Signs & Wonders Blog

When I started pursuing a music career in 1984, my dad let me use his post office box in Moorhead, Minnesota. I thought having a PO box for an address looked more professional when corresponding with record companies and other businesses. After relocating to Minneapolis the following year, I got a box there. I frequently moved to different houses and apartments in the Twin Cities area. Little did I know that would prepare me for the mission field. Eventually, I started traveling more and often didn’t have a long-term place to live. My PO box gave me a consistent address to collect mail. In late 2001, I resided with families in Northern Virginia but regularly attended meetings at Calvary Campground in Ashland. Therefore, I opened a PO box there. The box number they gave me was 329. That made me think of Galatians 3:29,  “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”  Since then, I’ve had that box except for a few months in 2005-2006. I went

During the late 1990s, I worked for Billy Graham 's film ministry World Wide Pictures. My job was calling pastors to schedule evangelistic movie showings to reach people who might not go to a church otherwise. Many salvations and recommitments resulted. Some of Billy's movies were also shown in theaters. It’s been two decades since World Wide Pictures released a new movie. Fortunately, other Christian filmmakers have filled the gap with quality productions. Some have done well financially. One that debuted last weekend was “Jesus Revolution,” which grossed over $15 million and placed third at the box office. I saw it this past Wednesday. The movie is about the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. It focuses on three California men who went on to have nationally known ministries. Chuck Smith is the pastor of Calvary Church, which hadn’t seen much growth until his daughter brought home a hippie named Lonnie Frisbee. Initially, Chuck is uncomfortable with him and o

During a 1996 renewal meeting at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship , I received a healing in my nasal cavity I didn’t know was needed. Before that night, one of my nostrils was always plugged whenever I breathed through my nose. That would alternate. I used to think that was normal until feeling a “pop” in my sinuses. Sixteen years later, I stayed for a couple of weeks at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Another guest named Conrad talked about his suspicion of “faith healers.” When I testified of God healing me of a deviated septum, Conrad told me he had the same problem. So I laid my hand on his nose. Soon he was able to breathe through both nostrils.  During a church service the following night, I testified of Conrad’s healing and mine. Afterward, a young man visiting from the capital city of Columbia approached me with the same nasal problem. I laid hands on Chris three times until his healing manifested. This past Thursday at Calvary Campground, I talked with my fri

One thing I respect about Word of Faith preachers is they typically avoid “naming names” when talking about individuals living in sin. In contrast, critics often share sound bites of their sermons they disagree with in attempts to expose them. Is it ever appropriate to name names? Scripture gives us some guidelines. Jesus didn’t specify individuals as false ministers though He regularly stood up against the scribes and Pharisees as a group. In Matthew 23, he repeatedly called them hypocrites.  In Acts 13, Luke named a false prophet that Paul confronted…  6 Now when they [Barnabas and Saul] had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus,  7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.  8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.  9 Then S

Dear Amy, I’m an evangelist who appreciates your contributions to Contemporary Christian Music. When I used to program an Internet radio station , your songs were on my playlist. I also saw you perform at a Billy Graham crusade in Minneapolis. Years before, your music planted seeds that later resulted in my salvation. In 1984, my sister bought a copy of “Straight Ahead” after seeing you in concert. I wrote a mostly positive review of your album for my college newspaper and predicted you would hit the Top 40 in a couple of years. The following year, I got excited when “Find a Way” debuted on “ American Top 40 .” Six years after that, I found The Way (John 14:6). It’s sad when religious folk become judgmental of us. I remember you got criticized when you started recording more secular songs such as “Baby Baby” (which hit #1 a month after I got saved). I can also relate to the flak you received for getting divorced and remarried. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of going through

In my late teens, I developed a serious interest in computers. That was stimulated by my high school library having an Apple II where students could run educational programs stored on floppy disks. Soon I took a computer programming course. Occasionally, I played games plus created a few of my own.  In college, I was initially a computer science major before drifting into music. I used an early MacIntosh in one of my electronic music classes. Years later when using computers on the job or at the library, they were usually PCs. Then in 2006, a friend gave me my first MacBook Pro. I’m now on my fourth one. Apple aficionados will advise computer shoppers to “get a Mac.” When people ask me what kind they should buy, I give this answer: If all you want is a computer to browse the Internet and type simple documents, a PC should suffice. It will cost less money. However, if you want to get into music and video production, then I would recommend a Mac. Applications for those purposes (Garag