Torch, Summer 1983

Agnostic "The Agnostic" by James B. Carraher O ne spring day in 1960 , as I was driving through our hometown of Norwood , Ohio , I saw an old high school friend , Paul Dixon, walking down the street. It had been several years since we last saw each other, and I stopped to say hello. It just so happened that his car was "on the fritz ," for which I now thank the Lord. I gave him a ride home. I was surprised to learn that Paul was going to be an evangelist after graduation from college . When he invited me to Norwood Baptist Church for an evening service, I agreed to go. I was curious about just what kind of preacher he was. That Sunday evening I became concerned about my position before God . I know now that the Holy Spirit was convicting me as I listened to Paul's message. After the meeting , Paul explained the Gospel to me and told me I needed to accept Christ as my Savior. I told him I wanted to think it over . The following Tuesday he met with me in his home and again explained the Gospel . This time I accepted the Lord on the strength of the clear Scripture verses he explained to me . However , there were many questions I had about living the Christian life and what God wanted me to do , so I was very thankful when Paul offered to meet with me on a regular basis for a time of Bible study . We met on several occasions either at his home or at the University of Cincinnati between classes. Paul knew the importance of a discipler in the life of a new believer. If it were not for his ministry in my life , I might easily have failed to grow as a Christian . After I was saved , I made the same mistake many new believers make . I went back to the church I had been attending before I was saved and tried to get the members stirred spiritually for evangelistic activities. Paul explained to me that my first priority was to grow as a believer before attempting leadership activities . He introduced me to some tremendous Christian businessmen who met for prayer on Saturday mornings. Through these men I became fami liar with an assembly of Bible bel ievers in Cincinnati. It was there I began to receive sound teaching and fellowship , and I learned by the example of others how born-again Christians really should live. The Lord used Paul again in my life almost I0 years later. I had moved from Cleveland , Ohio , to Toledo after a change of jobs and was concerned about what church my wife and I should attend . On one particular Sunday we were visiting Emmanuel Baptist Church . It seemed like a sound church , but we were used to smaller churches and this one seemed to be just too big for us. We thought we would get lost among all those people . Imagine our surprise when we heard that Paul Dixon was going to hold evangelistic meetings there . Then we learned that Pastor Don Sewell ' s wife Beverly knew my wife Marilee from the time they were in grade school and high school together. This was more than just coincidence . I felt it was clearly the Lord's leading in our lives. Incidentally , we soon discovered that the bigger the church the more jobs there were to be done. The Lord kept us busy . I had the privilege of join ing the Board of Trustees at Cedarville College in 1974 . And , again , imagine my great joy when Paul Dixon became president of the college in 1978. God has wonderfully woven our lives together over the years. Without a doubt our discipler-disciple relationship has been essential to my spiritual growth. Just as Timothy was thankful for his Paul , I thank God for Paul Dixon's willingness to disciple me. • 11