The Ripple Effect and Me – An Amazing Story of How God Works

 

The Ripple Effect is a Fitting Tribute to Billy Graham – and Several More

This remarkable Ripple Effect chronology has been distributed in slightly varying forms for a number of years both off and on the internet.

It makes you think about the importance of every word and action taken during a lifetime.

Maybe this was the only time God used Edward Kimball and maybe not. He sure made a ripple!

 

Ripple Effect

July 1, 1885, a man named Edward Kimball, a deacon in his church, had a burden for a young, shoe salesman, by the name of Dwight L. Moody – D.L. Moody. This layman, Kimball, went to the shoe store and talked to young Moody about his need for salvation. Moody got genuinely converted. He began Bible classes and then later began preaching. His evangelist meetings and fame grew and he went to England and preached in Dr. F. B. Meyer’s big church. Meyer’s life was touched by the Holy Spirit through the Moody’s preaching.

Later, F. B. Meyer turned to mass evangelistic meetings, much like Moody’s. He came to the United States and was preaching in a college at the chapel service and his sermon was about full surrender. He said, “If you cannot tell God you are willing to give Him everything, ask Him to make you willing to be willing.” Wilbur Chapman, who was listening to Meyer, said to himself, “He is talking to me, I’ve been ready to quit, give it up and get out of the ministry.” In an after meeting, Chapman confessed to D. L. Moody that he was unsure that he really was a Christian. Moody had Chapman read John 5:24 (three times). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”. Finally, Chapman could rightly proclaim, “Yes, I believe it”. Chapman was touched by God and let God use him in a mighty way.

Chapman then began to look for someone to help him in evangelistic work. He found a professional baseball player, a young man converted from a life of drunkenness in Chicago. His name was Billy Sunday. When Chapman got older, he turned his work and equipment over to Sunday. Billy Sunday became a world famous evangelist. He was in his generation what Billy Graham has been to his generation.

In 1924, Sunday preached a city-wide crusade in Charlotte, North Carolina. Out of that revival meeting a group of men formed a men’s prayer group to pray for the world. They prayed for Charlotte to have another great revival. God answered their prayers.

God sent another evangelist named Mordecai Hamm. Hamm went to Charlotte in 1934 to hold a crusade. Under the big tent were two young men, Grady Wilson and 15-year-old Billy Graham. Graham was converted in that crusade and dedicated his life to telling others about salvation. Grady Wilson became a preacher too, and the two of them worked together for many years.

To summarize, look at the chain reaction: from Kimball to Moody to Meyer to Chapman to Sunday to Hamm to, eventually, Billy Graham. Most of us have never heard of the Bible class teacher named Kimball. We have dropped most of the other names that so tightly fit together and only remembered the famous Graham, but heaven has not lost any of those names. They are all written down in glory.

You never know what you set in motion when you help win a soul for Christ.

 

How the Ripple Effect Affected Me

First, my mother, Mabel Stannard, then an unmarried Mabel Gilmour, attended Billy Sunday Crusades in New York City about 1920 as a young woman. Now fast forward about 43 years later as I searched the TV channels for a New York Yankee baseball game, I came upon the last moments of a Billy Graham televised crusade. As Billy Graham looked out of the TV screen, he seemed to make eye contact with me. I stopped right there on the dial as he asked me if I knew where I would spend eternity if my life were to end that night. As he explained the way of salvation to me, it made perfect sense to me and I thoughtfully and willingly  gave my heart to Jesus Christ as Savior and the Lord of my life!

Now, I hope to keep the ripple effect going. 

To recap, this was the path of ripples all the way from Edward Kimball to me.

Edward Kimball → D. L. Moody → F. B. Meyer → Wilbur Chapman → Billy Sunday →

Mabel Gilmour Stannard and Mordecai Hamm → Billy Graham → Dick Stannard → ?

So, if you believe that God is all knowing, as I do, it means that He saw me coming into His family when Edward Kimball first spoke to D. L. Moody!

Wow!

My humble thanks to each one in this chain of ripples.

 

Etc.

Please use the Share Buttons and/or email the post link below directly to your friends. Please help me cause a ripple and you will, too.

The Ripple Effect and Me – An Amazing Story of How God Works

Thanks. I appreciate it. – Dick S