Remembering Jerry Savelle

One of my favorite preachers went home to be with the Lord this past Monday. Jerry Savelle was born on Christmas Eve, 1946 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. His family later moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. At ten years old, he heard the call to preach while watching Oral Roberts on television but resisted that calling for years. After marrying Carolyn Creech, Jerry continued pursuing an automotive career until finally surrendering to Jesus in February 1969. The Lord directed him to shut his business down and spend time daily listening to teaching tapes by Kenneth Copeland. Jerry later worked for Brother Copeland for two years before starting his own ministry.

As a young believer, I first heard Jerry Savelle in February 1992 as the guest speaker at Living Word Christian Center. I immediately liked his humor and the “adventures in faith” he shared. A few months later, I heard Jerry minister at another local church. Near the end of the service, someone sitting behind me gave me a $100 bill. It was the first time a stranger handed me money. Whenever I heard Jerry talk about angels, I thought of this person. Therefore, I believe he was an angel.


The following year, Jerry did a weeklong series of meetings with Jesse Duplantis at Living Word. It was billed as “a double dose of the Holy Ghost.” As a volunteer in the church’s tape ministry, I made copies and re-listen to the messages. They helped me in my Christian growth. I would hear Jerry many more times at Living Word and other churches. When I left my job at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to make a trip to Toronto, I stopped at a church in the Chicago area to hear Jerry minister there.


Jerry Savelle often taught on the favor of God (that inspired one rapper to create a song called “Flavor Flow”). He shared testimonies of meeting drivers at the Indianapolis 500 and boyhood hero Mickey Mantle after attending a New York Yankees Old-Timers game. One of my favorite stories by Jerry is from his teaching, “If Satan Can’t Steal Your Joy, He Can’t Keep Your Goods.” The devil once stole $3,000 from Jerry. A revelation of Proverbs 6:30-31 resulted in him receiving a sevenfold restoration.  


In recent years, Jerry Savelle was one of the speakers at Living Word’s annual Upper Midwest Faith Explosion. While I’ll miss hearing Jerry again at that conference, I look forward to seeing him in heaven. Thank you, Brother Jerry, for the changed lives that resulted from you obeying the call of God. 


“Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” - Matthew 25:21


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Gospel Soul Winning Script

Image
During my early days with evangelism, I developed an approach called the Survey Technique . By asking short direct questions, you can maintain control of the conversation and find out quickly what a person’s spiritual beliefs are. Although the Survey Technique has helped me lead thousands to the Lord, I’m still open to utilizing new methods in reaching people with the gospel. Rodney Howard-Browne 's ministry uses a tool called the Gospel Soul-Winning Script , which originated during their Good News New York campaign in 1999. I became familiar with it a few years later during evangelism outreaches with Rodney’s church in Tampa, Florida. At first, I resisted using the script. I found it restrictive and thought sinners wouldn’t be receptive to me reading the whole thing to them. Then while taking part in a 2009 outreach with Rodney’s ministry in Washington, D.C., my team leader asked me to “stick with the script.” Wanting to maintain unity, I complied with his request. Initially it fe...
Read more

Toking the Ghost Revisited

Image
Back in February 2007, a fellow missionary I was traveling with started talking about “smoking the weed from heaven.”   He would pretend to have a joint of marijuana between his fingers and have “smoke breaks with Jesus.”   He also encouraged other believers to take “hits.”   I was a bit uncomfortable with this idea but didn't contest it. Then in October of that year, I heard John Crowder preach on “toking the Ghost” at a church in my hometown of Fargo, North Dakota.   I was inspired to make a video with John to share with my missionary friend.   During the filming, I experienced much laughter. I decided to make the video public figuring other people might enjoy it also. Two weeks later at a church in Minnesota, I heard Benjamin Dunn share testimonies of people getting healed from “toking the Ghost.”   This was just before he and John Crowder started ministering together.   I believed this was God confirming His word in the mouth of ...
Read more

A Tribute to Al Best

Image
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This tribute is for one who went home to be with the Lord last Sunday. Al Best oversaw Light in Anoka Church in a northern suburb of Minneapolis. Originally from Florida, Al first gave his life to the Lord at 17 but then backslid. Meanwhile, he served 21 years in the Navy and worked various jobs. That included selling Rainbow vacuum cleaners. I would eventually get to know his sales manager. Eric Gonyon became an associate pastor at Rodney Howard-Browne ’s church (I usually attend services there when in Tampa).  A few years after recommitting his life to the Lord, Al became a pastor. In 2007, the Lord directed him to head north to Minnesota, where his wife Jean is from. First, they ministered in the small town of Dassel. What started as a youth mission transitioned into regular services for all ages. Then in 2016, Al and Jean moved to Anoka to take on a church originally called New Day Fellowship. To counter the city’s motto as the “Hallowee...
Read more