quest.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
REMEMBER what Sunday meant?
Remember what Sunday meant? When Sunday meant getting up early to go to Sunday School and Church? For men to wear clean, starched shirts with a suit and tie? For women to always wear a dress or a skirt that didn't rise more than 1" above the knees? For little girls to always wear a dress? For children to actually be a part of and behave in the church service and not be sent to a gathering place to "play" and have cookies & milk? When singing old fashioned hymns brought a tear to your eye, because there was a "real" message to be learned? Leaving the service humbled and wanting to be closer to God?
Remember what Sunday meant? Eating dinner with family or Godly friends instead of participating in a secular activity? Taking an afternoon nap? When night came and the Sunday night service you went? Laying your head on your pillow and saying your prayers?
Do you remember what Sunday meant?
This is what I learned and now remember, being influenced by my father and mother, who in turn were influenced by J. Frank Norris. Hebrews 11:4 ,,, “and by it he being dead yet speaketh”. And though he be dead, Dr. Norris’ legacy and influence for the good lives on!
“LORD, be merciful to me, a sinner”,
Gail Hawkins
Jan. 11, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Conscience .... what I learned from Dr. Norris
One of the characteristics of human beings….I don’t care who you are, an American, a Buddhist, etc. ….everybody has a conscience and everybody’s conscience is universal, in it’s makeup. An atheist cannot deny that he has a conscience. When you really explore the depth of all of the meaning…..”what does conscience mean?” you will finally come to the conclusion that it relates to what God is and what we know about Him There is a lot of mystery about concepts … it runs through our minds….we have a little thought here and there. But when you study the concept of a conscience, you’re dealing on a human level. That’s what I’m saying…it’s an argument outside the evidence as presented in the bible. When you’re talking to a lot of people, the bible is not evidence. But one thing that is evidence, is your conscience, and that’s universal. It’s the same everywhere.
When you really understand how the conscience of mankind is made up, it tells you what is right and what is wrong. It tells you a lot of things that you believe….and you don’t even know whether you believe it or not. I’m giving you an argument outside the biblical evidence. If you ever run into an atheist, here’s what I’d ask one of them. “Sir, explain to me what the conscience is”. Every man is endowed with a conscience. It would become an endless dissertation …you would find no end to it. And the more you would get into it, the more you would see how that it helps you to get a vision of the mystery of God Himself, the mystery of Christ. How Christ saves, His dying on the cross ….we don’t understand all of it. It is almost beyond our comprehensions. But we make a start, whenever we begin to explore our conscience…I’m not talking about consciousness, I’m talking about your conscience. It’s the inner man that every man has.
So when man follows the dictates of his conscience, and if he’s honest, his conscience will finally lead him to an appreciation ….. that one of the most noteworthy characteristics of mankind is to be honest. Everybody would say “you’ve got to be honest”….that’s what your conscience tells you. When you’re honest, then you open up because when you’re honest you can get to the “bottom of things”. That’s one of the problems nowadays, people talk about a lot of things, but they’re really not honest. This is one of the failures and the faults of human beings. Human beings are not honest. And what they do, is suppress their conscience. That’s why they do things they shouldn’t do. That’s why they rob banks. But if they’ll be honest, and not suppress their conscience, they’ll know that robbing a bank is wrong. They’ll also know that God is merciful, and that God requires submission on the part of every human being. And that submission is displayed in that sinner’s prayer….”Lord, be merciful”. You just can’t get around thaz .... yout conscience tells you that. I don’t think you’d find many book on this subject. It would be a subject that would deserve a lot of research…I believe an avenue could really be opened. I’ve never read anything about it, other than what I read in the bible and what I’ve observed in human nature. I’ve never met anybody that didn’t have a conscience….and I’ve talked to all kinds of people from all kinds of religions…and their conscience is the same as mine….exactly the same as mine….there’s no difference, whatsoever. Sometimes we do not have occasions to do these things in depth. We don’t spend a lot of time trying to explore the depth of things.
Some people deny Christ, but where you would convince them, if you can get to the depths of the meaning of the concept of a conscience, they would open their eyes.
When you really understand how the conscience of mankind is made up, it tells you what is right and what is wrong. It tells you a lot of things that you believe….and you don’t even know whether you believe it or not. I’m giving you an argument outside the biblical evidence. If you ever run into an atheist, here’s what I’d ask one of them. “Sir, explain to me what the conscience is”. Every man is endowed with a conscience. It would become an endless dissertation …you would find no end to it. And the more you would get into it, the more you would see how that it helps you to get a vision of the mystery of God Himself, the mystery of Christ. How Christ saves, His dying on the cross ….we don’t understand all of it. It is almost beyond our comprehensions. But we make a start, whenever we begin to explore our conscience…I’m not talking about consciousness, I’m talking about your conscience. It’s the inner man that every man has.
So when man follows the dictates of his conscience, and if he’s honest, his conscience will finally lead him to an appreciation ….. that one of the most noteworthy characteristics of mankind is to be honest. Everybody would say “you’ve got to be honest”….that’s what your conscience tells you. When you’re honest, then you open up because when you’re honest you can get to the “bottom of things”. That’s one of the problems nowadays, people talk about a lot of things, but they’re really not honest. This is one of the failures and the faults of human beings. Human beings are not honest. And what they do, is suppress their conscience. That’s why they do things they shouldn’t do. That’s why they rob banks. But if they’ll be honest, and not suppress their conscience, they’ll know that robbing a bank is wrong. They’ll also know that God is merciful, and that God requires submission on the part of every human being. And that submission is displayed in that sinner’s prayer….”Lord, be merciful”. You just can’t get around thaz .... yout conscience tells you that. I don’t think you’d find many book on this subject. It would be a subject that would deserve a lot of research…I believe an avenue could really be opened. I’ve never read anything about it, other than what I read in the bible and what I’ve observed in human nature. I’ve never met anybody that didn’t have a conscience….and I’ve talked to all kinds of people from all kinds of religions…and their conscience is the same as mine….exactly the same as mine….there’s no difference, whatsoever. Sometimes we do not have occasions to do these things in depth. We don’t spend a lot of time trying to explore the depth of things.
Some people deny Christ, but where you would convince them, if you can get to the depths of the meaning of the concept of a conscience, they would open their eyes.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Memories of First Baptist Church - Pretty Boy Floyd
I was present on June 17, 1936 at a baptismal service at the First Baptist Church. Some of this story, I know first hand.
This was the year which brought to close many of the exploits in the roaring 30's ... including many of the infamous bank robbers. Amoung the early gangsters of this era was Charles Floyd, better known as "Pretty Boy" Floyd. He received this nickname from one of his victims. She was asked, "What did he look like"? To which she replied, "He had the face of a pretty boy".
Floyd's wife, a vaudeville actor, wanted to arrange with the law a surrender to the First Baptist Church (Dr. Norris), which did not happen. Ruby, the wife, had heard Dr. Norris on the radio. She visited the First Baptist Church and had the priviledge of seeing her 12 yr. old son baptized. According to Bryan Burrough's, "The Life and Death of Pretty Boy Floyd", a 4 minute film of the baptism was incorporated into Ruby's vaudeville show and booked at the Fort Worth Palace Theatre.
The little boy who I saw baptized that day....Jackie Floyd
This was the year which brought to close many of the exploits in the roaring 30's ... including many of the infamous bank robbers. Amoung the early gangsters of this era was Charles Floyd, better known as "Pretty Boy" Floyd. He received this nickname from one of his victims. She was asked, "What did he look like"? To which she replied, "He had the face of a pretty boy".
Floyd's wife, a vaudeville actor, wanted to arrange with the law a surrender to the First Baptist Church (Dr. Norris), which did not happen. Ruby, the wife, had heard Dr. Norris on the radio. She visited the First Baptist Church and had the priviledge of seeing her 12 yr. old son baptized. According to Bryan Burrough's, "The Life and Death of Pretty Boy Floyd", a 4 minute film of the baptism was incorporated into Ruby's vaudeville show and booked at the Fort Worth Palace Theatre.
The little boy who I saw baptized that day....Jackie Floyd
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