The Circuit Rider vs The Televangelist

In my continued research on the "old wells ofwere on himself. Frequently, his body would be
revival" I have discovered some incrediblyracked with pain, illness, fever, hunger and
contrasting bits of information. One of the topweakness. His physical being would cry out for
televangelists in the nation was recently invited torest and nourishment. However, his spirit ruled his
preach in Baltimore, Maryland. His terms forbody. When truly unable to travel, he would
coming were:mount his horse and ride for 8 hours or more
#1. That he must be picked up by a limousine atthrough blinding snowstorms, torrential rain or in
the airport,oppressive heat.
#2. That he must have $1,000 spending money,He too had been invited to Baltimore. In 1816 he
#3. That he must be guaranteed at least $10,000was traveling by buggy through Virginia headed to
in offerings.the annual conference in Baltimore. However, he
This same televangelist/ pastor lives in a multiwas dying. His last sermon was preached in
million-dollar mansion, eats in the finest restaurantsRichmond. He had to be carried into the meeting
and wears the most expensive tailor-made suits.room. He commented, "I am too weak t o walk
His writings and speaking engagements havebut not to preach." They sat him on a small table
garnered millions of dollars. He brags that he is aand he ministered the Word for the last time. He
role model of the prosperity message of our day.made it as far as Spotsylvania twenty miles north
He pastors a mega church, appears on nationalof Richmond. He body was rapidly failing. He
and international television, has authored manystopped at a friend's house on Saturday. Shortly
books and draws tens of thousands to hear him.before he left this world he was asked, "Do you
To his credit, he is a powerful, commandingfeel Jesus precious?" Summoning his last remaining
speaker. However, please contrast this to thestrength, the great circuit rider raised both hands
following life and ministry of the great circuit rider,in victory. Minutes later he laid his head on a
Francis Asbury in the late 1700s and early 1800s.friend's hand and gently slipped away to be with
While still in his 20's, Francis Asbury left his homethe Lord. He owned no mansion, no land, and no
and family forever in England to come to abank account. His net worth was what he wore
wilderness called America. He came to be aon his body. He was buried in a borrowed grave
traveling preacher/evangelist in a nation with littleplot.
infrastructure such as roads, decent housing, fewWhen Asbury came to America, there were few
hotels and restaurants, poor sanitation andMethodist believers and fewer preachers. At the
dangerous drinking water, few medicalend of his ministry, there were over 240,000
professionals and limited law enforcement. TheMethodist believers and almost 8,000 ministers. He
nation had recently plunged into a violent war ofaffected lives of thousands upon thousands. He
independence against Asbury's native land ofchanged the very course of American history.
England. The American frontier was also ablazeAmong his converts were poor farmers,
with war between the colonist and Nativemerchants, Governors of several states,
Americans tribes.frontiersmen, slaves, Native Americans, State
Asbury was not greeted upon his arrival by aSupreme Court Justices, attorneys, physicians,
limo. He had to purchase a horse on which hehousewives, children, youth and people from all
traveled 6,000 a year for over 40 years. Hiswalks of life. He gave all he had. He sought nothing
financial reward was $60 a year, much of whichfor himself. His passion was to bring salvation and
he gave away or sent back to England to help histhe Light of the Gospel to those in darkness of
parents. He wore hand-me-downs not tailor madesin. He loved a nation and made it his own even
suits. He had no retirement, no insurance, nothough he was not her native son.
dental plan, and no 401 k. He set no fee for hisQuite a CONTRAST between the CIRCUIT
ministry.RIDER and the TELEVANGELIST!
What he did receive, he often gave away. HeOne was selfless, the other selfish. One was
traveled on "roads" on which his horse sank manypeople-centered, the other ego-centered. One
times knee-deep in mud. If a road did not exist,was a Kingdom builder, the other an empire
he would lead his horse over the steep, rockybuilder. One drew souls into the Kingdom of God;
incline s of the Appalachians to reach a pioneerthe other drew the masses into an arena. One
community. Many times, his feet and legs weredemanded of him, the other demanded of others.
bloodied and bruised by the horrific journey. WhenOne gave freely, the other commanded a price.
he came to a river where there was no bridge orOne was a servant, the other a celebrity.
ferry, he would swim his horse across. NumerousHebrews 11:32-38 speaks about the real heroes
times, he was nearly drowned by an angry,of the faith: They were..."tortured, not accepting
swollen stream. His "hotel" on many occasionsdeliverance, that they might obtain a better
was on a dirt floor in an overcrowded,resurrection. Still others had trial of mocking and
rat-infested frontier cabin. Often times he slept inbeatings, and of chains and imprisonment. They
the woods, on a mountain ledge or in damp cave.were stoned, they weresawn in two, were
Many days he would travel over 60 miles withtempted, were slain with the sword. They
nothing to eat. The paths and roads he traveledwandered about in sheepskins and goatskins,
were full of dangers from murderers, thieves,being destitute, afflicted, tormented... they
wolves, bears, poisonous snakes and roamingwandered in deserts, and mountains, in dens and
bands of Native Americans with whom thecaves of the earth.... of whom the world was not
frontiersmen were at war. If he met someoneworthy."
who needed a cloak, food or money, he wouldHow long are we going to tolerate the "superstar
take what he had and give it to the person insyndrome" in the church? How long are we going
need. Asbury sought out the forgotten, hiddento feed the ego and pocketbooks of these
places of early America. He traveled from Newself-seeking charlatans, regardless of how
England, to the Midwest, and to the Deep Southarticulate they are? How long will we continue to
spreading the Gospel of Christ. When he wouldpack their arenas and buy their CDs, DVDs and
meet a person who was ill, he would minister tobooks? How long will we pick them up in limos,
their physical needs with the last medication heand line their wallets with thousands and
had. He demanded nothing of others in order tothousands of dollars to spend on self? How long
come into a community. The demands he madewill we tolerate apostasy?