A Mountaintop Experience
It’s difficult to explain, but just the other day, I had a “mountaintop experience,” the roots of which reach back over 40 years into northern India. Now, mountaintop experiences come in all shapes and sizes…some even look like mountains.
When God leads us to an occasion or event in which He impacts the outcome to expand and bring glory to His Kingdom, things mysteriously change. It’s like metaphorically dipping into a deep well of living water designed to spur our spiritual growth, by which we get a strong sense of His presence and purpose. But it turns out that when God’s Spirit does a wonderful work in our lives, it is not just for our immediate benefit and gratification, but also to leave an indelible impression upon others in whom His work is also being accomplished. So, allow me to further explain by telling you a story.
As with my previously published commentaries, this story now relates to our mission, The Voice of the Martyrs Canada. While recounting the many daily encounters I’ve experienced over the years involving unexplainable phenomena, one particular scenario comes to mind as I write this commentary.
I believe it was during the spring of 1971 when I began to routinely touch the hem of Christ’s garment. My first such contact (figuratively) with the “Lord of all” took place after having been recruited by the Canadian Youth for Christ mission (then so named) to provide one year of leadership to a musical ministry team called, The Potter’s Clay. The team’s task was to land in Ireland, then proceed to circumnavigate the entire world (a linear distance of 40,075 kilometres) by performing in ministry concerts where we engaged with young people who were interested in learning about Jesus. This involved ministering to a sizable number of them as, at one event in Bangalore, India, we presented to an audience of over 4,000 people.
India, as it remains today, is a remarkably beautiful place with amazing geological diversity between the lowland and the hill country. During that year of ’71, our executive leaders prayerfully decided to focus three of the 12 global touring months in this South Asian country. However, they could not have known about the movement of God that lay before us like a banquet prepared for a feast. While such an objective may sound feasible as it “rolls off the tongue,” the real logistics added up to multiple performances per day in 27 cities – from the northern to the southern parts of the country. By the time we reached our Himalayan destination, which was somewhat mid-point during the tour, we were beginning to grow weary and yet felt increasingly blessed by the steadfastness of God’s strong hand and the witness of His Spirit drawing many hundreds – at times, even thousands – to Himself.
George Wastle, a young Canadian artist who is presently studying art in university, used what is referred to as the linocut technique for his artwork submission, Jesus condemned by the Sanhedrin: "The process of carving a square of linoleum and using it to apply ink, leaves a rough and worn-looking impression. This, as well as the contrasting colours, illustrates the torment that many Christians face today because their beliefs are outlawed by corrupt governments. Jesus was falsely accused and beaten, yet He humbly bore it all.
It is the prayer of the VOMC ministry team that our Lord be ultimately honoured and glorified through the lives of Christians around the world who are steadfastly committed to the way of the cross... brightly shining His light in the midst of darkness.
The strategy was to boldly reach out to a highly unique and very discriminating (albeit somewhat jaded) mission school, located north of New Delhi and positioned high among the beautiful foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Evidentially, this “Western” style missionary school, well-versed in its musical culture, had developed a multi-tiered educational facility that dotted along the peaks of the foothills.
The students of Woodstock were disenchanted (so we were informed) about having been left alone by their ministering families who were off busily serving in the “fields.” This had caused a resentment that spilled over, affecting not only their own faith walk but also their predicted reaction to our own prowess. Yet, as we gradually made our way into the Himalayan Mountains in our Land Rover automobile, widening the gap between New Delhi and Woodstock, it became increasingly clear that if we were going to make a strong case for Jesus while overcoming the multifaith and neglect biases that assumedly could put a damper on our ministry, we would have to be at our very best. No, we needed to do much better than our very best…we would have to pray and aspire to reflect God’s best! In fact, it became increasingly clear that we must surrender all that we could offer musically and all that we could say in expressing the Living God, as was so powerfully expressed through His Son Jesus.
I remember turning to gaze out the rear window of our four-by-four…watching the cacophony of life boil over and pour out on the sizzling sand (measured at a depth of 125” at ground level). These realities had already settled into our physique by the time our entourage connected at a prearranged rendezvous. There were two vehicles arriving on opposing trails (due to the separate boys and girls billeting) from which point we proceeded up the switchback climb to Woodstock.
To our horror, and quite literally, it was then that we discovered our shortcomings…. One of our ladies arrived sick with laryngitis, one of our young men suffered from stomach flu, a guitar had inadvertently been left behind (“left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing!”), the whole troupe was feeling some height illness, and we were all “poor in spirit.” We journeyed on, acknowledging that in and of ourselves, we could offer absolutely NOTHING – I mean nothing! God had a different plan in mind for His beautiful young men and women at Woodstock…and for His faithful servants who made up the music group, The Potter’s Clay.
That day, in the late spring of 1971, the members of our group marched bravely onto a cultural and ministerial battlefield (even though it appeared to be only a gym stage), facing opposing forces. At that defining moment, we decided to trust God for an “impossible” outcome, while surrendering our reputation to His Kingdom purposes. Upon first setting foot on that dusty stage, we began to sense that God was up to something and that we were being drawn toward the light of His profound presence, as were the Woodstock students. We had no idea that the fruit of this occasion would end up providing a source of spiritual nourishment until this very day and perhaps beyond.
There, on that dusty stage, we sang…and I’m certain that we must have sounded awful. Yet, despite the challenges we encountered, the beauty of God’s Word broke through the hearts of all who were present. Suddenly, it was as if God’s presence fell upon the assembly! By the next morning, almost all of the Christian students had risen early to commence an entire day of formed circle-groups to continue in prayer and worship. We stood back in amazement and watched the most remarkable events unfold….
Three days after our initial arrival, we loaded up the Land Rover and headed back down the Himalayan foothills. It is safe to say that through this divine encounter with God, everyone had changed for the better. Our team realized that the ministry was only effective because the promotion of our own abilities or prowess had been deflected onto the power of our glorious Lord!
In summary, the experience gained was not just for the students of India. Every time I enter into the work that God has called us to at VOMC, I am reminded that it is only by His strength that we are able to do anything of consequence. I am also reminded that His blessings upon the persecuted church are fundamental to His strategy, for He would climb any mountain and use any vehicle (such as our little faithful band) to reach His children and ease their suffering. I am also reminded that, as the Lord has guided me and our ministry team through such blessed occasions – as this little story portrays – He is the same limitless God who leads and guides us today.
For several months, following God’s ministry at Woodstock, we were blessed to receive many letters from the missionary parents of these students who had been greatly impacted by God’s Spirit at the school. Christian news media took hold of the story by reporting on what had then been referred to as The Miracle at Woodstock.
- Doug
