Coutnies Evangelist, Victor Jack, shares how God can change the hearts and minds of even the firmest non-believers.
Victor Jack, has been a Counties Evangelist for 60 years. During this time:
Alongside a team of helpers, Victor and his wife Meg, initiated the Sizewell Hall Christian Conference and Camping Centre in 1975. 225,000,000 people have passed through its doors since then.
A highlight for Victor was the privilege of organizing and chairing the Billy Graham mission at Portman Road football ground in Ipswich in 1984. Just over 100,000 people came to the stadium over five nights. Victor was chairman of the Garden Tomb (Jerusalem) Association for 12 years. He has regularly visited Israel to host visitors, support the director and the staff, and lead tours.
The booklet he wrote in 1970 entitled: Believe and Be Baptized continues to be used by many churches. It has been translated into 80 different languages. Victor’s wife Meg died from cancer in April 2010.
They enjoyed 48 years of serving God together. They have three sons who are committed Christians and serve God differently.
VICTOR’S STORY
For about three years, I was visiting a man who had always been resistant to the Christian faith. I took his wife’s funeral which I know affected him deeply. She was a member of our home church and a delightful Christian lady. A few years later his daughter died unexpectedly as a result of pneumonia; she was in her late 50s and also a very keen and active Christian. I also conducted her funeral. Again, her father was very grateful for my support.
About six months ago he had to go to hospital for an investigation. He was 97 at the time and still very clear in his mind. He read the Guardian every day and could discuss almost every topic under the sun with me. He was a brilliant cello player, played in leading orchestras, and had many cello students.
While in hospital for an investigation, he was told that he had an important choice to make. He could either have an operation, which he would probably not survive, or leave his condition untouched which would give him three to four years of deteriorating health. He told me he was going to have the operation as he had enjoyed good health for most of his life.
At this point, I asked him if he had thought about his future destiny. This became a turning point and an opportunity for me to pray with him. And on subsequent visits to study some important passages of scripture with him.
After studying Psalm 23, he told me he had asked God to be his shepherd which was wonderful news. I saw him a week before he died when he again said: “God is my Shepherd’ and I am going home.”
This was the first time I had had the privilege of helping a man late in his nineties to put his faith in God. To God be the glory. I recently conducted his funeral.