Sharing My Story

This time I'm finishing my coverage of the Explo 72 event.
Following Explo were three television specials that covered
some of the Explo meetings that were aired in the last part
of July and the first part of August. This is from my August
1972 newsletter describing the response to the Explo TV specials.

"About one hundred or so of the headquarters staff from all
of the various departments pitched in to help with the flood
of over 115,000 letters that came in. It took us two weeks to
do them all and on the last day nearly the entire Headquarters
staff (250-300) were working on the mail.

It was an enlightening experience just to see how God used
these programs in the lives of tens of thousands of people
across the country. Letters came in from all age groups,
children, teens, college age, young career middle age and
senior citizens all were moved by the powerful presentation
of the gospel on these programs. Many came to know
Christ for the first time, Many Christians were encouraged
as they saw the enthusiasm of the Explo delegates in the
Cotton Bowl and many back sliding Christians were
convicted of their waywardness and came back into full fellowship.

Here are a few examples of the letters we received in response to
the televised specials. One teenage girl from Newport Ricky, Florida
wrote saying that she was not going to watch the Explo specials,
but 'something' prompted her to in spite of herself. When Bill
Bright gave the invitation she received Christ as her personal
Savior and Lord, and now has real peace for the first time in her life.

A young man from Rochester, N.Y. has this to say;
My name is Steven---- and I'm 12 years old and I just received
Christ on one of your Explo 72 [shows] and I am really happy.
All I can give is one dollar, that's all I have in my piggy bank.

Another teenage boy wrote this from Kansas;
Thank you Bill Bright, Billy Graham and all the rest. Last
night I accepted Jesus and I am so happy. I feel better and
why not I've got Jesus and that's all I need. I am enclosing
one dollar I really can't afford it but really after what you
and Jesus did for me I can. I know that with Jesus I can do
better in school, have better friends and feel better.

This came from a 16 year old girl from Quiney, Calif.;
Thank you so much for just being there when you were
needed. I was on the fence not knowing on which side I
should get off. I prayed that God would send some
answers to my many questions. As I was turning the
channel on my TV I stumbled across Explo 72. What
a stumble it was, but thanks to you and Explo 72 and
most of all Jesus Christ I am stumbling no more. I'm
walking straight forward on the road to the gates of heaven.
And as I enter I plan to have all my friends there by my side.
Those who don't know the message of Jesus Christ soon
will, thanks to Explo 72.

Multiple this by the hundreds and thousands and you can
just begin to understand how greatly God used these
programs in the lives of people around the country. Out
of the 1300-1400 (from all 50 states) letters I personally
processed I did not encounter one negative response even
though a few of the other analysts reportedly received an
occasional one. One very encouraging note to me was that
out of all that mail I came across a letter and contribution
for the TV specials from one of you my wonderful supporters.
This is an experience I will treasure in seeing the power of
God working through the medium of Television."

Explo 72 was a once in a life-time experience for me a
wonderful and thrilling time.