The Pastor of the Hills

As a young boy I grew up in a different place than where I live today, but not so far away that I don’t remember a piece of our Christian heritage that young ones today don’t know much about, yet some of us remember well.

As a boy I remember an old pastor that had a tent. There used to be tent revival meetings all over our area, but by the 1980’s most have gone away. It is very unusual to see a large tent set up in the summer time with men and women fanning themselves on those hot evenings. Kids are running around, and even a few dogs. A couple of rows of lights, sawdust and straw on the ground with many somewhat uncomfortable folding chairs set in rows: some even sat outside the tent.

There was a pastor of the hills named Johnny Williams. He was a kind, grey-headed man; a man as faithful as the summer temperatures to set up his tent at a local store’s parking lot or a farmer’s field.

Johnny Williams was a pastor to many a man that crossed all barriers of prestige and spoke the gospel plainly and with truth. He kept this up until he could no longer go.

He was a faithful man of God who touched many that others couldn’t or wouldn’t. I can still hear them singing as people who would sing the best they could in their service to spreading the gospel through the valleys and pastures.

This faithful servant from the hills of Sugar Creek was a man that cared about people. Oh, how I wish I had paid more attention then and not waited so long to surrender my life, as many do.

I’m sure many were affected by this country preacher and gave their life to Jesus all because a man like Johnny Williams made sure the gospel was preached wherever someone would allow him to set up his tent and call another revival meeting. I wish I’d seen the blessing it was that I didn’t recognize back then.