I am sure I must have some Kodachrome slides (pictures) of Landon. However, I am not home (in Canada) to search through those boxes. I also am not definite of the year or month when Landon dropped in on us in Shillong, India, as he circled the globe. However, his coming was a god-send for us.
I believe it might have been in the spring of 1966 (maybe 1965). Ellen and I were living in a small apartment in Laitumkhrah, Shillong in NE India. We had been drawn into what today might be called “Campus Evangelism”, but, at the time, we didn’t have any fancy title for it! We had planned a weekend “gospel meeting” and were expecting Don Green from Malaysia to come and do the speaking. However, mid-week we received a telegram from Don saying he was not going to be able to make it. We had advertised extensively, so we were left scrambling to find an alternative.
Thursday morning (I believe it was) a knock at the door introduced us to a slender American traveler whom we had never heard of before. However, in those days, anyone from the English speaking world was a very welcome guest. Landon had noticed the banner over the gate so we had to tell him our distressing predicament. His response was, Well, if you would like, I would be happy to fill in.” “… would like, go for it, brother!” We had no idea of the magnitutde of the treat we were in for. Of course, he related marvelously with the college students who attend.
At that time I remember serious discussions among evangelists as to the requirement of an invitation at the end of the message. I have never been comfortable with the lengthy “invitations” that I was exposed to as a boy. Landon asked if he should give an “invitation” and I gave him freedom do as he might choose. Then, he humbly told me, “I have learned how to push the buttons that bring people down the isles but I refuse to push them.” I remember thinking, “Lord, give me access to some of those buttons!”
However, Landon’s greatest contribution to my life and ministry was not his serendipitous visit but, rather, his impact on my transitioning mind-set. Uponn my arrival in India in 1963, I had been thrust into a legalistic environment. As I worked my way through (out of) that, Landon’s messages, videos, and life-style have been contributing factors. Thanks, London, for the freshness that you have brought to our lives, our message, and our ministries.
Ray & Ellen McMillan, Silver Oak School, Durtlang Veng Thar, Mizoram, India
I believe it might have been in the spring of 1966 (maybe 1965). Ellen and I were living in a small apartment in Laitumkhrah, Shillong in NE India. We had been drawn into what today might be called “Campus Evangelism”, but, at the time, we didn’t have any fancy title for it! We had planned a weekend “gospel meeting” and were expecting Don Green from Malaysia to come and do the speaking. However, mid-week we received a telegram from Don saying he was not going to be able to make it. We had advertised extensively, so we were left scrambling to find an alternative.
Thursday morning (I believe it was) a knock at the door introduced us to a slender American traveler whom we had never heard of before. However, in those days, anyone from the English speaking world was a very welcome guest. Landon had noticed the banner over the gate so we had to tell him our distressing predicament. His response was, Well, if you would like, I would be happy to fill in.” “… would like, go for it, brother!” We had no idea of the magnitutde of the treat we were in for. Of course, he related marvelously with the college students who attend.
At that time I remember serious discussions among evangelists as to the requirement of an invitation at the end of the message. I have never been comfortable with the lengthy “invitations” that I was exposed to as a boy. Landon asked if he should give an “invitation” and I gave him freedom do as he might choose. Then, he humbly told me, “I have learned how to push the buttons that bring people down the isles but I refuse to push them.” I remember thinking, “Lord, give me access to some of those buttons!”
However, Landon’s greatest contribution to my life and ministry was not his serendipitous visit but, rather, his impact on my transitioning mind-set. Uponn my arrival in India in 1963, I had been thrust into a legalistic environment. As I worked my way through (out of) that, Landon’s messages, videos, and life-style have been contributing factors. Thanks, London, for the freshness that you have brought to our lives, our message, and our ministries.
Ray & Ellen McMillan, Silver Oak School, Durtlang Veng Thar, Mizoram, India
