Last Friday (17th of July) I took a day off work to drive to the
Harrisburg area for a Gospel Concert that evening. My daughter and son-in-law were having a baby
dedication for my youngest Granddaughter, they go to the same Church. Our
Pastor is an old quartet guy (he sings the bass part), who like me, loves the
old gospel songs and hymns too. So, since he was going to be at the house
Sunday, I wanted to make sure to pick up some music while at the concert to
sample for him. Well it so happens that my 8 year old Grandson was staying with
us, and he wanted to go to the concert too, which in the end brought me more
joy than I can articulate.
We started out on Route #322 to Harrisburg, my Grandson in the
back seat. The first half hour I caught up on the news on the Satellite Radio,
then turned the channel to a Gospel Channel that I listen to a lot. When I
looked in the mirror, the little guy was smiling and trying to sing along. Hmm,
OK, this could be good, right? Well we arrived in the Harrisburg area a little
over an hour early, so we stopped to get something to eat, and I just happen to
look down and this kid has dirty feet and sandals on. Oh my, this will never
do, we have got to get some soft wipes, socks and a pair of shoes, I have never
been to this Church before, don’t want to get thrown out. For crying out loud, what will my friend say?
Oh, I forgot to mention. The Baritone singer for the group is a dear friend I
met on the Gaither Community Site. He reads my blogs, and we write each other
notes of encouragement to keep in the Battle – while serving our Precious
Jesus! He is from Alabama, and I am from Central Pennsylvania, and I was
looking to make a good 1st impression. So by golly we bought the little guy a
new pair of socks and a new pair of shoes just for the occasion, and not
necessarily with my Wife’s approval. So with a half hour to spare we drove to
this little country church in a small town called Glenvale, outside Marysville,
which is across the river from Harrisburg. We sat in the car for a few minutes,
lacing up my Grandson’s new shoes, covering over those slightly dirty feet, and
ditching those ugly thronged sandals. We walked through the doors, and we could
hear Capstone practicing & conducting sound checks. Wow, my heart filled
with instant joy and gratification to the Lord for allowing this opportunity,
these guys sounded GREAT!
We walked into the auditorium, and sat down in the third row back.
As soon as my friend and I made eye contact, we recognized each other. When
they were finished with the sound check, he came down to the pew and we made
introductions and chatted a minute before the four of them went off to change
for the concert. For a few minutes before the concert started, Reverend Danny
Scott, Mr. Bob Sellers, Mr. Joe Brown and Mr. Dale Taylor sat down with my
Grandson and I to share a little about their lives with us. This is
Christianity, this is brotherhood, and this is the Body of Christ. These men
travel all up and down the East Coast and beyond, recorded numerous albums, yet
had a real connection to the Service of Christ and His Ministry. Before
scooting to ready themselves for the concert, they each stopped, shook my hand
and then my Grandson’s hand. His face lit up like a Bright Shining Star in the
middle of cold black night, he was beaming. After spending a few minutes together,
they sat down up front and awaited their introduction for the concert.
They took the stage, and then the music began to flow, you could
feel the Spirit move in that Church that night. The perfect blend of harmony,
the wonderful message of Hope, and that wonderful Gospel message was clear…
This was the Body of Christ gathering for Worship, being led by four men that
understood their place in the world, and their purpose for Christ. Their
presence was strong, and Godly, they offered testimony that moved our hearts to
tears. Truly, the Holy Spirit was present, and when I looked down at my
Grandson’s face, he was full of smiles and truly caught up in the moment, which
opened a door for me to talk to him about the Gospel this week. After the concert,
we met the men once more; they were warm, loving and kind as we began our
goodbyes.
Reverend Scott and I connected as I knew we would, we stopped at
the CD Table, and bought a couple CD’s and a couple glossy’s. Then Reverend
Scott picked up my Grandson’s glossy picture of Capstone and wrote a note to
him and signed, and then had the rest of the guys sign it. As he handed it to
the boy with that warm gentle smile, he shook his hand and my Grandson just
stared in awe. We said goodbye, and walked out of the Church to the car, fully
blessed and our Spiritual batteries charged.
As we started the two hour trip home, my Grandson became very
sleepy, and I asked him to give me the picture so that he could lay down on the
seat and sleep, he wouldn’t let it go for anything. “These guys told me about
Jesus” he told me later, and he wanted the picture to remember that…… So Saturday morning, I took him in town to
buy him a picture frame to put "the guys" in, so that he could hang
it on his wall. God taught me some lessons that night. He first taught me that
the Body of Christ isn’t just the box we try to put it in, His spirit belongs
to all men that claim His blood, yield to repent and dump that load of sin at
the foot of the Cross. Christ reminded me that a little boy with dirty feet can
get to the foot of the cross just as easily as a man cleaned and dressed.
The Lord also reminded me once again, “Son, I don’t care about the
outside, I want what’s on the inside”. This lesson I learned a long time ago
when I came to him in old sneakers, torn jeans and dirty hands and a filthy
heart. That night long ago, I walked away from the Alter with the same old
clothes, but a new “washed” Heart. Through this worship service with the
Capstone Quartet last Friday night, I met Christ again at a personal level; a
level that only good Christian music sometimes has a way of opening up. The
Music, the Testimonies, the Love and the Ministering of the Holy Spirit helped
me once again recommit my own Ministry of service to the Lord.
If one person reads this blog, and chooses to give it all up for
HIM, and take up Christ's cross and join the Spiritual Battle of the age, then
every typed word, every thought, every prayer and all the submission of time
will be worth it. For the reward on the other side of the veil is what I seek,
the jewels for the Crown to throw at His feet on that Great Day.
Reverend Danny Scott, Bob Sellers, Joe Brown and Dale Taylor, I
want to thank you for your selfless service to the Lord, and enduring the long
roundtrip drive between Pennsylvania and Alabama. You brought joy to this old Heart,
and ministered to my spirit, my Spiritual Batteries were surely charged!
GOD BLESS YOU!
<=========================================== >
I believe you can sample some of their great music, the Timeless
album is full of wonderful old Hymns and Songs that warm your heart and open
the door for personal Worship to the King.
Capstone Quartet (on 7-17-2009)
Bass: Joe Brown
Tenor: Dale Taylor
Lead: Bob Sellers
Baritone: Danny Scott
(Update **03-30-2019)
My dear friend Bob Sellers went on to sing with the Kingsmen Quartet, and is currently on the road as a Soloist. Please keep him in your prayers for safe travel and Blessings…)
My dear friend Bob Sellers went on to sing with the Kingsmen Quartet, and is currently on the road as a Soloist. Please keep him in your prayers for safe travel and Blessings…)
Remember to Share the Gospel with someone this week!
KEEP GOING!
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